Kaczynski's strong start does not hold up in loss

Ventura carried a four-run lead into the middle innings Thursday, but Allan Hancock flipped the game with a five-run seventh and went on to hand the Pirates a 9-6 baseball loss at Pirate Park. Pitcher Will Kaczynski did not allow a hit until there were two-outs in the fourth, and gave up a pair of runs while striking out six through five complete, but the performance did not hold up in the late innings. Brandon Contreras had two hits, including a double, with two runs scored an a run batted in offensively.

VC built a 4-0 advantage through three innings, scoring twice in the first, and adding single runs in the second and third to control the early pace. Hancock began to chip away with one run in the fourth and another in the fifth, trimming the margin to 4-2.

Kaczynski had another strong start, holding the Bulldogs in check through five frames. He did not allow a hit until the fourth inning and struck out six batters. He left the game with Ventura ahead by a pair of runs.

Unfortunately, Hancock was able to get to the VC bullpen, scoring five runs in the seventh inning to flip the script on Ventura.

The Pirates still produced plenty of offense, collecting 12 hits in the game. James Luderer went 3 for 5 and scored once, while Lucas Martinov had two hits and drove in two runs. Contreras scored twice on a single and a double and Matthew Ramirez and Hector Pina each tallied two hits. Ventura pushed back in the eighth with two runs after AHC also scored twice in the inning, but could not get closer the rest of the way.

The Pirates and Bulldogs will finish their three-game series on Saturday Apr. 11 in Santa Maria.