On July 1, 2012, top Dodgers outfield prospect Joc Pederson hit three home runs in a game to tie a Quakes franchise record for most home runs in a game, one shy of the Cal League record of four. In Pederson’s fourth at bat, he hit an opposite field shot to left that was caught at the wall to deny Pederson of his shot at Cal League history.

Last night, 22-year-old Quakes right fielder Jon Garcia matched Pederson’s three-home run record in a bazaar 16-13 win over the Lancaster JetHawks at The Hangar in Lancaster. Although Garcia had two additional at bats to get number four, he popped out and lined out in those two attempts. Ironically, Garcia was on deck when Aaron Miller struck out to end the top of the 9th and, like Pederson, was denied his shot at Cal League history.

Quakes right fielder Jon Garcia was absolutely in the zone on Saturday evening in the Quakes 16-13 win over the Lancaster JetHawks. (Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

What was supposed to be one of the premiere pitching match-ups of the season between Quakes 17-year-old left-handed phenom Julio Urias and 2013 number one draft pick Mark Appel became a laugher before the top of the first inning came to a close. Appel allowed the first two batters to reach base on a single to shallow right field by Adam Law and a walk to Brandon Dixon. The hit parade continued with a laser shot home run to right field by Dodgers top infield prospect Corey Seager. Although the wind was blowing it’s typical 30+ MPH, it was blowing out to left field not right and Seager’s blast would have easily been out of any ballpark.

Corey Seager smoked a line drive three-run home run over the right field wall in the first inning of Saturday’s game. (Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

Seager’s home run was followed by a single off the bat of hot-hitting Quakes first baseman Chris Jacobs and a strikeout by Miller for the first out of the inning. Miller was followed by Garcia who lifted a high fly ball into the jet stream and out it went for a two run shot. When the top half of the opening frame finally ended, nine Quakes batters had come to the plate against the highly touted Appel.

Astros 2013 number one draft pick Mark Appel was in trouble with the first batter he faced on Saturday evening. (Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

In contrast, Urias was absolutely brilliant on Saturday evening. In his three innings of work the young Mexican superstar did not allow a run, gave up only three hits while walking one and striking out one. (It should have been two strikeouts but home plate umpire Clayton Hamm pinched Urias out of a second one in the bottom of the second inning). In spite of Urias’s great outing, he was pulled after only three innings because of the very strict innings limit he is on which is set by the Dodgers and not Quakes pitching coach Matt Herges.

Whereas Mark Appel struggled on Saturday evening, 17-year-old Julio Urias was brilliant.
(Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

Garcia hit his second home run of the night in the second inning, a three-run shot, that brought an end to Appel’s night. The 22-year-old right-hander allowed 10 earned runs on 10 hits while walking one and striking out two in his brief 1.1 innings of work.

Garcia’s third home run came off of right-hander Zach Morton in the 4th inning – another jet stream shot to left. He then popped out to second in the 5th inning and hit a blazing line drive to JetHawks shortstop Carlos Correa in the 7th inning. As noted above, Garcia was on deck when Aaron Miller struck out for the third time of the night in the top of the 9th.

As frequently happens in the hitter-friendly California League, the Quakes nearly blew what was at one time a 15-2 lead. After scoring their 16th run in the top of the 6th inning, the Quakes bullpen let the JetHawks back in the game by allowing 11 unanswered runs, including seven in the bottom of the ninth. But hard-throwing outfielder-turned-pitcher Blake Smith managed to closeout the game in spite of the four runs he allowed (three earned).

The Quakes finished the night with 20 hits while the Jethawks collected 18 hits of their own for a combined 38-hit affair. The 16 runs scored by the Quakes was their season high,.

The Quakes square off against the JetHawks again this afternoon at 2 PM for the third of a four-game series at The Hangar. The Quakes will send right-hander Jharel Cotton (0-3 6.91 ERA) to the mound to face JetHawks right-hander Gonzalo Sanudo (0-0 7.50 ERA).

As the saying goes: Minor Leagues – Major Fun, especially in the Cal League and even more so at JetHawks Stadium.