STOCKTON, Calif. - The Rancho Cucamonga Quakes clubbed 15 hits to pick up their first win of the season in Stockton on Wednesday night. The Quakes, who'd lost all four games played at Banner Island Ballpark, scored three runs in the seventh inning to pull away from the Stockton Ports
STOCKTON, Calif. - The Rancho Cucamonga Quakes clubbed 15 hits to pick up their first win of the season in Stockton on Wednesday night. The Quakes, who'd lost all four games played at Banner Island Ballpark, scored three runs in the seventh inning to pull away from the Stockton Ports and win by a final of 6-3 to even their three-game series at a game apiece.
After squandering an opportunity with runners at second and third and nobody out in the third inning, the Quakes used a five-hit fourth inning to open the scoring. With Logan Landon at third base and one out, Omar Estevez hit a double to left to give Rancho Cucamonga a 1-0 lead. Cody Thomas followed with a double of his own to make it a 2-0 ballgame.
The two fourth-inning runs were the only runs allowed by Ports starter Zack Erwin (2-3), who suffered the loss after going five innings and allowing nine hits while striking out four.
Quakes starter Dean Kremer (2-2) allowed just one hit through the first four innings but would see the Ports load the bases on a pair of walks and a single to begin the fifth inning. Melvin Mercedes came up with the bases loaded and nobody out and lined an RBI single into center field. Luke Persico tried to score from second base and was thrown out at home plate by center fielder Jeren Kendall, limiting the Ports to just one run on the play and in the inning as Kremer got back-to-back strikeouts to escape further trouble.
Keremer earned the win, going six innings and allowing one run on three hits while striking out seven.
Brendan Butler took over in the sixth and gave up a two-out solo home run to Steve Berman that got the Quakes lead back to two runs at 3-1. Butler stayed on for the seventh and gave up a leadoff triple to Gavin Lux followed by an RBI single to Rylan Bannon. Cristian Santana followed with a two-run homer to right to make it a 6-1 Quakes advantage.
Butler allowed four runs on six hits in an inning-and-two-thirds of relief. Sam Sheehan and Andrew Tomasovich combined for two-and-a-third innings of scoreless relief to close out the ballgame.
Stetson Allie took over for the Quakes in the seventh and gave up a two-out walk to Luis Barrera followed by a two-run homer to Mercedes that cut the Quakes lead to 6-3. Allie would finish the seventh inning and turn it over to Logan Salow (SV, 1) in the eighth. Salow would pitch two scoreless innings and strike out four in picking up his first California League save.
The Ports and Quakes play the rubber game of their three-game series on Thursday morning at Banner Island Ballpark. Jake Bray (1-1, 2.36 ERA) makes the start for Stockton, opposed by Rancho Cucamonga right-hander Chris Matthewson (1-0, 7.00 ERA). First pitch is set for 11:10 a.m. PDT.
