Lancaster, CA- The Inland Empire 66ers of San Bernardino mounted an impressive ninth-inning comeback on Saturday at The Hangar but fell to the Lancaster JetHawks who took the game 5-4 in the 12th with the winning run coming home on a wild pitch. The contest's start was delayed 18 minutes
Lancaster, CA- The Inland Empire 66ers of San Bernardino mounted an impressive ninth-inning comeback on Saturday at The Hangar but fell to the Lancaster JetHawks who took the game 5-4 in the 12th with the winning run coming home on a wild pitch. The contest's start was delayed 18 minutes due to heavy smoke blown in from the La Tuna Fire in Los Angeles and then continued through a bout of rain in the second inning despite over 100-degree temperatures at the time.
Lancaster took a 1-0 lead in the fourth against Sixers starter Jose Rodriguez when Roberto Ramos doubled and eventually scored on Hamlet Marte's sac fly. JetHawks starter Trey Killian tossed five one-hit scoreless innings in a no-decision. Rodriguez was touched for three insurance runs in the eighth capped by Yonathan Daza's two-run homer, his third of the season. The eight innings of work were a season-high for Rodriguez. Inland Empire (65-73, 35-33) headed to the ninth without having a runner past second base but that changed quickly as Jack Kruger walked against Lancaster (77-61, 39-29) reliever Brad Schreiber and Jared Walsh followed with a double. Keith Grieshaber then singled home Kruger making it 4-1. Kyle Survance Jr. then ripped a three-run homer, his fourth of the season, to right to tie the game 4-4. The game remained tied until the 12th when Sam Hilliard drilled a triple to left to open the frame versus Austin Robichaux (6-9). The Sixers' righty then struck out Marte but strike three was in the dirt and kicked away for a wild pitch allowing Hilliard to score the winning run.
The series continues Saturday at 5:05 pm from Lancaster. The contest can be heard live at 66ers.com.
