Storm Spoil First-Half Finale with Big Win

Rancho Cucamonga, CA - The Quakes may have won the First Half South Division crown, but it was the Lake Elsinore Storm who spoiled the final day of the regular season's first half, as Lake Elsinore jumped to a huge ten-run lead and held on for an 11-5 win over the Quakes, in front of a terrific Father's Day crowd at LoanMart Field.
Storm starter Elliot Ashbeck was incredible, tying a franchise record with 15 strikeouts over seven innings of work, as Lake Elsinore ended Rancho's modest two-game winning streak.
Ashbeck was spotted a three-run lead in the first and then saw his team put four more on the board in the second, as Lake Elsinore led 7-0 after their first two at-bats.
Quakes' starter Gerardo Carrillo (2-5) was pulled prematurely, after going 3-0 on the fourth batter he faced. The right-hander got a visit from coaches and the medical staff and was removed in favor of Wes Helsabeck.
Helsabeck struggled to find his rhythm, as he allowed one of two Carrillo runs to score, then proceeded to allow five of his own over just 1.1 innings.
Rancho's Jordan Procyshen drove in two, including Rancho's first run in the fifth, as Donovan Casey broke Ashbeck's no-hit bid with a leadoff double, then scored on a Procyshen double, making it 7-1.
The Storm added two in the sixth and one each over the next two innings.
Nick Yarnall, who recorded the final four outs on the mound, opened the ninth inning with a single and then scored on a Starling Heredia single, making it 11-2. Rancho tallied four total runs in the last of the ninth, with Jeter Downs capping the scoring with an RBI double, giving him a team-leading 46 going into the break.
Ashbeck (3-0), allowed just one run on three hits over seven, with his 15 punches to earn the win.
The Quakes (41-27) enter the All-Star Break with a six-game lead over Lake Elsinore for the best overall mark in the South Division. On Thursday, the Quakes will open the second half with a four-game set in Lancaster. First pitch on Thursday from The Hangar will be 6:35pm in the opener of the second half.
Congratulations to Devin Mann, Jeter Downs, Connor Wong, Donovan Casey, Logan Salow and Wills Montgomerie, who are all slated to appear in Tuesday's All-Star Game in San Bernardino. Tickets to see your Quakes represent the South Division are available online at IE66ers.com.
The Quakes' next home game will be on Thursday, June 27^th against the Lancaster JetHawks. It'll be a Punch Bowl Social Thirsty Thursday with drink specials throughout the night. Tickets are available at rcquakes.com. We hope to see you very soon at LoanMart Field…Go Quakes!