Hainline Homers in Loss to Giants

Rancho Cucamonga, CA – The Quakes ran into some good pitching for a second straight game, as they dropped the opening game of a six-game set to the San Jose Giants, losing 5-2 on Tuesday night at LoanMart Field.

Elijah Hainline and Gio Cueto combined for six of Rancho’s eight hits, but the Quakes’ offense, which got shut out in their last game in Modesto, couldn’t do much to break through against the top-ERA in the league.

Giants’ starter Hunter Dryden (3-0) allowed one run, a Hainline (2) homer and a total of four hits over five innings, setting a new career-best with eight strikeouts.

Rancho starter Aidan Foeller (2-2) struggled early, giving up a solo shot to Maui Ahuna (1) in the first and a three-run blast to Robert Hipwell (4) in the second, but settled down to keep the Quakes in the game through five innings.

Trailing 5-1 in the ninth, Cueto singled home Hainline to make it 5-2. But with the tying run in the on-deck circle, Rancho could get no closer to Giants’ reliever Ben Peterson, who finished it off.

The first-place Quakes (33-19, now up eight games with 14 to play in the half, will send Jakob Wright (0-0) to the mound against San Jose’s Niko Mazza (1-1) on Wednesday night in game two of the series.

Wednesday will be another Raising Cane’s Bark in the Ballpark, as four-legged friends are admitted with the purchase of a $3 Pet Pass. Tickets are available at rcquakes.com. Go Quakes!