Teodosio Shines in Sixers Debut but Quakes Sink Sixers in Ten Innings

San Bernardino, CA- The Inland Empire 66ers of San Bernardino could not hang on to a two-run eighth inning lead on Wednesday eventually falling in ten innings 10-9 to the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes at San Manuel Stadium. The Quake evened the series at a game apiece despite a big night for Inland Empire (43-42) centerfielder Bryce Teodosio collecting a four-hit night in his Low-A West debut.

The 66ers took a lead in the second when Jose Reyes singled against Rancho starter Kendall Williams. Teodosio followed with a double and Reyes scored on a throwing error. Edwin Mateo tied the game for the Quakes with a solo homer (2nd) against Sixers’ starter Jack Kochanowicz to open the third. Rancho (48-36) took the lead on Vargas’ three-run homer in the fourth, his ninth of the year. The 66ers cut the deficit to 4-3 in the bottom of the inning when Paxton Wallace crushed a two-run homer to center, his first professional home run. The Quakes got two back in in the fifth on RBI singles from Jose Ramos and Jorbit Vivas but Inland Empire broke through in the home half D’Shawn Knowles doubled to open the inning against Quakes’ righty Brayden Fisher and Carson Matthews followed with a RBI two-bagger making it 6-4. Braxton Martinez delivered a RBI triple two batters later to cut the deficit two one run. Later in the frame Martinez scored on a wild pitch to tie the game and Teodosio came through with a RBI single for a 7-6 advantage. He struck again in the seventh with a one-out RBI single making the score 8-6 and giving him four hits in his first four at-bats with Inland Empire. The lead did not hold; the Quakes tied the game in the eighth when Marco Hernandez ripped a two-run double to left against Julio Goff (4-5). Julian Smith (6-5) was terrific for the Quakes as he held inland Empire down in the late frames tossing 2.2 no-hit, shutout innings with just one walk and six Ks. In the tenth, Goff left after being struck by a liner and Emilker Guzman came in and allowed a sac fly to left by Mateo for a 9-8 lead. Guzman then got a potential double-play ball but the Sixers threw away the play at first allowing an insurance run home. In the bottom of the tenth, Reinaldo De Paula (SV,1) allowed an unearned run on a wild pitch but struck out Knowles with one on to secure his first save. DeJesus had a three-hit game for the Quakes while Matthews, Martinez and Reyes had two knocks apiece for IE. The Sixers struck out 20 times in the game, their second highest total of the year and have fanned 37 times in the last two nights.

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