Six Home Runs Help Quakes Blast Past Rawhide
Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. – The Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (31-24) brought their big bats with them to Morongo Field on Friday night as they slugged a season-high six home runs to power a 15-6 victory over the Visalia Rawhide (22-33). Both starting pitchers held the opposing offenses in check through the
Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. – The Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (31-24) brought their big bats with them to Morongo Field on Friday night as they slugged a season-high six home runs to power a 15-6 victory over the Visalia Rawhide (22-33).
Both starting pitchers held the opposing offenses in check through the first two innings, but Marlon Quintero changed that in the bottom of the third. The catcher launched a leadoff solo home run, firing the Quakes ahead 1-0.
One frame later, Rancho Cucamonga broke the game open. Lucas Ramirez uncorked a three-run triple to open the rally before Gabriel Davalillo, Anyelo Marquez, Kevyn Castillo, and Jonny McGill all cleared the wall. Three two-run blasts and a solo shot capped off a 10-run outburst, opening their lead to 11-0.
The Rawhide answered back, pushing across three runs over their next two turns at bat, but the Quakes nullified their middle-inning offense in the bottom of the seventh. Quintero singled and Marquez walked to begin the inning, and Hayden Alvarez immediately brought them both in. He roped a triple to the right-center field wall, restoring their advantage to double digits. The next hitter, MLB rehabber Nolan Schanuel, then lifted a sacrifice fly to center field, plating Alvarez to put Rancho Cucamonga back up by 11 at 14-3.
The Quakes closed out their night at the plate in style in the bottom of the eighth. To greet new Visalia reliever Raul Garayzar, Kendrey Maduro mashed a leadoff home run over the batter’s eye in center field, handing the Quakes a 12-run cushion heading into the final inning.
The Rawhide pieced together one final charge, throwing up a three-spot in the top of the ninth, but their deficit proved too much to overcome. Will Gervase finished the game by fanning two consecutive hitters, finishing off the Rancho Cucamonga victory.
The Quakes can lock down a series win over the Rawhide on Saturday at 6:30 PM. RHP Trey Gregory-Alford toes the slab for Rancho Cucamonga opposite RHP Junior Ciprian for Visalia. In addition to Western Night at Morongo Field, where pony rides and a petting zoo will be set up for the kids in attendance, there will also be a postgame fireworks display, courtesy of Banner Bank.