Rancho Cucamonga Stymies 66ers

Rancho Cucamonga, CA- Dennis Raben homered for the second straight night at LoanMart Field but that was the only offense the Inland Empire 66ers would muster as they dropped game two of a four-game series 8-1 to the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes. The loss dropped Inland Empire to 25-47 on the season and 0-2 in the young second half.

The Quakes (34-38, 2-0) got on the board in the first with a two-out rally off IE starter Tyler DeLoach (5-3). Corey Seager (2-for4) blooped a double to left to get the inning going. DeLoach then walked the next three batters, the third being Chris Jacobs who earned his first of four RBI on the night.

The Sixers tied the game in the second on Raben's team-best tenth homer of the year that was smashed to right off Tom Windle (6-4). The ball travelled and estimated 426 feet. Inland Empire could not get another run across as the SIxers finished the game 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position.

After scoring an unearned run off DeLoach in the fourth, Jacobs would strike to lead off the sixth with a Ruthian tape-measure blast to left that was estimated at 483 feet. It made the game 3-1. The Quakes iced the game against the IE bullpen in the seventh by batting around and scoring five times to push the lead to the eventual 8-1 final. Again, Jacobs loomed as large as his 6'5", 257 lb. frame by driving in a two more runs with a single and running his season RBI total to 48.

Raben, Chance Ross and Mark Shannon each had a pair of hits in the loss for Inland Empire. The series continues Saturday at Rancho Cucamonga at 7:05 pm and can be heard live at 66ers.com.