Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. – The Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (28-24) drained the Visalia Rawhide (21-30) to their final two outs, but the visitors caught fire at the plate in the top of the ninth, mounting a late comeback to hand the Quakes a 7-6 defeat.
The Quakes did not wait around to open the scoring, doing so without the benefit of a hit in the bottom of the second. Jonny McGill drew a walk and promptly stole second base, drawing a throwing error from catcher Carlos Virahonda to advance to third. Visalia starter Gregori Ramirez then uncorked a wild pitch that allowed him to score, placing Rancho Cucamonga in front 1-0.
The Rawhide answered back in the top of the third, taking the lead on an Abdias De La Cruz two-run home run, but the Quakes canceled it out shortly thereafter. Gabriel Davalillo launched a solo shot of his own, tying the game at three. The next batter, Slate Alford, produced a single and advanced to second base on a Felix Morrobel groundout. Hayden Alvarez laced a base hit of his own, bringing Alford home to put Rancho Cucamonga back on top 3-2.
Visalia pulled even in their next turn at bat, doing so on a Virahonda RBI single. However, the Quakes provided a swift response. Marlon Quintero cranked a two-run home run in the bottom of the fifth, restoring the Rancho Cucamonga edge at 5-3.
From that point forward, Jose Atencio came out of the bullpen and shut the Rawhide lineup down. He fired three spotless innings, retiring each of the nine batters he faced, taking the Quakes’ two-run advantage into the top of the ninth.
With one last chance to make a late comeback, Visalia acted. They plated four runs in the top of the ninth, turning a two-run deficit into a two-run lead, flipping the game on its head in the process.
Rancho Cucamonga, though, would not go down quietly. McGill, Quintero, and Davalillo all singled to open the bottom of the ninth, the last of which brought McGill home and placed both the tying and winning runs on base.
Nevertheless, the final big swing eluded the Quakes. Visalia conjured three straight outs to close out the dramatic win.
The Quakes look to shake off the tough-luck loss on Wednesday at 11:00 AM on Day Camp Day at Morongo Field. RHP Ubaldo Soto takes the hill for Rancho Cucamonga opposite RHP Jesus Escobar for Visalia in game two of the six-game series.