Inland Empire SS Jeremiah Jackson belted a pair of two-run homeruns and Jack Kochanowicz went five strong innings to lead the Inland Empire 66ers’ 9-3 win over the Fresno Grizzlies Saturday night. The homestanding 66ers scored six times in the first inning and never looked back as they won their second straight in front of their home fans.
Jackson, the Angels’ #5 prospect, got the 66ers’ 13-hit attack going in the bottom of the first inning when he homered over the right-center field wall following a single by 3B Jeremy Arocho. The 66ers batted around with four more hits and an error behind Grizzlies starter RHP Mitchell Kilkenny. Only the two runs on Jackson’s homer were earned.
Kochanowicz (W, 1-1) went 5 innings and allowed 1R (0ER) on two hits with 0BB and 4Ks. The Angels #7 prospect threw 59 pitches, 39 for strikes in his best outing of the season to this point.
Jackson finished 2-for-4 with 4 RBIs and now has 4 HR on the season. Arocho had two hits, LF Edwin Yon had two hits and 2 RBIs and C Keinner Pina had two hits and scored twice. DH Caleb Scires had two singles and knocked in a run.
Kilkenny rebounded after the rough first inning to complete 4 IP with 2ER on 6H, no BB and 4Ks.
1B Grant Lavigne led the Grizzlies offense with two hits and two RBIs. LF Daniel Montano drove in a run with a single.
The 66ers look for a split in the series with Fresno taking three of the first five games. Inland Empire is in third place in the South division, two games out of first place and 1/2 game behind second-place Lake Elsinore. The Grizzies are now two games out of first place in the North division, trailing Modesto.
SCOREBOARD
LAKE ELSINORE – 1
SAN JOSE – 3
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VISALIA – 5
MODESTO – 16
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STOCKTON – 9
RANCHO CUCAMONGA – 10
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