Bakersfield Blaze OF Austin Wilson
Austin Wilson had a rough first half at hiA Bakersfield this season but the 2013 2nd-round pick entered tonight’s game against Modesto swinging a hot bat. After playing 56 first-half games for the Blaze, the Seattle Mariners’ #16 prospect carried a batting line of .191/.291/.299 with just 5 HR and 19 RBI.
When the second half started on June 25th, the Stanford alum went 2-for-5, raising his batting average to .196, but there were more struggles ahead.
Wilson’s last 12 games have been more of what the Mariners expected when they drafted him and more of what he showed in 72 games at loA Clinton last year. Wilson has gotten 19 hits in his last 44 ABs and that has been good enough to raise his batting average to .228. He’s had four games in that stretch with at least three hits.
In 29 second-half games, Wilson has a batting line of .305/.412/.442.
At 6′ 4″ and 249 pounds, Wilson’s power hasn’t shown up yet in Bakersfield, with just 7 HRs on the season. He hit 12 in the 72 games at Clinton last season and had another in a brief stint in rookie ball. But in a struggle of a season, the power is just one of the things that hasn’t gone right.
The recent hot streak is a start. Two weeks ago it looked like a lost season for Wilson. He showed how tough of an out he can be when he went 7-for-10 with 3 doubles over two games last Sunday and Monday. Let’s see how it goes from here.
SATURDAY SCOREBOARD
INLAND EMPIRE – 5
VISALIA – 3
66ers score three in the top of the 9th for the win. Roberto Baldoquin goes 3-for-5 with 4 RBIs. Ronald Muck (W, 2-0) and Geoff Broussard (S, 13) combine for three scoreless innings in relief.
MODESTO -5
BAKERSFIELD -4
Walk-off winner for the Blaze with the winning run coming on a throwing error on a play at the plate. Tim Lopes goes 3-for-4 with a double and a triple, Aaron Brooks (W, 1-2) throws two clean innings for the win.
HIGH DESERT – 11
LANCASTER – 4
The first-place Mavericks go off for 7 runs in the first inning and end up with 11 runs on 17 hits. 6 of the 9 starters had multi-hit games. Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Tripp Martin both have 3 RBIs.
SAN JOSE – 5
LAKE ELSINORE – 3
Jose Reyes (W, 3-4) 6 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 4 BB, 4 K. Christian Arroyo belted his 7th HR.
RANCHO CUCAMONGA – 0
STOCKTON – 1
Jacob Nottingham‘s RBI groundout in the bottom of the 8th is the only run. RC’s Chase DeJong (L, 2-2) goes 7 2/3, 6 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 K. Ports starter Dylan Covey comes out after being struck with a line drive.
