Inland Empire Snags Series Finale 5-3 Over Modesto

San Bernardino, CA- The Inland Empire 66ers of San Bernardino finished off a six-game set versus Low-A West’s top team with a win on Sunday at San Manuel Stadium. The Sixers notched a 5-3 win over Modesto but the Nuts still took the series four-games-to-two.

Inland Empire (8-9) took a lead in the first on an RBI groundout from Jose Reyes against Modesto starter Damon Casetta-Stubbs (0-1). The Sixers took advantage of wildness from the Modesto (13-5) starter in the second inning. With one out in the frame, Casetta-Stubbs drilled Sixers’ batter Keinner Piña in the back of the helmet. Piña walked off the field under his own power but was replaced in the lineup. Following the hit batsman, the righty walked the next three batters on 12 straight pitches including an RBI base on balls to Elijah Greene for a 2-0 lead. Jeremy Arocho then singled home a run and Jeremiah followed with a sac fly to make it 4-0. 66ers’ starter Jack Kochanowicz cruised through the first three frames but was charged with three runs in the fourth trimming the Sixers’ lead to 4-3. Inland Empire tacked on another run in the bottom of the frame after Spencer Brown tripled and scored on Jackson’s two-out RBI single. John Swanda (1-1) was strong out of the pen for Inland Empire and earned the win with five innings of two-hit, two-walk work. The Des Moines, IA native did not allow an earned run and fanned three. The Nuts put the tying run on base in the top of the ninth but IE reliever Kolton Ingram picked Modesto runner Jose Querecuto Jr. off at first to end the game and secure his second save of the year.

The 66ers host the Fresno Grizzlies on Tuesday at 7:05 pm. The contest can be seen and heard live on 66ers.com.