When a starting pitcher tosses four perfect innings, it becomes breaking news in today’s social media-driven world. But when a reliever does so, it is rarely more than a blip on the social media radar, if even that. But when it happens during a playoff game, even a minor league playoff game, it immediately catches the attention of every serious baseball fan, young and old.

Such was the case on Thursday night when 24-year-old Rancho Cucamonga Quakes right-hander Parker Curry not only picked up a four inning save against the Lancaster JetHawks at The Hangar in Lancaster in Game-2 of the California League South Division Finals to even the best-of-five series at a game apiece, but did so without allowing a run, hit, walk, or baserunner while striking out six of the 12 total batters he faced, needing only 45 pitches to do so, of which 33 were strikes.

Perfection.
(Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

“Great job by Parker,” said Quakes manager Drew Saylor, immediately after the Quakes thrilling 6-5 win over the always-fierce JetHawks. “We had some extra bullets, he started before for us, he’s been long relief, he’s been spot starting, he’s been able to close games. So, as we got into that last inning, we were limited on what we were able to do with him, and I felt, and talking with Parker, he wanted the ball, so I felt we’ve got to be able to exhaust every option that we have with him before we move on from that.

“It’s not saying the guys in our pen aren’t very good, they are very good as well, but when a guy that’s able to show what he’s able to do for the last four innings and so, you’ve got to be able to ride him a little bit,” Saylor added. “That speaks volumes to the relationship that players, myself, and my staff have and, again, I think tonight is such a team victory across the board. I mean the offense did a great job to be able to give us that three spot in the first [inning], Cody Thomas‘ catch was real big energy sway for us, and then Parker being able to post up for four innings for us was tremendous.”

That “three spot in the first” was the result of a one out single by the aforementioned Quakes right fielder Cody Thomas, followed by a walk of third baseman Cristian Santana, followed by a line out of left fielder Donovan Casey, followed by a two-run double by designated hitter Carlos Rincon, followed by an RBI single by catcher Connor Wong. When all was said and done, the Quakes had sent seven men to the plate against JetHawks right-hander Antonio Santos.

Quakes manager Drew Saylor sends third baseman Cristian Santana home on a two-run double by designated hitter Carlos Rincon. Rincon would finish the night with two doubles and a solo home run to drive in three of the Quakes six runs. (Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

…and then the real Antonio Santos showed up.

After allowing a second inning leadoff double to Quakes center fielder Jeren Kendall, a ground out by Nick Yarnall to move the runner to third, and a sacrifice fly by Quakes shortstop Omar Estevez to score Kendall to make it a 4-0 ballgame, Santos retired nine of the next 10 Quakes batters he faced, during which time his teammates put four runs on the board to tie the game at 4-4 and send Quakes starter Isaac Anderson to the showers after having allowed four runs (three earned) on seven hits (including a home run), while walking two, striking out four, and hitting a batter in his 4.1 innings of work.

Anderson was replaced on the hill by left-hander Logan Salow who, after inducing a pop out for the second out of the fifth inning, also hit a batter, who would come around to score on an RBI double off the bat of JetHawks right fielder Vince Fernandez to give Lancaster a 5-4 lead.

…but it was a short-lived lead.

With one out in the top of the sixth, Rincon slugged a towering solo home run to center field off of Santos to tie the game at five. Santos then gave up a double to Wong to bring his night to a close. JetHawks right-hander Heath Holder replaced Santos and promptly walked Quakes second baseman Jared Walker on four pitches. After getting Kendall to pop out to second, Holder gave up an RBI single to Yarnall to give the Quakes a 6-5 lead, which Curry skillfully saved over the final four innings.

As for “Cody Thomas’ catch” that Saylor referenced, it was, hands down, the single-greatest defensive play of the night, if not the entire season for the Rancho squad.

With no outs in the bottom of the seventh inning, JetHawks third baseman Colton Welker absolutely crushed Curry’s 2-1 curveball, sending it to very deep right field (assisted by Lancaster’s notorious wind) that was above the wall. But timing his leap perfectly and crashing into the wall, the 6′-4″ right fielder robbed Welker of a sure home run with a spectacular – if not impossible – catch. The rest, as they say, is history.

Thomas’ remarkable catch was the buzz of the ballpark, regardless of which hat fans (and players) were wearing.

Back to Parker Curry’s ‘perfect save’ for a moment. Was it his longest relief appearance, perfect or otherwise?

“This year I think so, yeah,” the Birmingham, Alabama native and Dodgers 2016 non-drafted free agent told ThinkBlueLA immediately after the game. “I’d gone three a couple times, but going out for the fourth as a reliever was new this year. I started some, which helped me pitch-count-wise. I’d been there before, but it was the first time out of the pen, for sure.”

What was Curry’s mindset when he entered the game in the sixth inning with his team clinging to a precarious one-run lead?

“Your mindset set is it’s your ballgame,” he answered without hesitation. “You go out there and you throw as hard as you can, best as you can, for as long as you can. If Drew [Saylor] wanted to take the ball from me, that’s fine, we’ve got a great bullpen behind me.

“Maybe I don’t go four if it wasn’t for Cody Thomas saving me out there, what a play,” added Curry. “But it was just one of those nights where a lot of things fell my way. They barreled up a couple balls that found some people with the great play back there, and mix that with some good stuff and you get a good outing.”

A good outing indeed.

Victory Line.
(Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

How important is it to take the best-of-five series back home to LoanMart Field in Rancho Cucamonga with the series now tied at 1-1?

“It’s big. Our goal, realistically, was to come win one of these” Curry said. “This is a tough place to play and they play really well here. We hadn’t had great success here this year against them at their ballpark, but it’s big to win the one.

“That was our goal and we feel confident at home,” he added. “It’s not over by any means, but we do feel confident going home and getting the one that we needed to get here.”

But it was Quakes skipper Drew Saylor who summed it up best:

“Now it’s a best of three series.”