Vargas Outstanding in Pitcher's Duel

LAKE ELSINORE, CA - After giving up a run in the bottom of the first, Emilio Vargas settled into a rhythm. Vargas set down nine straight Storm hitters between the second and fifth innings and got two outs in the sixth before being lifted with 97 pitches.

Vargas (L, 6-4) allowed just two runs while scattering seven hits and striking out seven, but he received just one run of support as the Rawhide fell 2-1.
Despite falling into jams with leadoff runners in the fifth and sixth, Vargas used a pair of double plays to minimize the damage. Lake Elsinore (40-45/6-9) tacked on their insurance run with a Hudson Potts double and a Luis Torrens single in the sixth.
Vargas's seven strikeouts give him 113 on the season, a career-high in his sixth season.
Meanwhile, Pedro Avila (W, 4-6) stifled the Visalia offense. Avila worked in and out of trouble, only holding the Rawhide quiet twice. But he ended up going 6.1 innings while allowing just one run on seven hits with seven strikeouts.
Ramon Hernandez brought home the lone run of the night for Visalia in the seventh(45-40/8-7) when he doubled to score Dominic Miroglio, who had led off the frame with a double.
Hernandez's double placed the tying run on second base with one out. But Dauris Valdez got the next two hitters in order to strand him there.
The Rawhide put the tying run on second twice in the eighth inning, but once again came up hitless.
With one out in the ninth, Jason Morozowski and Hernandez singled on two straight pitches to put the tying run in scoring position and the winning run on base. But Elliot Ashbeck (SV, 3) retired Camden Duzenack and Luis Alejandro Basabe to end the game.
Visalia had just one hit in eleven at bats with runners in scoring position. They have gone a combined two for twenty with runners in scoring position in the series.
Miroglio, Morozowski, and Hernandez all put up two-hit games for the Rawhide. Basabe, Stephen Smith, and Drew Ellis all singled to round out Visalia's offense.
Tyler Mark relieved Varags and retired four hitters with two strikeouts and a walk.
Visalia continues the series in Lake Elsinore tomorrow night. The Rawhide will send RHP Connor Grey (6-5, 5.45) to the hill against Strom RHP Reggie Lawson (5-3, 2.73) First pitch will be at 7:00 PM and the live radio broadcast will be available on Rawhidebaseball.com.