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By Matthew Martz / Photo by Frank Domingo Photography

The Blaze scored nine runs in the first four innings and cruised to an 11-4 victory over the San Jose Giants, winning game four of the Cal League division finals on Tuesday at Sam Lynn Ballpark.

Ian Gac homered and tied a career high with six RBIs helping the Blaze even the series at two games apiece, and forcing a decisive Game 5 in San Jose on Wednesday.

San Jose struck first scoring a single run in the first, before the Blaze took a 2-1 lead in the home half of the inning on a two RBI single from Ian Gac. In his next at-bat, Gac clubbed a three-run long ball in the bottom of the third extending Bakersfield’s lead, 5-1.

The Giants made a modest comeback in the fourth, scoring three runs to narrow Bakersfield’s lead to 5-4. But the Blaze got a bit of help from the San Jose bullpen in the home half of the frame as they picked up four runs on two singles, two walks, three wild pitches and a fielding error.

A solid performance by Bakersfield starter Tanner Roark held the Giants in check for the next three innings. Roark (W, 1-0) surrendered three earned runs on seven hits, while striking out six and walking three.

Leading 9-4, the Blaze added a single run in the fifth when Jacob Kasse stole home in a double steal attempt, and one more in the sixth on an RBI sac fly to center from Ian Gac, his sixth RBI of the ballgame.

Bakersfield reliever Michael Main relieved Roark to start the eighth and pitched two scoreless innings, striking out three of the six batters he faced.

Aside from Ian Gac’s three run homer and 6 RBIs. David Paisano went 2-for-4 with a single and a double, Davis Stoneburner was 2-for-4 with a pair of singles, a walk and an RBI, and Joey Butler singled and doubled in five at-bats.

The series continues with a decisive game five on Wednesday at Municipal Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.

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By Matthew Martz / Photo by Frank Domingo Photography

Facing elimination, the Blaze took an early 4-1 lead in the first and hung on to win game three of the Cal League division finals 7-3 on Monday at Sam Lynn Ballpark.

After surrendering a lone run in the first, the Blaze put on a hitting clinic in the home half of the inning, beginning with a two out Joey Butler double, followed by an RBI double from Mauro Gomez, and two run homer to left center by Michael Bianucci. The Blaze weren’t finished as Tommy Mendonca drove in a run on soft fly to left, giving the Blaze a 4-1 lead.

In his next at-bat, Gomez helped add to the Blaze lead with a two-run round tripper in the bottom of the second extending Bakersfield’s lead, 6-1.

Solid pitching from Blaze starter Kennil Gomez held the Giants out of the run column for 6.2 innings. Gomez (W, 1-0) surrendered just one run on six hits, while striking out five and walking six.

In a flashback to game two, the Giants launched a comeback in the top of the eighth that began with a pair of doubles to lead off the inning, off reliever Ryan Falcon, cutting the Blaze lead 6-2.

After a quick mound visit, Tyler Tufts would replace Falcon on rubber. Tufts gave up an additional run before forcing a ground out and a double play to end the inning, preserving Bakersfield’s 6-3 lead.

The Blaze added one more in the home half of the frame when Ian Gac scored on a passed ball.

Bakersfield closer Evan Reed loaded the bases with two outs in the top of the ninth, and with the tying run at first, sat down the Giant’s Conor Gillaspie on strikes to end the ballgame.

The series continues with game four on Tuesday at San Lynn Ballpark. The Blaze will look to even the series a two games apiece. First pitch is scheduled for 7:15 p.m.

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By Matthew Martz / Photo by Frank Domingo Photography

The San Jose Giants exploded for eight runs in the bottom of the eighth inning beating the Blaze 8-3 and taking a two game lead in the division finals on Sunday at Municipal Stadium.

The Blaze had only allowed the Giants two hits in seven complete and looked to be heading back to Bakersfield with the series tied at one when Johnny Monell’s lead off homer to left off reliever Justin Miller started an eight run rally for San Jose.

Bakersfield starter Tim Murphy pitched seven strong innings on the hill, striking out five, issuing three free passes, and allowing just two hits and no earned runs.

The Blaze took 1-0 lead in the third when Michael Bianucci hit a sac fly to left scoring Matthew Lawson who singled in a previous at-bat.

Bakersfield added to their lead in the top half of the eighth on an RBI double from Joey Butler and another sac fly RBI from Bianucci, his second of the night.

