The Storm Find Their Power in Game Two Win over Quakes Presented by The Valley News
Isaiah Lowe started his first game of 2024 on shaky ground against the Quakes. After inducing a groundout, a walk and a single sandwiched his first strikeout of the season. This put two men on with one out to go but as he did for the rest of the evening,
Isaiah Lowe started his first game of 2024 on shaky ground against the Quakes. After inducing a groundout, a walk and a single sandwiched his first strikeout of the season. This put two men on with one out to go but as he did for the rest of the evening, Lowe finished the job by striking out Zhyir Hope.
Lowe would go three innings, striking out four batters, allowing just one hit, and blanking the Quakes at home. Despite this electric start from the pitching, the bats were once again the big story in Lake Elsinore. After accruing 11 runs and 11 hits last night, the Storm smacked 10 hits for 7 runs tonight.
Largely, this offensive output was on the back of extra-base hits and loud extra-base hits. Six of their hits were of the XBH variety with three of which being home runs. Dillon Head started the explosive night at the plate with a double in the first inning. Head would go 2-5 and make a highlight reel catch in the bottom of the 9th to keep the Quakes at arm's length from a comeback.
Rosman Verdugo, however, would be the first to send one over the wall tonight and in the 2024 season for the Lake Elsinore Storm. His blast would give the Storm a 1-0 lead and his ball, directly over the fence where the two retired numbers for the Storm are displayed proudly. They would score two more runs via a triple from Nick Vogt, a single from Braedon Karpathios, and a throwing AND fielding error from Rancho Cucamonga.
The Quakes would even score in the top of the fifth, however, the clock hadn't quite rolled past power hour. Jay Beshears would crank a baseball over the left field wall while Braedon Karpathios would hit a two-run homer directly into the batter's eye. This immediately gave the Storm their three-run lead back and they cruised into a final score of 7-5 behind excellent appearances from Kobe Robinson (2 IP, 4K, 0 ER) and Bradgley Rodriguez (1.1 IP 2 K, 0 ER) who was the recipient of Head's incredible play in the 9th inning.
The Storm will look to sweep the Dodger's Minor League Affiliate tomorrow afternoon at The Lake Elsinore Diamond.