Visalia Settles for Series Split in Tight Defeat

Visalia, CA – The Visalia Rawhide brought the walk-off run to second base in the bottom of the ninth but fell to the Lake Elsinore Storm 3-2 on Sunday afternoon.

Visalia (46-41, 11-10) and Lake Elsinore (40-47, 11-10) split the week’s series and are tied with Inland Empire for first place in the California League South 2nd half standings.

Trailing by one entering the ninth Jose Alpuria walked to lead off the frame and Ruben Santana notched a base hit. They both advanced a base on a groundout but a strikeout ended the ballgame.

After the Storm scored a run in the top of the first, Visalia answered with two runs.

Alpuria doubled to left and Diosfran Cabeza knocked him home with a RBI single. Abdias De La Cruz then roped a double to left to give the Rawhide the lead.

Lake Elsinore scored the tying and game winning runs in the fifth using three straight singles to start the inning to take the lead.

Erick Reynoso worked four innings in his start allowing just a run with two strikeouts.

Grayson Hitt and Jake Fitzgibbons both worked scoreless frames from the mound. Fitzgibbons extends his scoreless streak to a California League best 24.2 innings over 18 appearances.

Diosfran Cabeza led the Rawhide with three hits and Abdias De La Cruz notched a two hit afternoon.

The California League will break for four days for the All-Star Break. Visalia returns to action kicking off a nine game road trip on Friday in San Bernardino against the Inland Empire 66ers. The Rawhide return home on Tuesday July 29 opening up a six game set versus the Modesto Nuts .

Tickets for all upcoming Rawhide games can be purchased on the team’s website or at the Rawhide Ticket Office sponsored by Kaweah Health from 10 AM to 4 PM on weekdays.

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The Visalia Rawhide are a professional baseball team and the Single-A Affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Rawhide are celebrating 80 years of professional baseball in Visalia in 2025 as the “Year of the Oak.”  

Stay up to date with the Rawhide on the team’s website and by following the Rawhide on Facebook, X, Instagram and Tik Tok. The Rawhide play all home games at Valley Strong Ballpark located at 300 N Giddings Street Visalia, CA 93291.

Fans can purchase season ticket packages, group packages, single game tickets and team merchandise through the Rawhide website and at the stadium ticket office sponsored by Kaweah Health. All Rawhide games can be watched on MiLB.TV with a free radio broadcast also available online. For more information, visit milb.com/visalia, email [email protected] or call (559) 732-4433.