Storm Win Third Consecutive Game Against Quakes Presented by The Valley News
After a tough series against the San Jose Giants, the Lake Elsinore Storm needed a strong start against their biggest South Division foe. And, halfway through this current homestand, the Storm have gotten just that. Tonight, they won their third consecutive game against the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes and are now
After a tough series against the San Jose Giants, the Lake Elsinore Storm needed a strong start against their biggest South Division foe. And, halfway through this current homestand, the Storm have gotten just that. Tonight, they won their third consecutive game against the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes and are now tied atop the South Division standings.
It all started, as it does every night, with a Storm starter on the mound and Sam Whiting delivered a gem. He would end the night with 10 strikeouts, the most in a single game in his entire career. He would, however, also give up two earned runs. This put the Storm in a two run hole but the bats would bring them back.
In the third inning, Chase Valentine would hit a single, his sixth hit of the homestand, Leodalis De Vries would walk, and Romeo Sanabria would bring them home on a perfectly placed ball into right field. Sanabria is now slashing .340/.432/.564 in May with an OPS of .996. On Valentine's seventh hit of the homestand, he would bring home a run that would give the Storm the lead for the first and last time.
Braedon Karpathios would also be a key factor in tonight's victory as a ball sent to deep right-centerfield would be snagged out of the air. For a team that has been playing with two official outfielders on the roster over the last two weeks, plays like this were much-needed for this maligned position group.
They would also get an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth as a Ryan Wilson double would bring home Sanabria. Dwayne Matos then shut the door with a strikeout and an induced double play to give the Storm their third consecutive victory.