Denny Larrondo rang up 11 strikeouts and Anderson Rojas singled in a pair of eighth-inning runs as the Visalia Rawhide earned a 2-1 win over the Lake Elsinore Storm on Thursday night at Valley Strong Ballpark. Visalia has won two of the first three games in the six-game series as the first half of the 2024 California League season came to an end.
The late comeback spoiled a brilliant outing for Storm right-hander Eric Yost. The 2023 draft pick out of Northeastern blanked the Rawhide over seven innings, striking out nine while allowing just four hits and a walk. Reaching 60 Ks on the season, Yost is tied for ninth in the league.
Larondo was nearly as good, with the 11 Ks over five innings to go with three hits and two walks. The only run allowed by the righty out of Cuba was on a bases-loaded HBP in a shaky fifth inning. Larondo allowed a double, an HBP and a walk to load the bases before his second hit batter brought in the run.
Rojas was 2-for-3 with a walk while Jansel Luis had three hits, including two doubles.
Jacob Campbell was 1-for-2 with a triple for Lake Elsinore after coming into the game when starting RF Braedon Karpathios was ejected for arguing a called third strike in the fourth inning.
The Storm finished the first half with a 32-32 record, good for tops in the South division. The Rawhide finished 3 1/2 games back at 29-36.
SERIES STANDOUTS
After three games of the six-game series, here are some of the impact players:
VISALIA
Luis – 8-for-12, 2 2B, HR
Rojas – 3-for-6, 2 RBI
Angel Ortiz – 2-for-9, 2 2B
Ruben Santana – 4-for-10, HR
Larrondo – 5 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 11 K
Carlos Rey – 1 1/3 IP, W, 0 R, 0 H, 1 BB, 4 K
LAKE ELSINORE
Wyatt Hoffman – 2-for-9, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 SB
Nick Vogt – 3-for-7, 2B, RBI, SB
Leodalis De Vries – 3-for-12, BB, RBI
Jacob Campbell – 2-for-9, 3B,
Eric Yost – 7 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 9 K
Luis Gutierrez – 5 IP, 5 H, 1 R (0 ER), 0 BB, 2 K
Will Varmette – 2 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 BB, 2 K
Javier Chacon – 2 1/3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 BB, 3 K
