66ers Fall in Opener to Quakes but Baseball is Back

San Bernardino- The Inland Empire 66ers of San Bernardino suited up at San Manuel Stadium for the first time in 616 days on Tuesday night to open the 2021 season. That was an important triumph for the Sixers however the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes came out on top of the scoreboard and notched 21 strikeouts in a 3-1 win over Inland Empire.

The Quakes got on the board first in the second when Alex deJesus reached on an error by Inland Empire (0-1) 3B Jose Bonilla. Edwin Mateo knocked him home three batters later. The unearned run was the only tally against 66ers’ starter Andrew Blake who was strong logging a career-high 5.0 IP and eight strikeouts. The NC State product did not walk a batter in a no-decision. The 66ers tied the game in the fifth when Keinner Piña singled later scored on Elijah Greene’s RBI double. It was the first professional hit for the Eastvale, CA product Greene. The Quakes (1-0) countered quickly in the sixth when Sam McWilliams was hit by a pitch 66ers’ reliever Dakota Donovan (0-1) and eventually scored on a fielder’s choice. The Quakes added an insurance run in the ninth on Wladimir Chalo’s RBI double. Gavin Stone, Jeisson Cabrera (1-0), Franklin De La Paz, Cameron Gibbens and Aldry Acosta (SV,1) combined to strike out 21 Inland Empire batters. The teams combined to whiff 35 men.

The series continues on Wednesday at 7:05 pm and can be heard seen and heard live on 66ers.com.