Rosman Verdugo is Perfect in Storm Win Presented by The Valley News
Since 2021, Single-A baseball has been on a schedule that includes multiple series of six games. These series go from Tuesday until Sunday with an off-day every Monday. This year, due to the position of Fourth of July, the Lake Elsinore Storm and the rest of Single-A played a game
Since 2021, Single-A baseball has been on a schedule that includes multiple series of six games. These series go from Tuesday until Sunday with an off-day every Monday. This year, due to the position of Fourth of July, the Lake Elsinore Storm and the rest of Single-A played a game on a Monday night.
As uncommon as this is, it is not more unlikely than what was done by the Storm's starting third baseman. Rosman Verdugo would finish tonight's game without recording an out. He was 5-5 with two doubles, two singles, one home run, three runs scored, and three runs batted in. His 10 bases would be the most he has ever recorded in a single game.
This single game would bump his batting average from .222 to .239 and his slugging percentage from .371 to .407. His OPS would jump nearly 50 points in just one game. Verdugo was a key component of a blowout 10-3 victory for the Lake Elsinore Storm against the Inland Empire 66ers.
Johan Moreno was tonight's starter for the Storm and would begin the game with a scoreless opening frame.
Padres catcher, Luis Campusano, would lead off for the Storm. He is beginning a rehab assignment that began today and is scheduled to conclude on Wednesday. His 0-4 night included two strikeouts, a flyout, and a groundout.
Verdugo would get the game's first run on the board after a Braedon Karpathios walk. His double would be enough for the speedy Karp to go from first to home. Inland Empire would put two on the board in the second inning.
The Storm would then produce four runs in one inning, the first of two times they accomplished this tonight. In the third, however, they did so in an unorthodox fashion. Every run scored would come on either a walk or a balk.
After the first two outs were recorded, here was the rest of the bottom of the third:
— Lake Elsinore Storm (@Storm_Baseball) July 2, 2024
BB
1B
BB
BB (1 run scores)
BK (1 run scores)
BB
BK (1 run scores)
BK (1 run scores)
F7
66ers: 2
Storm: 5
They would never relinquish the lead after this frame.
In fact, the 66ers would only score another run against reliever Yerry Landinez. Harry Gustin and Thomas Balboni Jr. would get the last three frames and would allow just one total hit while striking out six.
In the bottom of the 7th, a two-run homer from Verdugo would began the other four run frame. J.D. Gonzalez would bring a run home on a sacrifice fly and Jose Sanabria would hit a single into centerfield for the final run scored tonight.
Verdugo would get another at bat in the bottom of the eighth with a chance at the cycle. He needed a triple and after two foul balls, he finally made solid enough contact to squeak through the infield for his fifth hit of the night but not quite far enough to get him to third.
The Storm will play the 66ers again tomorrow night.