Masterful Pitching, Timely Hitting, Push Quakes Past 66ers

Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. – The Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (2-0) followed a similar script to the one from Opening Day, using strong pitching and timely hitting to see off the Inland Empire 66ers (0-2) 4-3 and secure a series win at Morongo Field.

Trey Gregory-Alford (1-0) followed Thursday night’s starter Dylan Jordan’s lead as he kept the Inland Empire lineup guessing throughout his five-inning start. He did not allow a run on two hits, striking out two without a walk.

The Quakes backed him up and took their first lead in the bottom of the fourth. With two outs, Gabriel Davalillo and Marlon Quintero supplied back-to-back RBI singles, the latter for a pair of runs, to propel Rancho Cucamonga ahead 3-0.

However, Inland Empire fought back in the top of the sixth. Back-to-back home runs, a two-run Korbyn Dickerson inside-the-park home run and Ricardo Cova solo blast, leveled the score at three heading into the final three frames.

Once again, though, Quintero took it upon himself to fire the Quakes back in front. He led off the bottom of the seventh by doubling down the left-field line before promptly advancing 90 feet on an Anyelo Marquez sacrifice bunt. A Jack Bowery wild pitch completed his trip around the bases, helping Rancho Cucamonga to a 4-3 edge.

From that point forward, the bullpen locked the game down. Francis Texido recorded two of his five strikeouts in the eighth, and Fulton Lockhart shut the door in the ninth to finish off the victory.

LHP Derek Clark gets the ball for Rancho Cucamonga against RHP Danny Macchiarola for Inland Empire as the Quakes go for an Opening Week series sweep on Saturday at 6:30 PM. The first 1,500 fans to arrive at Morongo Field will receive an Angels vest and enjoy a spectacular postgame fireworks show, presented by Children’s Dental FunZone, immediately after the game.