Lake Elsinore Storm Win on Walk-off Balk to Secure Series Win
The Lake Elsinore Storm began their day with their largest crowd in three seasons, a Major League Pitcher on the mound, and the most wins in the California League. They left the field with this season's first walk-off win. Michel Báez, starting pitcher for the San Diego Padres, had his
The Lake Elsinore Storm began their day with their largest crowd in three seasons, a Major League Pitcher on the mound, and the most wins in the California League. They left the field with this season's first walk-off win.
Michel Báez, starting pitcher for the San Diego Padres, had his first rehab appearance at The Diamond tonight. He would go two scoreless innings without giving up a hit or surrendering a walk. It would take him 26 pitches to get through his first appearance since 2020. Justin Farmer would make his night just a bit easier as he would hit his second home run of the season in the bottom of the first inning.
Justin Farmer hits the ball out of the yard and gets the crowd on their feet!
— Lake Elsinore Storm Baseball (@Storm_Baseball) May 1, 2022
Storm: 1
66ers: 0 pic.twitter.com/8Lyy0XSYFO
Then, on three-consecutive hits and a wild pitch, the Storm would score three runs in the bottom of the 2nd inning. Victor Lizarraga would come in to relieve Báez and would immediately surrender 2 runs in the 3rd inning, both runs coming on an inside-the-park home run. This would be the second consecutive day at The Diamond that someone would leave with a Little League homer.
The 66ers would add on three runs from the 5th-7th innings, tying the score. Both teams would then go scoreless for 2 complete innings before a bizarre bottom of the 9th.
Last night's hero, Marcos Castañon, would fly out in the first at bat of the inning. Then, Carlos Luis would hit a double for his second hit of the game. The 66ers would then intentionally walk Victor Duarte to put a man on first and second. Pierce Jones, who hit a game-winning grand slam in the final game of 2021, would smack a clutch single to left field just for pinch-runner, Lucas Dunn, to be gunned down at the plate for the second out of the inning.
The 66ers would decide to intentionally walk yet another Storm player, this time star infielder, Max Ferguson. This would bring Justin Farmer to the plate with the bases loaded. On the first pitch of the at bat, Farmer would signal to the field ump that 66ers pitcher, Fernando Guanare, balked. The umpire would agree with his assessment, allowing Farmer to go to first and the Storm to win the game.
The Storm will play the final game of the series tomorrow afternoon in front of their second straight full capacity crowd.
-Written by Justin Jett