Inland Empire Salvages Split of Series at Visalia with Shutout

Visalia, CA- The Inland Empire 66ers of San Bernardino salvaged a split of a six-game series at Visalia with a 6-0 shutout of the Rawhide (9-27) on Sunday. The shutout, Inland Empire’s second of the season, gave the final game of the road-set to the Sixers after they took games one and two but fell the next three nights.

Inland Empire (16-19) took advantage of Rawhide starter Liam Norris’ lack of command to draw first blood in the first as the southpaw walked Elijah Greene and Jeremy Arocho before surrendering a two-out, two-run single to Jose Bonilla for a 2-0 lead. Norris walked the bases loaded in the third and Bonilla delivered again with a sac fly for a 3-0 advantage. The 66ers added to the lead in the sixth when Edwin Yon crushed a solo homer to left, his first of the season making it a 4-0 Inland Empire lead. Following the homer, Jose Guzman was hit by a pitch, D’Shawn Knowles singled and Greene drilled a RBI single off his former Cal Poly teammate Bobby Ay for a 5-0 lead. The 66ers tacked on another tally in the in the eighth with two outs when Guzman doubled and Knowles drove him home with a single. The Sixers pitching staff held the Rawhide down as Jose Salvador (3.2IP), Emiliker Guzman (2.1IP) and Dakota Donovan (3IP) combined for the Sixers second shutout of the year. Guzman (1-2) was credited with the win while Donovan nabbed his third save. The 66ers other shutout came on 5/13 at Lake Elsinore with Guzman earning a four-inning save in relief of, the since promoted, Brent Killam’s five frames.

The 66ers open a home series versus Lake Elsinore on Tuesday at 7:05 pm. The contest can be seen and heard live on 66ers.com.