The Storm Win on Third Walk-off of the Season to Beat the Quakes

Tonight, the Lake Elsinore Storm accumulated their 3rd walk-off in 15 opportunities. On this night, the second consecutive feisty night of baseball played between the Storm and the Racho Cucamonga Quakes, Max Ferguson would be the hero.

The game began with how many games have started for the Storm this year, with a Major League pitcher on the mound. Michel Baez would have his second rehab appearance tonight going 3 innings, striking out 5 (all swinging strikes), and only allowing 1 run. After Báez left the game, Jairo Iriarte would come in relief and immediately give up 3 runs to Quakes batting.

This would leave the Storm down 4 runs through 4 innings of play. They would rally back in a way that has become rare for their offense, with the long ball. In the bottom of the 5th, Carlos Luis would jumpstart the offense with an absolute missile that would soar over the large right field wall at The Diamond. This would bring them within 2 runs, that was until the bottom of the 7th. On the second pitch of the inning, Matt Acosta would send his own ball on a great adventure right over the behemoth that is the right field wall.

They would then go on to tie the game in a way that is very familiar, on a Quakes mistake. A groundout that became a throwing error would bring Carlos Luis home.

While the offense battled back into this game, Iriarte would do a masterful job of salvaging his relief appearance by going an incredible 5 innings while striking out 7. He would then be called upon to finish the game. By this point, it would appear he lost much of his command. After hitting the first batter of the game, he would have a pitch soar over a Quake's player's head until, ultimately, striking him in the head on the next pitch.

The Quakes would take exception to this hit batsmen and the benches would clear for the second consecutive night.

Yerry Landinez would be tasked with getting out of the jam with 2 men on and no outs. After striking out the initial batter he faced, he would walk the bases loaded. In an act of escape that even Criss Angel would envy, Landinez would induce a double play to get out of the inning with home plate untouched.

After a Justin Farmer single and shift over to second base on a wild pitch, the next two batters would be called out. Then, with first base open, the Quakes would walk Pierce Jones to put Max Ferguson to the plate. On the fourth pitch of the at bat, Ferguson would hit a ball over the left fielder's head to win the game.

This is the Storm's first win over the Quakes this season. These two teams will face off tomorrow night in Lake Elsinore for the fourth game of the series on Friarworks Friday at The Diamond.

-Written by Justin Jett