Marte’s Clutch Hit Leads Rawhide to Fifth Straight Win

Visalia, CA – Modeifi Marte hit a two out game winning RBI single in the seventh inning as the Visalia Rawhide defeated the Inland Empire 66ers 3-2 on Saturday night at Valley Strong Ballpark

Visalia (28-28) wins a fifth straight game, tied for a season best, over Inland Empire (16-40) and can with a win on Sunday secure the first six game sweep in franchise history. (Minor League Baseball started playing six game series in 2021.)

The game was tied at two entering the seventh inning. Jakey Josepha kick started the inning on a single. Yerald Nin followed by reaching base on an error. After a walk Marte came up with two outs and the bases loaded. He grounded a ball to the left side and beat out the throw from the Inland Empire third baseman.

On the mound Wilkin Paredes pitched five innings in a start allowing one run on five hits with two strikeouts and no walks.

Grayson Hitt earned the win in relief tossing three innings with four strikeouts and allowing just two hits and a run.

Adrian Rodriguez scored the game’s first run in the third inning leading off the inning with a walk and coming around to score on a RBI groundout from Nin.

Abdias De La Cruz doubled Visalia’s lead with a solo home run to left field in the fourth inning for his second long ball of the year.

Inland Empire plated a run apiece in the fifth and seventh frames.

Marte finished the night with two hits and extended his hit streak to eight games- the longest of any Rawhide player this season.

The Rawhide are five games back of first place Rancho Cucamonga with ten games left to play in the first half of the California League South Division season.

The series concludes with a Sunday Funday presented by Valley Children’s Healthcare and Spirit Radio at 2 PM. Sunday’s game is sold out and the Rawhide ticket office will be closed. The first 2,500 fans through the gates will receive a Rawhide Bucket Hat presented by Adventist Health. In addition, children can take advantage of discounted $8.50 Kids’ Meals.

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The Visalia Rawhide are a professional baseball team and the Single-A Affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Rawhide are celebrating 80 years of professional baseball in Visalia in 2025 as the “Year of the Oak.”  

Stay up to date with the Rawhide on the team’s website and by following the Rawhide on Facebook, X, Instagram and Tik Tok. The Rawhide play all home games at Valley Strong Ballpark located at 300 N Giddings Street Visalia, CA 93291.

Fans can purchase season ticket packages, group packages, single game tickets and team merchandise through the Rawhide website and at the stadium ticket office sponsored by Kaweah Health. All Rawhide games can be watched on MiLB.TV with a free radio broadcast also available online. For more information, visit milb.com/visalia, email [email protected] or call (559) 732-4433.