Storm Return To Win Column

San Bernardino, CA - After seeing their winning streak end at seven last night, the Lake Elsinore Storm returned to their winning ways Saturday in a 5-4 victory over the Inland Empire 66ers.

Casey Kelly, who was assigned to the Storm to make his first rehab start following Tommy John surgery last year, worked 3.2 innings while allowing 2 runs on six hits and struck out five. One of those runs came in the bottom of the first to give the 66ers an early 1-0 lead.

The Storm would answer in the top of the second. Gabriel Quintana doubled and would score on a Diego Goris two-bagger. Later in the inning, Luis Tejada hit a double of his own to plate Goris, and the Storm went up 2-1.

Another Inland Empire run scored in the fourth, but once again the Storm responded in their next time at bat. Hunter Renfroe hit his first triple of the season, and after Quintana walked Goris unleashed his third home run of the year to extend the advantage to four.

After Kelly's exit, Matt Shepherd came on in relief to work a scoreless 1.1 innings as the pitcher of record, earning the first California League win of his career.

Despite the lead, the 66ers crawled back into the game. They put up two in the sixth to get within one, but a solid effort from Brandon Alger kept them from doing any further damage.

Trevor Gott worked a scoreless ninth to earn his league-leading eighth save of the season, and the Storm maintained their share of first place with a 5-4 victory.

Goris and Tejada both finished with three hits on the night. Current Padre Carlos Quentin, also rehabbing with the team, went hitless in his first game since Spring Training.

The Storm are 15-5 in their last twenty games and have won eight of their last nine.

Both teams will return to San Manuel Stadium tomorrow in the final game of the series. Bryan Rodriguez gets the start for the Storm while Nate Smith will go for Inland Empire. First pitch is slated for 2:05pm.