CalL1 Rancho Cucamonga Quakes

Five Straight Wins

Published on April 16, 2016 under California League (CalL1)
Rancho Cucamonga Quakes News Release


Lake Elsinore, CA - The Rancho Cucamonga Quakes used a strong start by Tommy Bergjans and clutch hitting from Paul Hoenecke to lead them to their fifth straight victory, beating the Lake Elsinore Storm 5-2 on Friday night in Lake Elsinore.

The Quakes started the scoring in the first inning. Leading off the game, Andrew Toles hit a sky-high popup in the middle of the infield, but Storm shortstop Javier Guerra couldn't make the catch after the ball got caught in the wind. That went as an error and Toles was able to get to second base. Two batters later, Matt Beaty hit an RBI single to score Toles to make it 1-0 Rancho.

Rancho Cucamonga's offense stayed quiet until the fourth inning, when they tagged Storm starter Michael Kelly for two runs. Kyle Garlick led off with a single and Hoenecke crushed his first home run of the season over the 36-foot wall in right field to make it 3-0 Quakes.

Lake Elsinore fought back in their half of the fourth inning. Franmil Reyes led off the frame with a double and advanced to third on a Josh VanMeter sacrifice bunt. Trae Santos then hit a ground ball to second baseman Tim Locastro, but he threw the ball away trying to complete the out at first base, allowing Santos to advance to second and Reyes to score to cut the Quakes lead to 3-1. The Storm scored two more off Tommy Bergjans in the fourth after Jose Ruiz swatted an RBI double to score Santos, cutting Rancho's lead to 3-2. Two batters later, Franchy Cordero hit an RBI single back up the middle to tie the ballgame at three runs apiece.

The Quakes untied it in the fifth, when Locastro hit a one out single and stole second base. On the steal, Ruiz's throw went into center field, and center fielder Franchy Cordero couldn't keep the ball in front of him, allowing Locastro to come all the way home to give Rancho Cucamonga the lead again, to 4-3. The Quakes scored their fifth run of the night after Kyle Garlick doubled off the wall in right field, and Paul Hoenecke drove him in with an RBI single to make it 5-3, and the Quakes won by that score. Hoenecke finished the day with three RBIs.

Tommy Bergjans picked up his first win of the season, after going 5.1 innings, allowing eight hits and just three earned runs. He also tied Grant Holmes for most strikeouts in a game by a Quakes pitcher this game with seven. Kyle Hooper extended his scoreless streak to 6.2 innings to start the season, and Scott Griggs threw a 1-2-3 ninth inning to nail down his second save of the year.

The Quakes (6-3) will send right-handed pitcher Josh Sborz (0-0) to the hill on Saturday night, while Lake Elsinore will counter with Chris Huffman (2-0). Sborz will look to continue his good start to the 2016 season, after pitching 5.2 scoreless innings against Inland Empire on April 11. Game time from Lake Elsinore on Saturday is at 6:00 p.m.

Check out the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes Statistics

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California League Stories from April 16, 2016


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