The Blaze’s Justin Miller (L, 0-1) was summoned from the bullpen to start the eighth and surrendered a solo home run to the first batter he faced. After forcing a ground out in the next at-bat, Miller gave up a single and walk. He sat down the Giants Thomas Neal on strikes and was near working his way out of the inning, preserving a Blaze 3-1 lead, when suddenly it all imploded as Miller unleashed a wild pitch in the following at-bat that allowed San Jose to score a run and load the bases.

Miller would get the hook and Glenn Swanson would be called upon to stop the bleeding.

Swanson walked the first batter he faced allowing the Giants to tie the game 3-3, and then surrendered a three run double to give the Giants a 6-3 lead. Swanson surrendered one more before exiting the mound. Dustin Brader came into the ballgame with bases loaded and gave up one inherited run before striking out Thomas Neal to end the eighth.

Giants’ reliever Daniel Turpen had a 1-2-3 ninth, retiring the side and ending the ballgame 8-3.

The series continues with game three on Monday at San Lynn Ballpark. It is a must win situation for Bakersfield. First pitch is scheduled for 7:15 p.m.

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By Matthew Martz / Photo by Frank Domingo Photography

The Blaze were held to just seven hits losing 1-0 in game one of the best-of-five division finals against the San Jose Giants on Saturday afternoon at Municipal Stadium.

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By Matthew Martz / Photo by Frank Domingo Photography

The Bakersfield Blaze posted their first playoff series win since 2001 with a 6-1 decisive game three win over the Modesto Nuts on Friday at Sam Lynn Ballpark.

Starting pitcher Richard Bleier went eight strong innings on the mound holding the Nuts to just one run on seven hits, while the Blaze offense out hit Modesto 12-7.

The win sends the Blaze to San Jose to face the first place Giants for game one of the best of five division finals on Saturday.

After falling behind 1-0 early in the first inning, the Blaze answered back scoring two in the second to take a 2-1 advantage on an RBI triple from David Paisano, followed by an RBI double by Matthew Lawson.

Lawson added one more for Bakersfield in the fourth on an RBI, before The Blaze broke out adding three more runs in the seventh to take a commanding 6-1 lead.

Bleier (W, 1-0) faced 32 Modesto hitters, striking out eight without a single walk.

Blaze reliever and former Ridgeview High standout Justin Miller, came on in the top of the ninth and struck out the side in order, to end the ballgame.

The series with San Jose begins on Saturday at Municipal Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 2:05 p.m.

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By Matthew Martz / Photo Courtesy of Frank Domingo Photography

The Blaze scored seven runs in the sixth including a pair of home runs on their way to a 13-6 win over the Modesto Nuts in game two Thursday at Sam Lynn Ballpark.

The win evens the series at one game apiece, with a deciding game three to be played Friday night at Sam Lynn Ballpark. The winner will move on to face the first place San Jose Giants in the division finals on Saturday.

After falling behind 4-1, the Blaze climbed back into the ballgame in the third narrowing the deficit to one on a two run home run from David Paisano, followed by a solo homer from second baseman Matthew Lawson.

Modesto got one back in the top half of the sixth before the Blaze erupted for seven runs in the home half of the inning to pull ahead 10-5.

The Blaze led off the inning with two consecutive home runs from Ian Gac and Tommy Mendonca. After a pair of singles and an RBI double from Matthew Lawson, David Paisano came home on a walk. Michael Bianucci grounded out to second scoring Matthew Lawson, and Ian Gac followed with a two RBI single on a ground ball to left.

The Nuts inched closer on a home run from Jeffrey Cunningham in the seventh, before the Blaze answered back with an RBI single from Davis Stoneburner in the bottom half of the frame, adding to Bakersfield’s lead, 11-6.

Bakersfield’s Tommy Mendoca gave the Blaze a commanding 13-6 when he clubbed a two-run blast to deep left in the bottom of the eighth. His second of the game. 

Blaze reliever Glenn Swanson was called upon in the ninth and pitched a 1-2-3 inning to end the ballgame.

Blaze starter Tanner Roark went just three innings on the mound surrendering four earned runs on seven hits including three home runs. Tyler Tufts who replaced Roark in the fourth earned his first win of the season.

Blaze LHP Richard Bleier (7-11) is expected to start game three tonight. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.

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By Tim Wheeler

MODESTO -Exactly five months after the Bakersfield Blaze opened the 2009 Cal League regular season in Modesto, the team returned to John Thurman Field to begin the second season, otherwise known as the California League North Division mini-series playoffs.

Making its first post season appearance since the events of 9/11 canceled its division playoff series eight years ago, the Blaze dropped the opener of the best-of-three series to the Nuts 5-3. The series resumes 7:05 p.m. tonight at Sam Lynn Ball Park.

