San Bernardino, CA- The Inland Empire 66ers of San Bernardino bounced back after dropping the first two games of their four-game series with the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes with a 6-4 victory on Saturday at San Manuel Stadium. The Sixers withstood three Quakes solo homers as a trio of pitchers led
San Bernardino, CA- The Inland Empire 66ers of San Bernardino bounced back after dropping the first two games of their four-game series with the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes with a 6-4 victory on Saturday at San Manuel Stadium. The Sixers withstood three Quakes solo homers as a trio of pitchers led by starter Luis Pena struck out 14 Rancho Cucamonga batters while walking just one.
The Sixers (50-56, 20-16) took a 1-0 lead in the second against Quakes southpaw Michael Boyle (4-3) when Jack Kruger singled with one out and eventually scored on Connor Justus' sac fly after moving to second and third on a passed ball and wild pitch. The 66ers added two more in the third when Keith Grieshaber, Jahmai Jones and Jordan Zimmerman each doubled in the frame for a 3-0 lead. Inland Empire made it 4-0 in the fourth when Justus singled and eventually scored on Jordan Serena's sac fly. The Quakes answered with a pair of solo homers in the fifth against Pena (5-10) as Ibandel Isabel and Ariel Sandoval tagged back-to-back shots. It was Isabel's league best 22nd homer (ninth against Inland Empire) and Sandoval's fourth and made it 4-2. Pena went six innings allowing the two runs on seven hits with no walks and nine Ks. The Quakes made it 4-3 in the top of the seventh when Sandoval tagged another solo shot, his fifth of the year and third against the Sixers. The 66ers bounced back in the seventh with RBI singles from Zimmerman (his third hit of the game) and Kruger for a 6-3 advantage. The Quakes (59-47, 23-13) made it 6-4 in the eighth on a RBI single from DJ Peters but 3B Grieshaber starter a tough third-to-first double play and Nathan Bates struck out Omar Estevez for to escape the jam. Samil De Los Santos allowed a single to Sandoval in the ninth giving him a three-hit game but struck out the side for his fifth save of the year. Jared Walsh had three hits for the Sixers and now has an 11-game hitting streak.
The series concludes Sunday at 2:05 pm. The contest can be seen and heard live at 66ers.com.
