Bonilla Homers but Quakes Down Inland Empire 4-2

Rancho Cucamonga, CA- The Inland Empire 66ers of San Bernardino and Rancho Cucamonga Quakes opened a six-game series at LoanMart Field on Tuesday with a crisply played two-hour and nine-minute game that went the Quakes way 4-2. Rancho Cucamonga (13-11) used a pair of solo homers in the fifth inning to decide a pitchers’ duel and push the Quakes to 4-2 on the season against Inland Empire (11-13).

The Quakes got on the board in the first against 66ers’ starter Brent Killam (1-2). The southpaw walked leadoff man Eddys Leonard and then gave up a ground rule double to Diego Cartaya. Jorvit Vivas followed with a two-run single to put Rancho Cucamonga on top early. The 66ers, who had only four hits in the game, got a double from Jeremiah Jackson against Quakes’ starter Kendall Wiliams (1-0). Two batters later IE third baseman Jose Bonilla blasted a two-run shot to left over the scoreboard to tie the game at 2-2. The dinger was the first professional homer in the 19-year-old’s career. The game remained tied until the fifth when Dodgers’ outfielder AJ Pollock lifted a solo homer to left off Killam. The homer snapped a career 0-for-11 against the Sixers for Pollock. Cartaya followed suit later in the frame smashing his third long-ball in five games since joining the Quakes. Williams was solid for the Quakes through five innings and reliever Braydon Fisher (SV, 1) was electric in four shutout frames to finish the contest. The righty allowed a hit and a walk in four shutout innings with eight Ks including the final six batters he faced. Jack Dashwood was impressive out of the pen for the 66ers as the southpaw from UC Santa Barbara allowed just one hit in three innings and faced the minimum nine batters. Dashwood has now fanned 23 batters in 17.2 innings without issuing a walk.

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