Rancho Rallies in the Ninth!
San Bernardino, CA – A four-run ninth inning kept Rancho’s playoff hopes firmly alive on Friday night, as the Quakes stunned Inland Empire by a final of 8-5 at San Manuel Stadium. Inland Empire was 53-0 when leading after eight innings coming into Friday’s game and reliever Kenyon Yovan had
San Bernardino, CA – A four-run ninth inning kept Rancho’s playoff hopes firmly alive on Friday night, as the Quakes stunned Inland Empire by a final of 8-5 at San Manuel Stadium.
Inland Empire was 53-0 when leading after eight innings coming into Friday’s game and reliever Kenyon Yovan had not given up an earned run all year. All that changed, after Rancho took advantage of some shaky command in the ninth.
Trailing 5-4, Yeiner Fernandez and Griffin Lockwood-Powell opened the ninth with consecutive singles. After getting Taylor Young to pop up for the first out of the inning, Yovan fell apart, as Jake Vogel walked to load the bases and bring the go-ahead run to the plate. Yovan (1-1) then hit Alex Freeland to force in the tying run, before walking Dalton Rushing to make it 6-5. Max Gieg came in out of the bullpen and walked Nick Biddison on four pitches, making it 7-5. Bubba Alleyne legged out a fielder’s choice, staying out of the double-play and allowing Freeland to score, giving Rancho a three-run lead at 8-5.
Carlos De Los Santos was brilliant on Friday, as he retired the first four hitters he faced, then entered the ninth inning to protect the three-run advantage. Kevin Watson, Jr. singled to open the inning and two outs later, Edgar Quero singled to bring the tying run to the plate. De Los Santos (5-0) recovered though, striking out Adrian Placencia looking on just three pitches for his fifth strike out, ending the game.
The Quakes got a pair of home runs on Friday, as Dalton Rushing cracked a two-run blast in the first off Angels’ rehabbing pitcher Michael Lorenzen, his seventh of the year.
Young had a momentum-shifting homer for the Quakes in the eighth, at the time, making it a 5-3 game. It was Young’s second home run in the last four games.
Down five games with eight to play, the Quakes will send Maddux Bruns (0-2) to the hill on Saturday night at 7:05pm. Inland Empire will counter with Jose Soriano (0-0).
The Quakes will return for the final home stand of the regular season on Tuesday, September 6, as they host the Lake Elsinore Storm for a Healthy RC Recycle Tuesday. Tickets are available at rcquakes.com. We hope to see you at LoanMart Field...Go Quakes!