Rawhide Edge Bakersfield, Snap Skid

VISALIA--The Rawhide held on for a 6-5 win over Bakersfield on Relay for Life Night, beating Bakersfield 6-5 and ending their 4-game losing streak.

The win also kept Visalia tied with San Jose for the Wild Card lead.

It didn't begin well for the 'Hide; Bakersfield tallied 3 times in the top of the 1st against Andrew Barbosa. But Andrew stabilized and pitched well through the 6th inning.

The Rawhide got on the board in the bottom of the 1st; Rudy Flores clubbed an RBI single, and it was 3-1.

Visalia scored 3 times in the last of the 2nd; Ryan Gebhardt laced a 2-RBI double down the left field line, scoring Ronnie Freeman and George Roberts, and Alex Glenn flared a double down the right field line, making it 4-3 'Hide.

The Blaze tied it in the 4th; Sammy Diaz singled, and Sebastian Elizalde doubled him around to make it 4-4.

But the 'Hide took the lead for good in the bottom of the 5th; Steve McQuail laced a line drive just over the wall in left field, giving Visalia a 5-4 advantage.

They padded it, crucially, in the 6th. George Roberts doubled, and Ryan Gebhard brought him in with a base hit. It was 6-4 Visalia.

They'd need that insurance tally, because Bakersfield got one back in the top of the 8th, on a 2-out single by Sebastian Elizalde.

But Enrique Burgos stranded Elizalde at 2nd to keep Visalia ahead, and then worked through a scoreless 9th inning for his first 2-inning save of the year, and his 25th in 25 opportunities.

22 games remain in the regular season, and the Rawhide remain in the thick of the playoff race.

They'll continue the homestand tomorrow with the final All-American Saturday of the season; first pitch is at 7:00!

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