Despite having a pitch clock, the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes and Modesto Nuts played a 3 1/2 hour game at John Thurman Field Saturday night, with the Quakes winning 11-9. Jose Ramos went 4-for-4 with a double and two triples and Luis Yanel Diaz was 2-for-5 with a grand slam to lead Rancho’s 12-hit attack.
It all started with a 40-minute first inning where nine combined runs scored and it ended with a position player pitching to get the final out with the tying runs on second and third.
The Quakes got five runs in the first inning, including Diaz’ slam, and chased Modesto starter Yeury Tatiz after 2/3 of an IP and 35 pitches. The Nuts came right back with four runs in the bottom of the first and knocked out Rancho Cucamonga starter Edgardo Henriquez, who didn’t record an out while throwing 23 pitches, five for strikes.
Rancho Cucamonga pitchers walked 12 and struck out 15, while Modesto pitchers yielded seven walks with 15 punch-outs.
Along with the long first inning there were many walks, hits and pitching changes, three errors by the Quakes and two errors by Modesto and a couple of HBPs. That all led to the bottom of the ninth where Modesto pulled to within 11-9 and got the tying runs to second and third with two outs.
INF Kenneth Betancourt was brought in for Rancho and he threw one pitch to record the final out. He was the seventh Quakes pitcher of the night.
Edwin Arroyo was 3-for-4 with two walks and knocked in four runs for Modesto.
Holden Laws threw 2 1/3 innings of scoreless relief for the nuts, striking out six and giving up just one hit and one walk. Raul Alcantara went three scoreless innings with four strikeouts, one hit and two walks.
Rancho Cucamonga has won three of the first five games of this series and the two teams will finish it off on Sunday at 2:05PM.
SCOREBOARD
SAN JOSE – 10
VISALIA – 2
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LAKE ELSINORE – 8
FRESNO – 6
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STOCKTON – 6
INLAND EMPIRE -4
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