On Wednesday night, the Dodgers Advanced Single-A affiliate Rancho Cucamonga Quakes moved into a tie for first place in the California League South division with the Lancaster JetHawks with matching 7-7 records. They did so by taking two of three from the power-hitting (and great pitching) Lancaster team this past Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday at The Hangar, the home field of the Colorado Rockies Advanced Single-A affiliate JetHawks. The Quakes, under manager Drew Saylor, took the first and last games of the three-game set, with the JetHawks taking the middle game.

But without question, it was Wednesday night’s series finale that will be talked about for at least the rest of the 2018 season, and quite possibly forever.

The highlight – or highlights – of the night was the not one, not two, but three home runs that Quakes third baseman Rylan Bannon slugged in the eventual 11-4 rout of the JetHawks. In doing so, Bannon tied a franchise record for three home runs in a single game set just last season by Dodgers top outfield prospect DJ Peters, who is currently assigned to the Dodgers Double-A affiliate Tulsa Drillers.

Rylan Bannon joins former Quake and current Driller DJ Peters as the only two players in Quakes franchise history to slug three home runs in a single game. (Photo credit – Steve Saenz)

Bannon, who was selected by the Dodgers in the eighth round of the 2017 First-Year Player Draft out of  Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio, hit his first home run of the night, a solo shot to left field, in the top of the second inning off of JetHawks right-hander Brandon Gold. His second blast was a monster two-run shot in the fourth inning, also off of Gold, that cleared the 410-foot sign in dead center field. Bannon capped off his historic night with another two run blast in the top of the ninth, again to center field, off of JetHawks right-hander Reid Humphreys to seal the deal and drive a stake through the heart of the Lancaster squad.

But something else happened during that top half of the ninth inning on Wednesday night that is also quite unique and falls under the “remember the time that…” category.

Although Humphreys is now and forevermore attached to Bannon’s historic night, he also notched his own name into JetHawks lore when he struck out four Quakes batters – all swinging – in that epic frame.

The 23-year-old Brandon, Mississippi native and Rockies 2016 seventh-round draft pick out of Mississippi State University struck out Quakes catcher Hamlet Marte on four pitches to lead off the inning. He then struck out Quakes center fielder Donovan Casey, also on four pitches, but Humphreys’ wild pitch got away from JetHawks catcher Joel Diaz, allowing Casey to reach first base.

Humphreys then gave up the home run to Bannon, but struck out Quakes designated hitter Cody Thomas on five pitches and right fielder Logan Landon on six to end the inning.

Here’s something else that you don’t see every day – a four-strikeout inning.

As MiLB’s slogan used to say: “Minor Leagues, Major Fun.”

Truer words have never been spoken.

Play Ball!