With game tied at 3, Modesto lead off the seventh inning with back-to-back doubles off Blaze reliever Ryan Falcon to take a 4-3 lead. The Nuts added an insurance run in the eighth.

The Blaze took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first as Mauro Gomez's two-out single to center scored Joey Butler, who reached on a fielder's choice.

In the bottom half of the inning, Nuts leadoff man Charlie Blackmon singled off of Blaze starter Kennil Gomez. Hector Gomez then crushed a two-run homer over the left field wall giving Modesto a 2-1 lead.

In the third, the Blaze capitalized on two Nuts errors and a triple by Jacob Kaase to retake the lead, 3-2. Modesto then tied the game in the fourth when Jason VanKooten drew a walk, was balked to second, and scored on Matt Repec's double.

The Blaze offense, limited to just two singles by Nuts starter Corey Riordan after the third inning, finally got the right-hander out of the game after consecutive two out singles by Gomez and Mike Bianucci in the eighth.

Joey Williamson took over and struck out Tommy Mendonca, stranding the potential tying and go-ahead runs on base.

Playoff notes

If the Blaze-Nuts series goes three games, the winner will be forced to play Game 1 of the North Division Championship Series without a normal night's rest as the winner faces an almost immediate minimum five-hour drive to San Jose. The Giants announced that Saturday's game has been moved up to 2 p.m. because San Jose State is hosting Utah in a NCAA football game.

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By Scott Lucas

Irrespective of affiliation, talent, or decade, the Blaze rarely win. They’re the St. Louis Browns of minor-league baseball, 378 games under .500 since their inaugural season in 1941. From 1993-2008, following an atypical five-year stretch of dominance, the Blaze never finished more than two games over .500 and posted an average record of 61-79. Even under a playoff system that resembles a college basketball conference tournament, Bakersfield hasn’t played beyond the regular season since 2001.

This year began no differently. Despite a prospect-laden roster, the Blaze lost eight of 11 to begin the season and were 51-60 on August 6th. Then, minus its most famous names, Bakersfield closed the year on a 24-5 run. They also wrested home-field advantage from fellow wild-card Modesto in the season’s waning days. The Nuts will host the Blaze today, followed by one or two games in Bakersfield.

Season series: Bakersfield won 15-14 (8-4 at home, 7-10 at Modesto)

Modesto plays at John Thurman Field, a pitcher-friendly locale ferociously tough on power hitters. Its 391’ left-center alley is 37 feet beyond the deepest part of Bakersfield’s Sam Lynn Ballpark, and a 15’-high wall rings the outfield. Modesto and its opponents hit only 49 homers at John Thurman versus 122 on the road. Bakersfield is one of the few teams that didn’t struggle there. The Blaze averaged 5.1 runs per game in Modesto compared to 3.7 for other teams.

Though Sam Lynn does promote homers, courtesy of a miniscule 354 feet to dead-center field, it actually plays fairly neutral overall. Blaze pitchers posted a 3.97 ERA there and limited Modesto to a reasonable 4.8 runs per game.

Bakersfield Blaze:
Record: 75-65
Last 30 games: 24-6 (including 5-2 against Modesto)

Typical Lineup:
C Doug Hogan / Jose Felix
1B Ian Gac
2B Matt Lawson
3B Tommy Mendonca
SS Davis Stoneburner
LF Mike Bianucci
CF David Paisano
RF Joey Butler
DH Mauro Gomez

Bench:
IF Jake Kaase, UT Erik Morrison, OF Tim Rodriguez

Probable starters:
Kennil Gomez, Tanner Roark, and (if needed) Richard Bleier

Relievers:
Evan Reed, Ryan Falcon, Michael Main, Adalberto Flores, Glenn Swanson, Dustin Brader, Justin Miller

At the plate, the Blaze are powerful, slow, and impatient. They rank second of ten teams in doubles and homers, dead last in walks and on-base percentage, and next-to-last in strikeouts. Bakersfield attempted 98 stolen bases, 31 fewer than any other team and 106 fewer than Modesto. Davis Stoneburner leads the active roster with nine successes.

