CalL1 Visalia Rawhide

Rawhide Break Tie in Eighth, Hang on for 7-5 Win Over

August 5, 2016 - California League (CalL1)
Visalia Rawhide News Release


VISALIA, CA- The Rawhide (65-46, 19-22) broke a 4-4 tie with a three run eighth inning and held on for a 7-5 victory over Inland Empire (38-72, 15-26) on Thursday night at Rawhide Ballpark.

CF Colin Bray extended his hitting streak to eight games and broke the tie with an RBI double off LHP Winston Lavendier (1-1, 3.38) scoring SS Galli Cribbs for the go-ahead run before scoring himself along with 1B Marty Herum when DH Austin Byler stroked a triple to cash in two insurance runs and push the lead to 7-4 Rawhide.

RHP Justin Donatella logged 5.1 innings on the mound in his sixth start of the season for Visalia. The game began a bit rocky for the Santa Clarita, CA native when DH Michael Hermosillo lined a solo home run over the left field wall for an early 1-0 66ers lead.

The Rawhide answered with two runs of their own in the home half of the first inning when RF Victor Reyes answered with a line drive home run down the right field line to tie the game at 1-1. Herum slapped a single up the middle and moved to second base on a wild pitch by 66ers starter RHP Jared Ruxer. After Byler walked, C Michael Strentz tried a pick-off attempt of Byler at first base and he threw low and the ball skipped down the field line and Herum scampered home from second base for a 2-1 Rawhide lead.

Donatella settled in and held the 66ers scoreless into the sixth inning after the Rawhide added a run in the third when Bray singled and stole his way to third before scoring on a Reyes RBI single to push it to a 3-1 lead.

In the bottom of the fifth, Bray once again began the rally with a single. An error moved him to second base and a fielder's choice ball pushed him up to third before Herum knocked him in with a single for a 4-1 lead.

In the sixth, Donatella began the inning but he wouldn't finish it. On two pitches Inland Empire had both hitters in the sixth reach base. Hermosillo was hit by a pitch then SS David Fletcher singled. 3B Hutton Moyer reached base on an infield single to load the bases with nobody out. Two batters later Strentz hit a fielder's choice ball that scored Hermosillo from third for a 4-2 score. An errant throw by Cribbs on the play allowed Fletcher to score to cut the lead to 4-3. That was the end of night for Donatella. In his 5.1 innings he allowed six hits and four runs (two earned), he didn't walk anyone and he struck out three. LHP Gabriel Moya came in and fired a wild pitch that brought home Moyer from third to tie the game at 4-4. Moya pitched a scoreless 1.2 innings with two strikeouts in his outing.

Ruxer pitched five innings for Inland Empire and allowed four runs (two earned) on six hits, two walks and he struck out a season-high tying eight.

In Visalia on a MLB rehab stint, LHP Andrew Chafin (1-0, 0.00) pitched a scoreless eighth inning to earn the win when the Rawhide scored their three runs in the bottom half of the eighth to take a 7-4 lead.

RHP Jason Hoppe logged two scoreless innings for Inland Empire before Levandier came in for the eighth.

RHP Cameron Gann (SV: 5) pitched the ninth and gave up two hits and a run to earn his fifth save of the season in the 7-5 Rawhide win.

The series continues tomorrow night from Rawhide Ballpark. Game Two is another 7:00 p.m. first pitch and LHP Alex Young (1-3, 4.76) for Visalia against RHP Jake Jewell (1-10, 6.56) for Inland Empire. Tomorrow night is a Fun-Filled Friday featuring postgame fireworks presented by Suncrest Bank and its Family Heathcare Network Night so the Rawhide will be dressed in Doctor Themed Jersey's for the contest.

Check out the Visalia Rawhide Statistics



California League Stories from August 5, 2016


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