Jacob Campbell Walks Off Grizzlies for Series Win Presented by The Valley News
For much of the game, there were no explosive moments fit for a superhero story. Miguel Mendez went through five shutout frames. Thomas Balboni then collected one of his own. The Grizzlies nabbed their only run on a sacrifice fly in the seventh inning. It was not until the final
For much of the game, there were no explosive moments fit for a superhero story.
Miguel Mendez went through five shutout frames. Thomas Balboni then collected one of his own. The Grizzlies nabbed their only run on a sacrifice fly in the seventh inning.
It was not until the final frame that the Lake Elsinore Storm began to prove they were still worthy.
After a scoreless ninth inning from Javier Chacon, Ryan Wilson reached on a fielding error as the first batter in the bottom of the ninth inning. Chase Valentine would then move him over on a perfectly placed sacrifice bunt. Manager Lukas Ray would make the call to pinch hit with Ethan Long. On the third pitch he saw in the entire ball game, he sent a line drive into left field. It was enough to bring Ryan Wilson home, tying the game at one.
They would then head into extra innings, commonplace for a team that has thrived on the theatrical.
Chacon, even with the automatic runner at second base, would get through the inning unscathed yet again. He accomplished this by striking out the first two batters of the inning and inducing a groundout.
Now, Rosman Verdugo, one of the Storm's hottest hitters, would step into the batter's box against a left-handed reliever. He would promptly send a single into left field, moving Leodalis De Vries to third. (De Vries lost his 10-game hit streak tonight by walking in three of his five plate appearances) Jacob Campbell, with an OPS hovering around .800 would be next up.
On the first pitch, his bat would swing through the baseball, sending it into right field. This was more than enough to bring De Vries home and give the Storm the series victory. A party fit for a hero was had in right field and all of the adoring civilians of Lake Elsinore were left overjoyed with the victory they witnessed in front of them.
The Lake Elsinore Storm will play their final home game against the Fresno Grizzlies tomorrow afternoon.