The Lake Elsinore Storm stayed perfect in Low-A West play with a dramatic 9-8 win in extra innings in Visalia Friday night while the league also saw its first postponement for covid-related reasons.
The game between the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes and Inland Empire 66ers was postponed shortly before the scheduled first pitch with the 66ers ultimately posting this message on it’s official Twitter account:
Tonight’s scheduled game between the Inland Empire 66ers and the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes at San Manuel Stadium has been postponed to allow for continued testing and contract tracing involving members of the 66ers organization. MLB and the 66ers will provide further updates as they become available.
No info on tonight’s scheduled game is available at this time.
SCOREBOARD
LAKE ELSINORE – 9
VISALIA – 8
Box
The Lake Elsinore Storm became the league’s only 4-0 team by winning another back-and-forth battle with the Visalia Rawhide. Friday night’s win saw CF Robert Hassell III knock in the go-ahead run in the top of the 10th with a leadoff triple, driving in the installed runner from second base. Euribiel Angeles brought Hassell III home moments later with a sac fly to provide the winning margin as the Rawhide struck for one run in the bottom of the 10th, but no more.
RHP Jose Geraldo (1-0) went the final 2 2/3 innings for Lake Elsinore, giving up the lead in the bottom of the eighth, but pitching well to close it out and get his first win of the season.
The Rawhide got five strong innings from RHP Brandon Pfaadt who allowed just one hit, a Brandon Valenzuela homerun, while striking out seven with no walks. Pfaadt threw 66 pitches, 49 strikes. 3B A.J. Vukovich (2) and DH Ronny Simon (2) both homered for Visalia.
STOCKTON – 1
MODESTO – 2
Box
Four Modesto pitchers combined for 16 strikeouts and 1B Robert Perez drove home the eventual winning run with a two-out single in the eighth inning as Modesto won it’s third straight game, 2-1 over Stockton. RHP Taylor Dollard made his professional debut and went four shutout innings allowing just two hits and no walks while striking out 10. Dollard struck out eight straight Ports batters in one stretch.
Leon Hunter (1-0) went an inning and a third for the win while Garret Acton (0-1) took the loss for Stockton. Nolan Hoffman pitched a scoreless ninth inning to pick up his second save.
Stockton’s Tyler Soderstrom went 2-for-3 with a double while walking twice. Soderstrom is the Oakland A’s top prospect per MLB Pipeline.
FRESNO – 4
SAN JOSE – 9
Box
The Giants got four first-inning runs and raced out to a 7-0 lead after four innings while LHP Nick Swiney dazzled in his pro debut as San Jose notched its first win of the season. Luis Matos and Harrison Freed had three hits apiece and Armani Smith had a triple and four RBI for the Giants.
Swiney threw four shutout innings, allowing a hit and two walks while striking out six. RHP Justin Crump (1-0) went 1 1/3 scoreless in relief to earn his first win. Crump didn’t allow a hit and struck out four batters while issuing two walks.
The Grizzlies got a pair of singles from leadoff man Isaac Collins while Bladimir Restituyo drove in two runs.
Thursday night’s pitching matchup in San Bernadino pitted two of the league’s top pitchers against one another and it didn’t disappoint. Fresno lefty Breiling Euesebio made his fifth start of the season and was opposed by Inland Empire’s Ryan Smith. Both delivered as Fresno’s 3-2 victory was decided late in the game after both had departed.
