Quakes Walk-Off Sixers 4-3 on Deluca Homer

Rancho Cucamonga, CA- The Inland Empire 66ers of San Bernardino lost three separate leads in a 4-3 loss at LoanMart Field on Thursday. The final blow was Jonny Deluca’s mammoth walk-off two-run smash to left against Inland Empire reliever Julio Goff (3-1) in the bottom of the ninth.

The 66ers scored in the first against Quakes (14-12) starter Gavin Stone after Jeremiah Jackson drew a two-out walk. Jackson was on the move when Martinez singled to left. After an unsuccessful attempt to put out Jackson was made at third, the Quakes tried to pick back and get Martinez at first base. The throw was off the mark slightly and Jackson broke for home and scored; as his slid home head-first, he was struck by Quakes first baseman Sauryn Lao’s throw to the plate in the face. Jackson did play in field in the bottom of the first but was replaced at SS in the bottom of the second. Ryan Smith rolled for the Sixers and did not allow a hit through four innings. The Quakes broke through in the fifth when Eddy’s Leonard doubled to open the inning and eventually scored on Brandon Wulff’s RBI single. The 66ers retook the lead in the top of the sixth when Jose Bonilla (Jackson’s replacement in the lineup) singled against RC reliever Michael Martinez. Bonilla eventually scored on a Martinez wild pitch making it 2-1. Smith went 6.0IP allowing one run on two hits, a walk and seven Ks in a no-decision. The Quakes tied the game in the seventh when Lao hit a popup to center that was lost in the dusk sky and fell for a double, he later scored from third on a wild pitch by Goff. In the ninth the Sixers took the lead in bizarre fashion after Jeremy Arocho led off the frame with a check-swing triple to right off Quakes’ southpaw Franklin De La Paz (1-0). De La Paz then struck out three straight batters but a dropped third strike on the final pitch to Edwin Yon allowed Arocho to score and give IE a 3-2 lead. Goff then walked Brandon Lewis to open the Quakes’ half of the ninth and Deluca followed with the game winner, his fourth of the season. Inland Empire (12-14) were 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position.

The series continues Friday at 6:30pm. The contest can be heard live on 66ers.com.