Ably representing the Blaze are Mauro Gomez (.285/.333/.525) and Ian Gac (.238/.295/.468), who shared first base duties and combined for 50 homers and 269 strikeouts. OF Mike Bianucci (.232/.289/.510) compiled the team’s fourth-highest homer total with 15 in barely one-third of a season, but his batting eye was occluded (14 walks, 69 strikeouts). OF Joey Butler (.280/.343/.416, 12 homers, 146 SO) and 2B Matt Lawson (.293/.350/.418, 10 homers, 127 SO) counteracted their whiffing with some ability to draw walks and HBPs. Recently promoted all-or-nothing slugger 3B Tommy Mendonca was born to play on this team. I’ve listed Erik Morrison and Jake Kaase on the bench, but they played often down the stretch, and seeing one or both in a starting lineup wouldn’t surprise.

Stupendous bullpen work saved the Blaze from total collapse early in the season. It’s still a strength despite the loss of two of its best practitioners, Zach Phillips and Corey Young. College reliever-turned-starter-turned-reliever Evan Reed fanned 65 in 48.2 innings and saved 25 games. Lefty slo-mo specialist Ryan Falcon led the team with 66 relief innings and a 2.44 ERA. Adalberto Flores (3.40 ERA) matched Reed’s 31% strikeout rate. Finally, a rejuvenated Michael Main tossed seven scoreless innings between Bakersfield and rookie league.

Since early August, the rotation has been solid after nearly capsizing the team with 12 “disaster starts” (runs allowed >= innings pitched) in 13 games. Game 1 starter Kennil Gomez led the league in walks (67) and hit batters (21) but pitched effectively in his last six appearances (2.53 ERA, 28 SO in 32 IP). Better still was probable Game 2 starter Tanner Roark, who punched out 51 in 52.2 innings as a starter with a 2.91 ERA. Control freak Richard Bleier (4.51 ERA) will likely start Game 3 if needed. Bleier (4.51) is a formidable inning-eater but also prone to the big inning. In a win-or-die setting, manager Steve Buechele will have to employ a shorter leash.

Defensively, the Blaze are error-prone but still pretty good at turning batted balls into outs. Both Doug Hogan and Jose Felix are among the worst in the league at gunning down basestealers, and Modesto loves to run.

Modesto Nuts:
Record: 75-65
Last 30 games: 15-15

Modesto hit only 88 homers compared to Bakersfield’s 144 and scored 26 fewer runs, but their offense is similar after adjusting for home climate. The Nuts have five hitters – OFs Scott Beerer, Charles Blackmon and Jay Cox, 2B Jason Von Kooten, and 1B Matt Repec – with higher batting averages than Bakersfield team leader Matt Lawson (.293). Conversely, the bottom third of its order is an out factory.

The best human-interest story of the first round belongs to Beerer. The 27-year-old Texas A&M alum was drafted 47th overall by Colorado in 2003, but after four injury-plagued seasons on the mound, the former two-way player wanted to become a hitter. The Rockies refused, and he didn’t play in affiliated baseball for two years. Colorado eventually accepted Beerer back as an outfielder, and he’s batted .385/.443/.594 between short-season Tri-City and Modesto.

Modesto hasn’t announced its rotation. Lefty Christian Friedrich (2.54 ERA) is the best starter on either team. In three August outings against the Blaze, he pitched 17.2 innings, allowed just four earned runs, and struck out 24. Based on results, the other starters (as needed) should be righties Cory Riordan (3.93 ERA in a league-high 169.2 IP) and Bruce Billings (4.17 ERA, 122 SO in 99 IP). The Nuts have an outstanding closer in Craig Baker (36 saves, 2.30 ERA, 75 SO in 62 IP) but less bullpen depth.

Modesto is superior to Bakersfield in terms of errors, turning batted balls into outs and cutting down basestealers. However, as mentioned, the Blaze don’t run much.

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Bt Matt Martz

Davis Stoneburner’s two run homer in the first and a solo home run from Ian Gac to lead off the second, lifted the Blaze 3-2, over the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes in a Labor Day matinee at Sam Lynn Ballpark.

Monday’s game concluded the 2009 regular season and the win secured home field advantage for Bakersfield’s first postseason appearance in eight years.

After finishing the first half of the season two games under .500, the Blaze (75-65) is 25-5 since Aug 6.

“The team has taken it upon themselves to play the game the right way everyday,” said Blaze Manager Steve Buechele, “ Somewhere around the end of July it just clicked with them and now we are in the playoffs.”

The Blaze will square off against the Modesto Nuts in round one. The two teams have met 29 times this season with Bakersfield leading the season series 15-14.

“We have seen them a lot and know their hitters pretty well,” said Blaze starting pitcher Tanner Roark, “They are a tough team to beat in Modesto. We have to win our spots, load the bases, make the right pitches and limit the walks.”

Roark, who is 2-0 against the Nuts this season, has an ERA of 2.70, and leads the team with 10 wins, is expected to get the start when the team returns to Bakersfield for game two.

