The Visalia Rawhide won for the third night in a row, defeating the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes by a score of 11-4 on Monday at LoanMart Field. LF Anderson Rojas was 3-for-5 with a triple and three RBIs with two runs scored to lead the Rawhide’s 10-hit attack. Visalia drew nine walks with Riquelmin Cabral taking four of the free passes.
The visiting Rawhide scored the first six runs over their first four turns at bat to get out to a 6-0 lead. Starter Yoscar Pimentel (W, 1-1) went five innings and gave up three runs on five hits and three walks while striking out one to earn his first California League win.
Rancho Cucamong rallied for two in the fourth and one in the fifth to cut the lead to 6-3 but Visalia got a bases-loaded walk in the fifth to make it 7-3. Jose Izarra hit his fourth home run of the season in the bottom of the fifth to make it 7-4, but the Quakes got no closer and the Rawhide pulled away down the stretch.
Caswell Smith came on in relief of Pimentel and threw two shutout innings, allowing just two hits and no walks with three strikeouts.
Jesus Galiz was 2-for-4 for the Quakes and hit his third home run of the season.
Visalia is now 5-4 in the second half and tied with Rancho Cucamonga and Inland Empire for first place in the South division. Lake Elsinore is two games back at 3-6. The Rawhide return home to start a six-game series against Lake Elsinore on Tuesday. The Quakes travel to Inland Empire.
