Rancho Keeps Rolling Against Storm
Rancho Cucamonga continued its season-long dominance over Lake Elsinore on Wednesday night, topping the Storm for a tenth straight time with a 7-4 victory at The Diamond.
The Quakes (33-32, 74-61) grabbed the upper-hand in the first inning against Storm starter Matt Shepherd (4-11). Willie Calhoun started the rally with a single to right field. Jacob Scavuzzo's grounder to the shortstop, Daniel Bravo, resulted in an error, placing runners at first and second. Cody Bellinger singled to right, scoring Calhoun with the game's first run. Alex Verdugo doubled to left-center field, plating Scavuzzo and Bellinger. Tyler Ogle capped the frame with a single up the middle, chasing Verdugo home for a 4-0 advantage.
Rancho Cucamonga tacked on another run against Shepherd in the third. Scavuzzo drew a leadoff walk, but was erased on a double-play groundout by Bellinger. Verdugo walked before Ogle singled, setting up runners at the corners. With Joey Curletta batting, Ogle was caught in a rundown between first and second, but Verdugo raced home on the play to give his club a 5-0 edge.
Lake Elsinore (16-49, 47-88) dented the scoreboard against Quakes' starter Scott Barlow (8-3) in the fourth. Chase Jensen was hit by a pitch. Nick Schulz hit a line drive that one-hopped to Curletta in right field, but Jensen was forced out at second. Nick Torres walked and Fernando Perez singled to load the bases. Matt Chavez hit a sacrifice fly to deep center field, scoring Schulz to trim the deficit to 5-1.
The Storm drew closer in the bottom of the fifth inning. Donavan Tate stroked a leadoff triple to left-center field against Barlow. San Diego Padres' rehabber Wil Myers walked. Jensen singled to left field, plating Tate as Myers hustled to third. Schulz grounded out, but Myers came home to cut the margin to 5-3.
Myers, playing in his second straight rehab game with Lake Elsinore as he recovers from a left wrist injury, went 0-for-3 with a walk and a run scored. The 24-year-old has not played in the big leagues since mid-June.
The Quakes added a pair of insurance runs in the eighth against left-hander Kyle Bartsch. Verdugo hit a leadoff double for his third two-bagger of the contest. Curletta singled to right field, setting up runners at the corners. Dillon Moyer executed a successful safety-squeeze bunt, scoring Verdugo and sending Curletta to third on Bartsch's errant throw to the plate. Spencer Navin delivered a sacrifice fly to right field, chasing Curletta home for a 7-3 lead.
Verdugo concluded his night with a 3-for-3 performance, tallying three doubles, a walk, two RBIs and three runs scored. The 19-year-old from Tucson, AZ is considered by Baseball America as the fifth-best prospect in the Dodgers' system.
Lake Elsinore made it interesting with one final push in the ninth inning against Rancho Cucamonga reliever Karch Kowalczyk. Miguel Del Castillo led off the frame with a single. After Tate struck out and Daniel Bravo hit a fly out to right field, Marcus Davis walked. Jensen doubled down the right field line, scoring Del Castillo. Schulz was hit by a pitch to load the bases and bring the potential winning run to the plate. Torres lined out to right field, however, preserving the 7-4 Quakes' victory.
Rancho Cucamonga has won three consecutive games and moves back above the .500 mark in the second-half of the season, now at 33-32 since the All-Star Break. In addition, the Quakes improve to 21-4 against Lake Elsinore this season and have been triumphant in 16 of the last 17 meetings with the Storm.
The Quakes will take aim at another series sweep against Lake Elsinore on Thursday night. Rancho Cucamonga will send right-hander James Campbell (0-0, -.-ERA), who joined the squad from Low-A Great Lakes on Wednesday, to the mound. Lake Elsinore will counter with right-hander Kyle Lloyd (6-11, 4.90 ERA). First pitch at The Diamond is scheduled for 7:00 pm. You can follow all the action on FOX Sports 1350 AM, beginning with the LoanMart Pregame Show at 6:45.
The Quakes will return to LoanMart Field for the final home series in the regular season on Friday, September 4th as they begin a four-game set against Inland Empire at 7:05 pm. The opener against the 66ers is our AllStar KIA Kershaw/Trout MVP Bobblehead Doll Giveaway! The first 1,500 fans will receive this special double-bobblehead of former Quakes Clayton Kershaw and Mike Trout, thanks to AllStar KIA! Gates open at 6:05 pm.
Tickets for all remaining Quakes' home games are available at rcquakes.com or by calling (909) 481-5000. We hope to see you very soon at LoanMart Field…Go Quakes!