VISALIA, CA - The Lake Elsinore Storm hit seven home runs, including three consecutive shots in the fifth inning, and plated 11 runs in the ninth against two Visalia position players to defeat the Rawhide 18-1 to end Visalia's three-game winning streak.
VISALIA, CA - The Lake Elsinore Storm hit seven home runs, including three consecutive shots in the fifth inning, and plated 11 runs in the ninth against two Visalia position players to defeat the Rawhide 18-1 to end Visalia's three-game winning streak.
Visalia (55-51/19-17) starter Nick Baker surrendered five of the homers, including the back-to-back-to-back shots in the fifth inning, while striking out a season-high seven hitters in four-plus innings of a spot start. Baker (L, 1-2) reached the fifth, but was lifted after the third consecutive home run. A combination of position players Seth Spivey and Matt Jones surrendered 11 runs and two more homers in the top of the ninth inning where Lake Elsinore (49-57/14-22) took a commanding 18-1 lead.
The back-to-back-to-back homers were hit by Padres top-30 prospects Michael Gettys and Austin Allen as well as Fernando Perez. It was the first time that Lake Elsinore had hit three consecutive homers this season and was also the first time that it had happened to Visalia. The 11-run ninth inning was the worst inning of the year for Visalia in terms of runs allowed, and the 18 runs allowed were also a season-high for Rawhide pitching.
Storm starter Jacob Nix (W, 4-3) was an underlying storyline to the game as he pitched seven strong innings, allowing one run on five hits while walking none and striking out nine. Nix set down the final nine men that he faced in order in a return to form for the San Diego Padres #15 prospect.
The Rawhide's lone run came in the bottom of the third when Ben DeLuzio hit a one-out double, moved to third on a wild pitch, and was scored by a Fernery Ozuna single to right. Visalia put lead-off runners on base in the second, fourth, fifth, and eighth innings, but came up empty all four times and grounded into a pair of double plays.
Matt McPhearson was held to no hits in four at bats tonight and saw his 11 game hitting streak come to an end.
Visalia will look for the series win against Lake Elsinore tomorrow evening, with first pitch at 6:00 on the Mommy and Daddy Date Night. Visalia will send RHP Sam Lewis (0-0, 0.00) to the hill while the Storm will start RHP Jesse Scholtens (4-5, 4.11). Tickets are still available on Rawdhiebaseball.com.
