CalL1 Inland Empire 66ers

Clemens Homers in Ninth as JetHawks Win

Published on July 12, 2009 under California League (CalL1)
Inland Empire 66ers News Release


LANCASTER, Calif. - Koby Clemens hit a walk-off three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth as the Lancaster JetHawks struck the final blow in a seesaw battle for an 11-8 win over the 66ers at Clear Channel Stadium Saturday night.

Clemens, who hit a three-run shot in the top of the tenth Thursday to vault the JetHawks past the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes, drilled a pitch from Marcel Prado off the center field batter's eye for the game ending blast.

A back-and-forth battle was waged prior to Clemens' heroics, with three different lead changes and the 66ers plating a run in the top of the ninth to tie the game at eight.

Inland Empire, shutout in consecutive games for the first time since 2003 after Lancaster took the series opener 4-0 Friday, battered Lancaster starter Phil Rummel around the park for four runs in the second. Scott Van Slyke hit his team-leading 13th homer of the year to begin the inning. Steve Caseres followed with a double before Christian Lara put runners on the corners with a single to left. Jaime Ortiz drove in Caseres with a double to left before Garett Green sent home Lara with an RBI groundout.

After Jessie Mier walked, Jose Duran replaced Rummel on the mound and allowed a deep fly ball to center by Preston Mattingly. What initially appeared to be a run-scoring double turned out to be a sacrifice fly after the umpires ruled that J.B. Shuck made the catch in center. Further salt in the wound for the 66ers, Lancaster appealed that Jessie Mier left first base early and turned the deep fly out into a double play.

Lancaster scored twice in the second off 66ers starter Josh Wall and grabbed the lead with three in the third. Inland Empire fought back with two in the fourth on Trayvon Robinson's two-out, two-run single. The JetHawks tied it with two in the sixth off Jake McCarter and regained the lead with a run in the seventh off Eric Krebs.

Trailing 8-7 in the ninth, Trayvon Robinson smacked a one-out double off Chris Salamida (1-0) and came in to score when Scott Van Slyle followed with an RBI triple.

Wall went 5 innings, allowing 5 runs on 8 hits and a walk with 3 strikeouts.

Robinson led with three hits while Elian Herrera, Van Slyke and Caseres had two each

The 66ers and JetHawks reconvene Sunday at 6 p.m with RHP Steve Johnson (7-4, 3.79) taking the mound for Inland Empire and RHP Chris Hicks (8-5, 5.01) starting for Lancaster. The Sixers return to Arrowhead Credit Union Park on Wednesday, July 15 for a four-game series against the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes at 7:05 p.m. Tickets for all future 66ers games are available at www.66ers.com or by visiting the 66ers ticket office at 280 South E Street in San Bernardino. For more information call 909-888-9922.

Check out the Inland Empire 66ers Statistics

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California League Stories from July 12, 2009


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