Walk-Off Sinks Rancho in Visalia
Visalia, CA – The Visalia Rawhide earned their first win of 2023, as Juan Corniel’s first hit of the year was a walk-off winner, sending the Quakes to a 5-4 loss at Valley Strong Ballpark on Wednesday evening. Corniel’s one-out single in the last of the ninth against Lucas Wepf
Visalia, CA – The Visalia Rawhide earned their first win of 2023, as Juan Corniel’s first hit of the year was a walk-off winner, sending the Quakes to a 5-4 loss at Valley Strong Ballpark on Wednesday evening.
Corniel’s one-out single in the last of the ninth against Lucas Wepf (0-1) snapped Visalia’s four-game skid to open the year and sent Rancho to just their second defeat of the year.
The Quakes rallied back from a 4-2 deficit, as Juan Alonso doubled home a pair of runners in the seventh, tying the game at 4-4. But Rancho struggled at the plate all night long as Visalia pitching racked up 20 strikeouts on Wednesday night.
Rancho had an early lead, as Rayne Doncon singled and scored a run in the first, then homered for the first time this year in the third, helping the Quakes take a 2-0 lead.
Quakes’ starter Payton Martin was sharp in his pro debut, as he tossed three scoreless, hitless innings.
Jared Karros also made his pro debut for Rancho on Wednesday and had some success as well. Karros fanned seven and gave up just one run on two hits over 3.2 innings in a no-decision.
Visalia’s Alfred Morillo (1-0) earned the win in relief, as he worked out of a Rancho threat in the ninth, striking out three hitters to set up the late-inning heroics by Corniel.
The Quakes (3-2) will send Maddux Bruns (0-0) to the hill on Thursday, as he’ll take on Visalia’s Wyatt Wendell (0-0) in game three of the series at 6:30pm.
On Tuesday, April 18th, your Quakes will return to LoanMart Field, opening a six-game series against the Fresno Grizzlies. Tuesday will be Education Day, with a special start time of 11am. Tickets are available at rcquakes.com. Go Quakes!