Visalia Lowers Magic Number to 4 in 5-2 Victory Over Lancaster
June 12, 2016 - California League (CalL1)
Visalia Rawhide News Release
VISALIA, CA - For the third night in a row the Visalia Rawhide (40-21) received excellent pitching from their starting hurler. RHP Brad Keller logged six innings allowing one run in a 5-2 series clinching win over the Lancaster JetHawks on Saturday night at Recreation Ballpark.
Keller (5-4, 4.33) pitched six innings with his only blemish coming in the second inning when 1B Bryan Muniz singled with one out. After a walk and a wild pitch, 2B Aaron Mizell connected for a bloop single into shallow right field to give Lancaster their first lead of the series at 1-0.
For Keller that was the most trouble he was in all night. He faced only three men in the other five innings and finished allowing only four hits and the one run, he walked a man and struck out four in the win.
Visalia's offense took it from the second inning on, scoring twice in the second, twice in the fifth and once in the sixth.
RF Victor Reyes, in the second, struck out but reached on a wild pitch by JetHawks starter RHP Scott Weathersby (2-4, 6.10). After a single and fielder's choice put runners on first and third the Rawhide put in a motion a double steal. CF Colin Bray drew a throw from C Trent Woodward to second base. SS Antonio Nunez fired a return throw home but Reyes slid in safely to tie the game at 1-1. LF Chuck Taylor followed with a single scoring Bray for a 2-1 lead that Visalia would not relinquish.
It remained 2-1 until the fifth inning when SS Dominga Leyba connected for his fifth home run of the season, over the right field wall scoring Taylor, who tripled ahead of him. The blast made it 4-1.
The sixth inning saw 3B Dawel Lugo connect for his ninth home run of the season, a smash down the left field line that pushed the lead to 5-1.
Weathersby lasted 6.1 innings for Lancaster and finished with eight hits allowed and five runs (earned), four walks and he struck out two in the loss.
LHP Will Locante came in and made his Rawhide debut, giving up a lead-off double to 3B Brooks Marlow, who eventually came around to score after two wild pitches to make it a 5-2 game.
RHP Cameron Gann made his Rawhide debut an inning later and hung another zero in the eighth. In the ninth RHP Bud Jeter (SV 8) entered and promptly struck out the side to earn his eighth save of the season and close out the 5-2 win for Keller.
The Rawhide have won seven straight, tying their season long and now look to sweep the series tomorrow afternoon and inch ever closer to clinching the first half North Division Championship for the second consecutive year. RHP Ethan Elias (3-3, 5.37) will go for Visalia against LHP Matt Bower (2-1, 8.38) for Lancaster.
California League Stories from June 12, 2016
- Rudy Flores Has Career Night with Two Home Runs and Six RBIs in Win over Lancaster - Visalia Rawhide
- Quakes Complete 4-Game Sweep in Lake Elsinore - Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
- Nuts Fall in Extras 2-1 - Modesto Nuts
- JetHawks Swept by Rawhide with Sunday Rout - Lancaster JetHawks
- Lancaster Drops Third Straight In Visalia - Lancaster JetHawks
- Ports Snap 10-Game Skid with 9-4 Win - Stockton Ports
- Mavericks Hammer 66ers 12-1 - Inland Empire 66ers
- Visalia Lowers Magic Number to 4 in 5-2 Victory Over Lancaster - Visalia Rawhide
- Nuts Score Eight Unanswered, Cruise Past Giants - San Jose Giants
- Streak Snapped at Ten in 9-4 Defeat - Bakersfield Blaze
- Power Surge Backs Castellani in 10-5 Win - Modesto Nuts
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
