Visalia, Calif. – The Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (21-32, 57-62) could not sustain their success at the plate for a second straight night at Valley Strong Ballpark as the Visalia Rawhide (22-31, 50-69) walked away with a 6-2 victory on Saturday.
Angel Arredondo and Gavin Grahovac laced back-to-back doubles to open the scoring in the top of the first, but the Rawhide responded right away in their half of the frame. Nathan Hall’s RBI single canceled out Rancho Cucamonga’s run, tying the score at one.
From that point forward, starting pitcher Angel Rivero locked in on the mound and held the Visalia lineup in check. In his Single-A and Angels organization debut, the right-hander finished his outing by tossing three scoreless innings, scattering five hits and one walk, striking out four, and stranding seven baserunners.
Upon his removal, though, the Rawhide sprang to action. Jack Spanier’s two-run double established their first lead in the fifth. Although Grahovac’s run-scoring double play in the top of the sixth cut it in half, Ryder Helfrick supplied a sacrifice fly to restore their two-run edge heading into the game’s back third.
Following a scoreless seventh, Helfrick delivered the final blow in the eighth. His two-run home run doubled Visalia’s late advantage, helping them coast to a four-run win.
The Quakes make one last trip to Valley Strong Ballpark for their series finale against the Rawhide on Sunday at 12:05 PM. RHP C.J. Gray starts for Rancho Cucamonga opposite RHP Chung-Hsiang Huang for Visalia. They return to Morongo Field to begin their final home series of the season on August 25th at 6:30 PM versus the Lake Elsinore Storm on Healthy RC Recycle Tuesday and Two Dollar Tuesday.