Storm Unload for 15 Unanswered Runs Over Final Three Frames to Rout Sixers
San Bernardino, CA- The Inland Empire 66ers of San Bernardino enjoyed a 6-1 lead after six innings in the series finale on Sunday versus Lake Elsinore; they enjoyed none of what followed over the final three frames. The Storm (42-53) scored 15 runs from the seventh through ninth innings blowing
San Bernardino, CA- The Inland Empire 66ers of San Bernardino enjoyed a 6-1 lead after six innings in the series finale on Sunday versus Lake Elsinore; they enjoyed none of what followed over the final three frames. The Storm (42-53) scored 15 runs from the seventh through ninth innings blowing out Inland Empire 16-6.
Things began swimmingly for the Sixers as Kyren Paris tagged a solo homer in the first off Storm southpaw Robert Gasser for a 1-0 lead. The dinger was Paris’ second homer of the season. Lake Elsinore tied the game in the third with a run, the only tally against Inland Empire (48-48) starter Coleman Crow. The righty went five frames allowing the one run on four hits with no walks and seven Ks. The 66ers added recaptured the lead in the bottom of the frame as a run came home on a Storm error to extend the frame and Carson Mathtews came through with a two-run single for a 4-1 advantage. Inland Empire built an 6-1 lead after a fifth inning RBI single from Gabe Matthews and then a sac fly from Carlos Reina in the sixth scoring Jose Guzman, who had tripled. Things then fell apart. In the seventh Storm CF Robert Hassell III smoked a three-run homer to center off IE reliever Ryan Costeiu. The homer was Hassell’s sixth of the year and made it 6-4. With one out and runners second and third in the eighth the Sixers turned to closer Emilker Guzman (5-2) to face left-handed batting Matthew Acosta who promptly drilled a game-tying two-run triple, his fourth hit of the game. After a walk, the Storm took the lead on a run-scoring fielder’s choice from the bat of Hassell for a 7-6 advantage. A Brandon Valenuela RBI single made it 8-6. After loading the bases, Lucas Dunn drove a bases-clearing three-run triple to left and then scored on the same play making it 12-6 as Inland Empire LF Jose Reyes kicked the ball around the warning track. The Storm celebrate with four more runs in the ninth highlighted by Hassel’s RBI double and a three-run homer from Joshua Mears, his 16th. Miguel Rondon (3-4) earned the win out of the pen for the Storm allowing one run in 2.2IP with 5 Ks.
The 66ers open a series in Stockton on Tuesday at 7:05pm. The contest can be heard live on 66ers.com.