An ordinary night at the ballpark quickly turned grand for Diego Cartaya.
Baseball's No. 28 overall prospect broke the game open with a fourth-inning grand slam to help lead Single-A Rancho Cucamonga past visiting Inland Empire, 8-6, on Tuesday night. Cartaya's second roundtripper of the young season accounts for both of his hits through his first three games.
With a run already in and the Quakes leading, 4-0, Cartaya turned around a 1-1 offering from 66ers hurler Chase Chaney and deposited it over the left-center field fence. It was the second grand slam of Cartaya's career, although slightly less thrilling than his first. The 20-year-old slugged a walk-off salami to lead Rancho Cucamonga past Stockton last May.
The top Dodgers prospect went deep on Opening Day but entered the fourth inning with one hit in his first 10 at-bats. The homer was Cartaya's only hit of the game, leaving him 2-for-13 to begin the year. He flied out twice, grounded out and struck out in his other four plate appearances.
The 20-year-old is back for his second go-round with Rancho Cucamonga after appearing in 31 games with the club last season during his stateside debut. Cartaya showed off his offensive talents, batting .298/.409/.614 with 10 homers and 31 RBIs in only 114 at-bats. He did not play after July 16 due a back injury.
Dodgers' No. 14 prospect Jose Ramos chipped in with an RBI triple and a single.
Angels 24th-ranked prospect Werner Blakely's ninth-inning grand slam brought Inland Empire within two runs.