Quakes' Quiroz clobbers three home runs

Nelson Quiroz enjoyed hitting his first homer in nearly three years so much he decided to do it again.

And then again.

The Dodgers prospect went deep three times during his four-hit, six-RBI performance as Single-A Rancho Cucamonga rolled past Stockton, 15-3, on Sunday afternoon at Banner Island Ballpark. Quiroz became the 14th Minor Leaguer to go deep three times in one game and the third in the past week.

The 20-year-old got the offensive onslaught going with a two-run jack to left-center-field in the second inning. It was his first home run since Aug. 13, 2019, when he connected on his only other career round-tripper in the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League. Quiroz plated two more with a double to right in the third and put Rancho Cucamonga into double digits with a solo homer to center in the sixth.

The Mexico native completed his personal trifecta with a second two-run homer to left in the seventh to establish career highs with four hits and six RBIs. Quiroz had a chance to become the first Minor Leaguer to hit four home runs in a single game this season, but he struck out looking in the ninth.

The offensive eruption came after the switch-hitting backstop had singled three times in 14 at-bats over the course of his first four games with the Quakes. Quiroz debuted domestically last year in the Rookie-level Arizona Complex League and put together a solid .272/.387/.391 slash line with 11 doubles, 14 RBIs and 16 walks in 30 games.

Luis Yanel Diaz fell a homer shy of the cycle, drove in four runs and matched Quiroz with four hits for the Quakes, who tallied 17 in the game and scored in six different innings.