“It all begins with the starting rotation, our bullpen has been solid. The guys have been swinging the bat well and we have been better offensively,” stated Buechele.

A big part of the Blaze offense has been proverbial powerhouse DH Mauro Gomez. Gomez leads the Blaze with 28 home runs, third best in Cal League, a vast improvement from the eight home runs he posted in 2008.

“I’ve made big adjustments in my hitting this year,” said Gomez. “Last year I always tried to hit home runs, this year I am swinging easier and I am seeing the ball better.”

The Nuts (75-65) are 5-5 in their last 10, wrapping up their season with two straight wins against the first place High Desert Mavericks. They team has five solid starters including Cory Riordan (12-7 / 3.93 ERA) and are lead offensively by CF Charles Blackmon who is second in the league with 169 hits and .307 AVG.

“When you play against Modesto you have to be aware in certain situations, they play a different style of baseball,” said Buechele, “They know our style and we know theirs, they are a good team and tough to beat on the road. This will be a great series.”

Blaze RHP Kennil Gomez is expected to start game one on Wednesday at Modesto, with game two and three if necessary on Thursday and Friday at Sam Lynn Ballpark. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.

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By Matthew Martz

The Bakersfield Blaze finished their last road trip of the 2009 season with two wins against the Stockton Ports earlier this week at Banner Island Ballpark. The Blaze (71-65) has won 20 of their last 24 games and has secured their first playoff appearance in eight years.
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Game one of the series against the Ports on Monday proved to be Tim Murphy’s best start on the mound for Bakersfield this season as he surrendered just one run in the first inning and then settled in pitching four more as the Blaze came away with a 3-1 win.

Murphy walked four, hit one batter and threw two wild pitches, striking out four of the 23 batters he faced.

Stockton took a 1-0 lead on their first three at-bats and then was held to just two more hits for the remaining eight innings.

Ian Gac’s solo home run in the third tied the game at 1-1 and a solo blast from Mauro Gomez in the seventh gave the Blaze a 2-1 advantage. An RBI double from Gac in the top of the ninth padded Bakersfield’s lead 3-1.

Glenn Swanson (W, 1-1) notched his first win of the season pitching a scoreless sixth and seventh and Evan Reed earned his 23rd save, inducing a bases loaded two out, pop up to end the ballgame.

The teams were locked in a scoreless tie until the Blaze broke through in the fifth, wining game two and shutting out the Ports 2-0 on Wednesday.

Blaze starter Kennil Gomez (W, 8-10) shut down the Ports on four hits, a walk and four strikeouts in five innings while Stockton starter Hector Garcia (L, 0-1) suffered the loss in his first appearance for the Ports.

For the second night in a row Ian Gac opened the scoring in the top of the fifth, with a two-out solo home run, his 20th, giving the Blaze a 1-0 lead. Bakersfield added to their lead in the sixth, scoring one run on a Joey Butler sacrifice fly.

Reliever Michael Main issued a walk and a strikeout in two scoreless innings, in his first appearance in a Blaze uniform since early June. Evan Reed earned his 24th save of the season retiring three of the four batters he faced.

After trailing 3-0, the Stockton Ports (59-77) scored six runs in the fifth to beat the Blaze 7-5 in game three on Thursday, avoiding the series sweep.

The Blaze jumped on the board with an early 1-0 lead in the first when SS Davis Stoneburner scored on an Ian Gac double to left.

Bakersfield added to their lead in the fourth when Tommy Mendonca singled in Mauro Gomez, who led of the inning with a double, and later came across scoring on a fielder’s choice, increasing the Blaze lead 3-0.

Blaze starter Richard Bleier (L, 7-11) allowed no runs on just two hits through the first four innings but imploded in the home half of the fifth surrendering six runs on three hits and a walk, assisted by a pair of throwing errors and fielding errors by the Blaze defense.

Bakersfield climbed back into the contest in the seventh, narrowing the deficit 6-5 with RBI singles from Matthew Lawson and Mauro Gomez.

The Ports capped the scoring in the eighth scoring a lone run on a Grant Green RBI single to left.

Stockton starting pitcher Pedro Figueroa (W, 3-4) struck out nine in 6.1IP, on his way to a win.

The Blaze concludes the 2009 regular season with a four game home stand against the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes starting on Friday at Historic Sam Lynn Ballpark. First pitch is scheduled for 7:15 p.m.

What’s Burning: DH Mauro Gomez leads the team with 25 home runs, third best in the Cal League.