Rawhide Rides Five-Run Frame for Win

Visalia Defeats 66ers in Comeback Fashion

June 12, 2014

San Bernardino, CA: The Visalia Rawhide tallied 16 hits on Wednesday night at San Manuel Stadium and took the first game of a four-game series against Inland Empire 8-6. The Rawhide used a five-run seventh inning against the 66ers to take the lead and drop Inland Empire to 23-44 on the year.

Trailing 1-0 heading into the home-half of the third, the Sixers got things going when catcher Nick O'Loughlin singled to lead off the frame. The hit was the first as a professional for the Upland, CA native out of Cal Poly Pomona. It was followed by Riley Good's sharp single to left. A sacrifice bunt moved both runners up. Sherman Johnson then smoked a triple to right to knock in the pair. It was his sixth three-bagger of the year and ran his team-best RBI total to 36. Mark Shannon then hit a sac-fly to score Johnson and make it 3-1 Inland Empire. Johnson finished the game with the triple, a single and his 11^th stolen base.

Inland Empire added two runs in the fourth on Riley Good's two-run double to make it 5-2. It was Good's eighth mulit-hit game of the season for the 66ers.

The Rawhide (35-32) kept chipping away at the lead. They made it 5-3 heading into the sixth but the Sixers answered back on an RBI ground out by Joe Weik that scored Cal Towey who had hit his 10^th double of the year and moved to third on a pickoff gone awry. At this point the IE led 6-3 but had lived on the edge as the Rawhide had 10 hits through the first five frames off starter Dan Tobik (who earned a no-decision).

Inland Empire's luck ran out in the seventh when the Rawhide smacked five consecutive hits off reliever Chris O'Grady (0-2). With two outs in the frame, Visalia catcher Ronnie Freeman drilled bases clearing three-run triple off Sixers' righty Eduard Santos to break through and give the Rawhide the 8-6 lead. That was the final score as the big frame eventually made a winner out of Rawhide starter Brandon Sinnery (7-4).

All-Star Chris Drury was 3-for-3 with a pair of doubles and walks in the win for the Rawhide. Visalia had six doubles in the game. Shortstop Raul Navarro had a three-hit night as well. Enrique Burgos picked up his 12^th save in 12 chances with a scoreless ninth.

The teams continue the series on Thursday at 7:05 pm on Zombie Apocalypse Night at San Manuel Stadium. Details regarding the promotion and listen to the game live feature can each be found at 66ers.com.