Balanos Quiets Rawhide

VISALIA, CA - Once Ronald Bolaños was given a lead by Lake Elsinore, he hit another gear. Bolanos (3-4) set down 17 straight Rawhide hitters between the fourth and the ninth innings en route to a career-best 8.2 innings and led the Storm to a 5-3 win.

Visalia (38-34/1-1) held a 3-0 lead into the fifth inning and starter Kevin McCanna had been cruising. McCanna escaped a bases-loaded jam in the first and then hit a rhythm. He set down 11 in a row before Jorge Oña drew a one-out walk in the fifth, which catalyzed a two-run rally to bring the Storm to within a run.
Robby Sexton took over in the sixth and surrendered back-to-back singles to Edward Olivares and Luis Torrens on his first two pitches. Hudson Potts followed by doubling home Olivares to tie the game at 3. After Sexton (L, 0-2) struck out two, Ona doubled to right to bring home Torrens and Potts, giving Lake Elsinore (35-37/1-1) a 5-3 lead.
Bolanos dominated until the ninth when he came within one out of throwing the first complete game in the California League this season. Instead, Marcus Wilson singled up the middle and Ramon Hernandez lined a base hit to left.
With the winning run at the plate and two outs, Dauris Valdez (SV, 6) was summoned from the bullpen and struck out Drew Ellis to end the game.
Wilson led the way for the Visalia offense with a pair of hits while driving home two during Visalia's three-run third. He also made a running catch on the warning track to end the eighth inning and rob Nate Easley of extra bases.
The Rawhide will continue the series tomorrow and will send RHP Matt Peacock (0-0, -.--) to the hill to make his Visalia debut against RHP Pedro Avila (3-4, 4.08). First pitch is at 7:00 and tickets are still available on Rawhidebaseball.com.