San Bernardino, CA- The Inland Empire 66ers of San Bernardino opened the 2018 with a 3-2 win over the San Jose Giants at San Manuel Stadium on Thursday in front of 4,079 fans. The Sixers scratched together an eighth inning run on an RBI groundout by Kevin William to break
San Bernardino, CA- The Inland Empire 66ers of San Bernardino opened the 2018 with a 3-2 win over the San Jose Giants at San Manuel Stadium on Thursday in front of 4,079 fans. The Sixers scratched together an eighth inning run on an RBI groundout by Kevin William to break a 2-2 tie in a game that featured impressive pitching for both clubs.
Inland Empire (1-0) starter Griffin Canning made his professional debut and did not disappoint. The 2017 second-round pick of the Angels out of UCLA gave up a leadoff single to Bryce Johnson but then retired the next ten batters he faced. Canning tossed four innings allowing one hit, two walks and struck out six. Inland Empire scored a run in the first without benefit of a hit against RHP Tyler Beede for the Giants (0-1). Beede was slated to start the year in Triple-A but weather issues forced the Giants to open the 2014 first-round pick back in A-ball. He walked the first two batters he faced but allowed one more walk and just one hit in five innings. Tied at 2-2 in the bottom of the eighth Sixers' SS Luis Rengifo took a leadoff walk against Giants RHP Melvin Adon (0-1). Rengifo stole second, his first of the year and then moved to third on a blistered liner from Inland Empire 1B Jared Walsh. Williams then chopped a ball to third that Rengifo scored on to make it 3-2. RHP Kyle Halbohn (1-0) tossed a perfect ninth to earn the win. Roberto Baldoquin had two hits for the Sixers while Jeff Arnold had a pair for the Giants. Gio Brusa and Wander Franco each doubled for the Giants, the only extra base-hits in the contest. Inland Empire was 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position while the Giants were just 2-for-14.
The series continues Friday at 7:05 pm with Angels southpaw Andrew Heaney scheduled to start on an injury rehab outing for the Sixers. The contest can be heard live at 66ers.com
