There was a run scored on a balk. There was a run scored on a wild pitch. There was an inside-the park home run. There was a runner called out for running into the shortstop while he was fielding a grounder. There was a botched rundown that should have ended an inning that was followed by a two-run home run. There were several physical errors and even more mental errors. But other than that, it was your typical dull Cal League game between the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes and the Lancaster JetHawks.

Yeah right.

When all was said and done and the dust finally settled, the Quakes powered their way past the JetHawks by a score of 12-5 in Monday night’s series opener at the Hangar in Lancaster. More accurately, Rancho Cucamonga’s first baseman Kyle Garlick powered the Quakes past the JetHawks.

In a game that Garlick says he’ll remember forever, the 24-year-old La Habra, California native went 4 for 5, slugged three home runs including an inside-the-park home run, drove in six runs, scored three runs and collected 13 total bases.

“I was just trying to get a base hit and get that run in and then I saw [Jethawks center fielder Ramon Laureano] dive,” said Garlick about his inside-the-park home run in the fifth inning. “Our strength trainer said I was a 4.9 (seconds) down to first first base so I was surprised I got around. I was just bookin’ and then [Quakes manager Drew Saylor] sent me to go home and I’m like ‘I gotta get this’ and I’m just busting down the line trying to get that. It’s just one of those memorable nights that I’m probably not going to forget for the rest of my life.”

Garlick hit a solo home run in the second inning of Monday night’s game, a two-run inside-the-park home run in the fifth inning and a solo home run in the ninth inning.
(Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

On the season Garlick is now 13 for 39 (.333) with two doubles, four home runs and 9 RBIs.

“He’s been doing a really good job. I think that [Quakes hitting coach] Jay Gibbons and him have a really good relationship, they’ve had a lot of really good conversations,” Saylor said of Garlick. “The thing is, he’s going out there competing. I feel that he’s taking good swings, he’s staying in the zone he’s going to do some damage in and he’s a lot of fun to watch right now.

“He’s been swinging the bat well for a week now. For me the beautiful thing is just the effort he’s put in and the focus that Jay has had with him as well,” Saylor added.

But Garlick wasn’t the only one who had a great night. Quakes second baseman Michael Ahmed went 2 for 5 and slugged a monster solo home run to straightaway center field that was tracked at 431 feet.

“Mike’s one of those guys who’s the mortar to our bricks,” Saylor said of Ahmad. “Guys like him are so extremely valuable to an organization because they set the standard, they set the bar so high that everyone tries to find a way to that level. That’s what I think Mike embodies in so many different ways. I think he’s a tremendous baseball player but I think he’s an even better human being, a better leader and such a mature ‘team first’ type person. It’s just wonderful. I can’t give enough adjectives to say how much I enjoy him.”

In addition to Garlick and Ahmad, 19-year-old Cuban outfielder Yusniel Diaz also slugged a solo home run – the first of his professional career.

While the Quakes bats were smoking hot, the team also received some great pitching on Monday night as well. Making his first start for the Quakes since his April 15 promotion from the Great Lakes Loons, 21-year-old Andrew Sopko allowed three runs on seven hits while walking one and striking out five. Unfortunately, the 21-year-old Missoula, Montana native fell victim to a high pitch count, forcing Saylor to remove him after only 3.2 innings and 88 pitches.

“I felt he did a good job and competed,” Saylor said. “I felt that the strike zone was a little bit tight for him tonight. There were a fair amount of borderline pitches that could have went either way. I felt that especially with him being in a lot of one ball, two ball counts he kept us in the ballgame, and that was the thing that I really liked, to see him continue to press on. There wasn’t any bad body language or demonstrative body language showing his distaste with what was going on. It showed a lot for me, just a little bit of maturity and really what his makeup is.”

In spite of his high pitch count, Sopko kept his team in the game on Monday night in his Cal League debut. (Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

Sopko was relieved by right-hander Bubby Rossman, who pitched 2.1 innings allowing only one run on three hits to pick up his first win of the season. Rossman was followed by right-hander Joe Broussard who allowed one run on one hit in 2.0 innings pitched. Left-hander Luis De Paula finished things off allowing no runs or hits with one strikeout in his one inning of relief.

Game two of the three-game set against the JetHawks on Tuesday evening will feature right-hander and Dodgers 2014 number one draft pick Grant Holmes (1-0, 0.00 ERA) squaring off against JetHawks left-hander Evan Grills (0-0, 5.40 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 pm and the game can be heard online through the Quakes website or on the iHeart Radio app, with Mike Lindskog on the call.