Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. – The Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (25-20) were unable to keep up with the Fresno Grizzlies (25-20) over the last three innings of Sunday’s series finale at Morongo Field, ultimately dropping a 5-4 heartbreaker.
The Grizzlies capitalized on a big swing to take an early lead in the top of the second. Ashly Andujar’s solo home run got the scoring started, putting Fresno on top 1-0.
Two frames later, Andujar came up big again to double the Grizzlies’ advantage. He roped a two-out RBI double to left-center field, giving them a two-run cushion heading towards the game’s halfway point.
Despite the early damage, Rancho Cucamonga starting pitcher Derek Clark held Fresno in check, keeping the Quakes in the game. Over his first six innings, he held the Grizzlies to just those two tallies on four hits, walking three while striking out six, securing his second consecutive quality start.
Once the bottom of the sixth rolled around, the Quakes kicked their offense into gear and mounted a two-run rally to tie the game. Hayden Alvarez laced a one-out opposite-field double and stole third base shortly thereafter. Lucas Ramirez’s single promptly plated him, cutting Fresno’s lead in half. Three batters later, Jonny McGill produced a base hit to bring Ramirez home, leveling the game at two.
However, the Rancho Cucamonga momentum was short-lived. The Grizzlies pulled back ahead on a Clayton Gray RBI double in the top of the seventh before striking for another pair of runs in the eighth, stretching their newfound edge to three at 5-2.
The Quakes answered back in their final two turns at bat, applying pressure on the Grizzlies in the late stages. McGill’s RBI fielder’s choice in the bottom of the eighth lowered the Rancho Cucamonga deficit to two, and Slate Alford launched a solo home run in the ninth to place the tying run in the batter’s box down to the team’s final two outs.
Nevertheless, the late hole proved too much to climb out of, and the Grizzlies managed to retire the next two batters in short order to close out the win.
Following a day off, the Quakes open a six-game series against the Stockton Ports at Banner Island Ballpark on Tuesday, May 26th at 7:05 PM. They return home the following week to host the Visalia Rawhide on June 2nd at 6:30 PM, where Healthy RC Recycle Tuesday welcomes fans back to Morongo Field.