San Bernardino, CA- The Inland Empire 66ers of San Bernardino lost a lead by allowing a late-game four-run inning but fortunately for them the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes returned the favor and the Sixers downed the Dodgers' affiliated 7-6 on Monday. The win gave the 66ers (41-48, 11-8) the top spot
San Bernardino, CA- The Inland Empire 66ers of San Bernardino lost a lead by allowing a late-game four-run inning but fortunately for them the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes returned the favor and the Sixers downed the Dodgers' affiliated 7-6 on Monday. The win gave the 66ers (41-48, 11-8) the top spot by a game over the Quakes in the second half standings.
Inland Empire's Greyfer Eregua and Rancho's Caleb Ferguson each cruised through the first four innings of their starts with neither allowing a run. That changed for each of them in the fifth as the Quakes got a triple from Keibert Ruiz in his Cal League debut and then a two-run homer from Ariel Sandoval for a 2-0 lead. Things got worse for Eregua, who had struck out seven in 4.2 innings as he left the game on the next batter with an injury. Ferguson struck out nine in five frames but left trailing as Troy Montgomery hit a two-out two-run triple extending his hit streak to 14 games. He would score on an error for a 3-2 lead.
The Quakes (46-43, 10-9) got an RBI double in the seventh from Ibandel Isabel to tie the game but went on to take a 6-3 lead on successive RBI singles from Sandoval and Drew Jackson and then another run coming home on an error. In the eighth it was the Sixers turn for the big inning as Matt Thaiss singled and scored on Taylor Ward's first triple of the year. Ward came home on Kyle Survance Jr.'s bloop single making it 6-5. Michael Barash then walked against Quakes reliever Tony Gonsolin (3-4), who had tossed two perfect frames prior to the eighth. Andrew Istler then came out of the pen and Jose Rojas drilled a RBI singled to tie the game 6-6. The hit extended his streak to 20-games on the season. With Barash at third Jake Yacinich legged out a potential double-play ball scoring a run and giving the Sixers the 7-6 lead. In the top of the ninth 66ers' reliever Nathan Bates opened the frame but then retired the next three batters, two on Ks, to earn his third save. Samil De Los Santos (2-1) was credited with the win.
The Sixers open a series at Stockton on Wednesday at 7:10 pm. The contest can be heard at 66ers.com.
