Lake Elsinore, CA- The Inland Empire 66ers of San Bernardino evened a three-game set at Lake Elsinore on Wednesday with a 4-2 win that featured excellent pitching from the Sixers as well strong night at the plate from Michael Barash, Matt Thaiss and Connor Justus. Jaime Barria pitched into the
Lake Elsinore, CA- The Inland Empire 66ers of San Bernardino evened a three-game set at Lake Elsinore on Wednesday with a 4-2 win that featured excellent pitching from the Sixers as well strong night at the plate from Michael Barash, Matt Thaiss and Connor Justus. Jaime Barria pitched into the sixth inning for Inland Empire (24-23) earning his fourth win of the season while Barash and Justus each hammered solo homers.
Barash opened the scoring with his smash to left-center over the wall in the spacious gap at the Diamond. The solo shot leading off the second was his second homer of the year and the first that Lake Elsinore (22-25) starter Eric Lauer had giving up since April 10th. The Sixers added a run in in the fifth when Justus walked to open the frame and stole second. He came home on Matt Thaiss' RBI single with two down to make it 2-0. Thaiss finished the game 3-for-4 with a walk and the RBI. The Sixers got their final run versus Lauer (1-3) when Barash singled to open the sixth (his third hit of the game). A walk by Troy Montgomery and single by Jordan Serena loaded the bags and Barash came home on Jake Yacinich's sac fly to left making it 3-0
Barria (4-3) rolled through five innings scoreless but found trouble in the sixth when Peter Van Gansen singled to open the inning for the Storm. With two outs Austin Allen singled in Van Gansen in to make it 3-1. Greyfer Eregua came out of the pen for the Sixers and appeared to get Javier Guerra to pop out to left to end the inning but the ball was lost in the twilight by the 66ers' defense and fell for a RBI triple and a 3-2 game. Eregua retired the next seven batters he faced including four Ks. Barria's line was: 5.2IP, 4H, 2ER, 2BB, 7K.
Inland Empire got an insurance run in the top of the ninth on Justus' solo shot to left off reliever Colby Blueberg, his third round-tripper of the season. In the bottom of the ninth Guerra drilled a one out triple to center against Sixers' closer Sam Holland. It was Guerra's second triple of the night to go along with a double. With two down Kyle Overstreet walked bringing the winning run to the plate but Holland got Chris Baker (who had homered twice on Tuesday) to bounce out to second earning the righty's sixth save.
The series continues Thursday at 7:00 pm. The contest can be heard live at 66ers.com.
