CalL1 Rancho Cucamonga Quakes

Quakes Blank Blaze 3-0 Behind Rodriguezes

Published on April 9, 2006 under California League (CalL1)
Rancho Cucamonga Quakes News Release


RANCHO CUCAMONGA-Rafael Rodriguez shut down Bakersfield for six innings and Sean Rodriguez added a solo home run as the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes shutout the Blaze 3-0 before 5,277 fans at the Epicenter Saturday night. The win moved the Quakes to 2-0 on the year while Bakersfield dropped to 0-2.

Rafael Rodriguez allowed hits to three of the first five batters he faced in the game, but quickly found his groove. He struck out four straight batters at one point and seven for the game, and closed his outing by allowing just one hit to the last 18 hitters he faced.

With the game scoreless in the bottom of the third, Drew Toussaint started the only rally the Quakes would need by drawing an impressive leadoff walk from Blaze starter John Bannister. Behind in the count 0-2, Toussaint refused to panic or chase bad pitches, and watched as Bannister threw four straight balls. Once on base Toussaint promptly stole second base, and two batters later leadoff man Josh LeBlanc ripped an RBI triple into the right field corner for a 1-0 lead. Bakersfield then opted to draw the infield in with Freddy Sandoval at the plate, but Sandoval spoiled the strategy by poking a groundball past a diving German Duran at short to score LeBlanc. Sandoval was caught stealing later in the inning, but on the very next pitch Sean Rodriguez socked a mammoth solo bomb over the batter's eye in dead center field to make it 3-0.

That advantage was more than enough for Rafael Rodriguez, although there were some anxious moments after he departed. Joe Torres worked around a pair of walks in the top of the seventh, and then allowed two more base-runners in the top of the eighth before Frederic DeLoizaga-Carney came out of the bullpen and got out of the jam. Then in the ninth it was DeLoizaga's turn to get into trouble, as a bloop single, a walk and an infield hit loaded the bases with two outs and brought the go-ahead run to the plate for Bakersfield. DeLoizaga didn't falter however, getting Micah Furtado to roll an easy groundball to second baseman Nate Sutton for the final out.

Rafael Rodriguez improved to 1-0 with the win, scattering four singles and a hit batter in six innings. Along with Friday's starter Nick Green, Quakes starters have allowed one run in 11 innings with 12 strikeouts. Bannister (0-1) lasted just four innings and allowed three runs on six hits. He walked one and struck out four. LeBlanc, Sandoval and Sean Rodriguez (the top three in the Quakes batting order) combined to go 5-10 with a walk, two runs scored and three RBI. With the three-run third, the Quakes have scored in just two of the 16 innings they've batted in this year but are still undefeated.

The three-game series concludes Sunday afternoon at 2:05. Jose Arredondo will start for the Quakes against Bakersfield's Kea Kometani. For more information, please call the Quakes at (909) 481-5000.

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California League Stories from April 9, 2006


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