Bakersfield Blaze Force Deciding Game 5 in California League Playoff Series

Thursday

Sep172009

Thursday, September 17, 2009 at 12:10AM

MLN Newswire - www.mlntherawfeed.com-The Bakersfield Blaze scored nine runs in the first four innings before cruising to an 11-4 victory over the San Jose Giants in Game Four of the North Division Series on Tuesday evening at Sam Lynn Ballpark. Ian Gac homered and collected six RBI’s and the Blaze took advantage of six walks and six wild pitches to even the best-of-five series at 2-2. The series now shifts to San Jose for a deciding fifth game on Wednesday night at Municipal Stadium.

Gac (2-for-4, HR, 6 RBI) led a 10-hit Bakersfield offensive attack while Tanner Roark earned the win on the mound after working seven innings and yielding four runs (three earned). Roark struck out six and walked three.

The Giants initially took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning taking advantage of three Blaze errors to score a single run. In the bottom of the first, Bakersfield answered with two runs of their own against San Jose starting pitcher Kyle Nicholson. A walk to Matthew Lawson started the frame before Davis Stoneburner singled. With two outs, Mike Bianucci drew a walk to load the bases and then Gac lined a two-run single into center field to give Bakersfield the lead.

The Blaze scored three more two-out runs in the bottom of the third as a walk and a single started the frame. Then with two outs, Gac stepped to the plate and belted a 2-2 pitch over the fence in center field for a three-run homer.

San Jose responded in the top of the fourth scoring three times to cut the Bakersfield lead to 5-4. Consecutive singles from Roger Kieschnick and Josh Mazzola put runners on first and third to begin the inning. Nestor Rojas then delivered a sacrifice fly to right plating Kieschnick with the first run of the frame. After Brian Bocock doubled to right field and Darren Ford drew a walk to load the bases, Nick Noonan lifted a sacrifice fly to deep left center to make it 5-3. Thomas Neal followed with a line drive RBI single, but Roark recovered inducing Conor Gillaspie to fly out to keep the Blaze ahead.
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Bakersfield though kept the pressure on in the bottom of the fourth sending eight hitters to the plate and scoring four runs on two hits. Nicholson walked Jacob Kaase to begin the inning before David Paisano singled. After Lawson struck out, Stoneburner delivered an RBI single to left ending Nicholson’s evening. Ryan Shaver was then summoned from the bullpen and he promptly uncorked a wild pitch to bring home Paisano for a 7-4 lead. Two batters later, another Shaver wild pitch scored the third run of the inning before Bianucci hit a ground ball to third base that was mishandled by Gillaspie for an error allowing the fourth run of the frame.

Nicholson suffered the loss for the Giants after surrendering eight runs (all earned) on six hits over 3 1/3 innings. The right-hander walked a career-high four and struck out six.

The Blaze added single runs in the fifth and sixth innings to extend their lead. In the bottom of the fifth while facing Shaver, a successful double steal with runners at first and third scored a run. Then in the sixth, Joey Butler led off with a double before scoring on Gac’s sacrifice fly.

San Jose managed only three baserunners in the last five innings and had their last nine hitters retired consecutively to end the game. Bakersfield out-hit the Giants by a 10-7 margin. No San Jose starter finished with more than one hit.

Notes: Bakersfield outscored the Giants 18-7 during Games Three and Four … The Blaze won their last five home games against San Jose dating back to August … Shaver (1 2/3 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 2 SO) threw four wild pitches during his relief stint … Trey Webb (1/3 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 0 SO, Ryan Verdugo (1 2/3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 SO) and Rafael Cova (1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 SO) also pitched out of the Giants bullpen … Webb was ejected after hitting Bianucci with a pitch in the bottom of the sixth inning prompting the benches to clear (no punches were thrown) … Ford left the game in the top of the sixth with an apparent injury after he was hit by a pitch thrown by Roark.

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Melissa Martinez | Comments Off |