RHP Dan Altavilla threw seven scoreless innings Thursday night, stiking out eight, as the Bakersfield Blaze earned a 3-2 win over the first-place Modesto Nuts by a score of 3-2 at John Thurman Field. 2B Tim Lopes singled in a pair of runs in the top of the third to give the Blaze a lead it would never relinquish.
Altavilla (3-6) is the Seattle Mariners’ #16 prospect per MLB.com (#19 by BaseballAmerica), and had his second strong, seven-inning outing in his last three starts. Lopes has gone 11-for-29 over his last seven games.
Modesto’s Antonio Senzatela, the Colorado Rockies’ #8 prospect per Baseball America , dueled with Altavilla for five innings and left the game having given up 4 hits and 2 BBs while striking out five. He was trailing 2-1. The Blaze added a run in the top of the sixth that proved decisive in the 3-2 victory.
Altavilla’s final line was 7 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 8 K’s.
The win put Bakersfield at 2-5 in the second half while Modesto dropped to 5-2 and, combined with Visalia’s loss to Lake Elsinore, remained tied with the Rawhide for first place in the North division.
SCOREBOARD
LANCASTER 8, INLAND EMPIRE 7 (11 inn)
Mott Hyde doubles in CF James Ramsay for the walk-off win
Roberto Baldoquin, IE, 4-for-5, 2 2B, 2 runs scored
Michael Strentz, IE, 2-for-4, HR (3), 2 RBI
Marc Wik, LAN, 2-for-4, HR (4), 2 runs scored
LAKE ELSINORE 4, VISALIA 1
4-run 7th inning the difference in tight pitching matchup.
Kyle Lloyd, LE, W (5-5),7 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 8 K’s
Austin Bousfield, LE, 3-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI
RANCHO CUCAMONGA 8, HIGH DESERT 1
2B Brandon Dixon and 1B Cody Bellinger launch 1st-inning homers as Rancho races out to 6-0 lead after three. Quakes stay a game up in the South at 5-2.
Brock Stewart, RC, W (2-1), 6 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 K’s.
Paul Hoenicke, RC, 3-for-4, 2B, RBI
SAN JOSE 7, STOCKTON 3
1B Angel Villalona homers twice, LF Daniel Carbonell goes 3-for-5 as Giants pound 14 hits.
Villalona, SJ, 2-for-5, 2 HR (2), 3 RBI, 2 runs scored
Carbonell, SJ, 3-for-5, 2B, 3B
