Rawhide, Quakes Split Double Header, Series
May 30, 2016 - California League (CalL1)
Visalia Rawhide News Release
VISALIA, CA - The Visalia Rawhide (32-20) and the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (32-20), in a battle between two of the top teams in the California League, split the double header today at Recreation Ballpark with Rancho winning game one 6-3 and the Rawhide instrumenting a walk-off, 4-3 win to end the four game series in a split on Sunday afternoon.
After 3B Marty Herum gave Visalia an early 1-0 lead in game one with a solo home run, his second as a member of the Rawhide, Rancho scored four runs in the top of the second against RHP Brad Keller (3-4, 4.55). Keller again was guilty of allowing multiple home runs in an outing as 3B Jordan Tarsovich took him deep in the second, a three-run blast that gave Rancho a 4-1 lead. 2B Tim Locastro singled home a run before the long ball.
In the top of the fifth, Tarsovich struck again, blasting a solo home run over the left field wall for a 5-1 advantage and then in sixth after a walk to RF Johan Mieses, who then stole second and moved to third on an error, CF Yusniel Diaz hit an RBI single to make it 6-1 Quakes.
Keller pitched 5.2 innings and allowed six runs (earned) on six hits, he walked two and struck out five in the loss.
RHP Andrew Sopko (6-0, 3.42) remained undefeated in his 5.1 innings of work. Visalia scored twice in the sixth inning to chase Sopko with a Herum single followed by a 1B Rudy Flores double that put men on second and third. 2B Henry Castillo followed with an RBI ground out and RF Stryker Trahan knocked in his first run of the season with a double but 6-3 was the final.
Sopko gave up three runs (earned) on seven hits and walked two while striking out three and RHP Kyle Hooper (SV 1) pitched the final 1.2 innings to earn his first save of the season.
Game two began ominously enough for RHP Nick Baker (3-0, 2.33) as he allowed two runs in the first frame to Rancho, who was now looking to win the series.
Rancho, with one out, picked up three straight singles with 1B Matt Beaty knocking in two for the 2-0 lead.
Following the two run single in the first, Baker allowed one hit over the next three innings and exited after four frames, allowing four hits and two runs with a walk and five strikeouts.
RHP Grant Holmes was unhittable, literally, though four innings as he faced the minimum Rawhide batters. It was only a SS Robelys Reyes walk in the third that ruined the perfection.
In the fifth inning Flores finally got Visalia on the board in the hit column and Castillo followed with a double. After back-to-back strikeouts, CF Colin Bray slapped a huge two-run single into right field scoring both Flores and Castillo and tying the game at 2-2.
Holmes pitched six innings and was straddled with two runs (earned) on four hits, he walked one and struck out a season high nine. He did not factor into the decision.
LHP Jared Miller and RHP Luis Ramirez pitched scoreless frames to get to the ninth where RHP Bud Jeter entered the game. Jeter issued three straight walks and then CF Pin-Chieh Chen laid down an RBI sacrifice bunt to give Rancho the 3-2 lead in the final inning.
RHP Karch Kowalczyk entered and immediately Castillo blasted a line drive home run off the top of the wall in right field and the game was tied at 3-3. C Oscar Hernandez doubled and then Bray walked, bringing up Reyes. Quakes Manager Drew Saylor opted to bring in a fifth infielder and then pulled the infield in. Reyes, on the next pitch, lined a game winning single through the left side and the Rawhide came all the way back and evened the series with a 4-3 win in their final at-bat.
Jeter earned the win for his one inning of relief, giving up one run (earned) on three walks and a strike out while Kowalczyk took the loss for .1 of an inning, allowing three hits and a two runs (earned). He walked one and struck out one.
The Rawhide will now enjoy two days off before they open up a best-of-three series in San Jose (29-19) on Wednesday night at Municipal Stadium before traveling on for a four game series against the Stockton Ports (20-30) that will run from Saturday through Tuesday.
California League Stories from May 30, 2016
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- Storm Surge Early, Beat Ports 10-5 - Stockton Ports
- Defense Struggles, Castellani Doesn't in 3-0 Loss - Modesto Nuts
- Blaze Mount Monster Memorial Day Comeback, Win 8-7 - Bakersfield Blaze
- Sergio Romo Scheduled to Rehab Tuesday with San Jose - San Jose Giants
- Sixers Set Season-Highs in Runs, Hits in Win - Inland Empire 66ers
- Longest 9-Inning Game of the Year Goes to Visitors, 10-7 - Bakersfield Blaze
- Rawhide, Quakes Split Double Header, Series - Visalia Rawhide
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