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CalL Lake Elsinore Storm

Lake Elsinore Storm Lose Late Despite Homer Bush Jr's Big Night

August 12, 2023 - California League (CalL)
Lake Elsinore Storm News Release


On Marvel nights, the Lake Elsinore Storm were tasked with defending The Diamond. However, on a night where new Storm player Homer Bush Jr went 2-4 with a walk, double, home run, and a run scored, Lake Elsinore simply couldn't hold on to the lead losing 6-4 to the Visalia Rawhide.

The night began on a much brighter note than it ended. MLB's 68th-ranked prospect, Dylan Lesko, went through four innings pitched without giving up a single run and striking out seven Visalia batters. Neither team would score a run until the fifth inning when Bush Jr. hit his first home run as a member of the Lake Elsinore Storm.

Tyler Robertson would knock through a single, Samuel Zavala would reach on a fielding error, and they would both move up a base on a double steal to set up Rosman Verdugo to bring Robertson home on a sacrifice fly.

This would give them a two run lead heading into the top of the sixth but by this point, the Rawhide decided it was about time for them to begin scoring as well. A single and double off of Eric Yost would cut the Storm's lead in half. Then, after the Storm threatened to score in the bottom of the sixth with a two out double and walk, they would bring in reliever Kobe Robinson in the top of the seventh.

He would immediately allow a walk, a single, throw a wild pitch, and allow the game to become tied at two with a single from Johan Benitez. After a mound visit, Robinson would strike out two batters before allowing the bases to load. Manager Pete Zamora would make a move, replacing him with Francis Pena who would allow a single to fall behind 4-2 before striking out the final batter of the inning.

Appropriately, the Storm would avenge this shaky top of the seventh in the bottom of that same inning. A nine-pitch walk from Samuel Zavala, his California Leauge-leading 82nd free pass of the season (a remarkable 20 more than the player with the second most) would set up three straight singles from Devin Ortiz, Griffin Doersching, and Victor Duarte to tie the score at 4-4.

Unfortunately, a fielding error from Verdugo would score Visalia's winning run and give them another at bat in which they brought home an insurance run to bring the lead to 6-4. In the bottom of the ninth, the Storm attempted to rally, getting two men on base and pinch-hitting for both Charlis Aquino and Jacob Campbell, however, Nick Vogt would hit a ball hard but on the ground to the shortstop who would get the final force out at second base.

The Storm are now six games behind the Inland Empire 66ers for the second playoff spot in the Cal League South and need to have a strong next eight games to remain in the hunt for back-to-back championships. They play the Rawhide again tomorrow night at 5 PM.

Check out the Lake Elsinore Storm Statistics



California League Stories from August 12, 2023


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