April 24th, 2019 at 8:00 am 
by Ron Cervenka As the Dodgers were experiencing what was arguably their worst game of new season against the Chicago Cubs at historic Wrigley Field, their Advanced Single-A affiliate Rancho Cucamonga Quakes were experiencing what was unquestionably their best. In fact, Tuesday night’s game against the Inland Empire 66ers (Angels) at San Manuel Stadium in San Bernardino, California may end up being the Quakes most exciting game of their entire 2019 season.
Allow me to digress.
On Friday, April 19, 2019, the Dodgers promoted 22-year-old outfielder Drew Avans from their Low Single-A affiliate Great Lakes Loon (via extended spring training) to their Advanced Single-A affiliate Rancho Cucamonga Quakes. The Dodgers had acquired the left-handed hitting and throwing Alabaster, Alabama native in the 33rd round of the 2018 MLB First-Year Player Draft out of Southeastern Louisiana University; not exactly a draft round that normally gets a lot of attention.
…until now.
In his Cal League debut with the Quakes on April 20, Avans went 1-for-5 with a two-run double in a lopsided 11-4 win over the San Jose Giants (Giants) at LoanMart Field. But as kids today like to say, “That’s nothing.“
Avans made his second start with the Rancho squad on Tuesday night against the 66ers, but that’s not the real story. The real story is that the 66ers had a combined no-hitter going against the defending Cal League champions through nine innings … yes, nine innings. In other words, despite having three hits on the night, the 66ers hadn’t scored either.
Under the newly-imposed rule which took effect this season in an attempt to improve the ‘pace of play,’ extra innings at every minor league level now begin with the player who made the final out of the previous inning automatically beginning each extra inning on second base. In this case, it was Quakes designated hitter Starling Heredia.
With no outs and Heredia on second base, 66ers right-hander Austin Warren uncorked a wild pitch, sending Heredia to third base with the no-hitter still intact. He then walked Quakes first baseman Marcus Chiu on a 3-2 count to put runners at the corners, still with no outs and still with the no-hitter intact.
…but not for long.
On the first pitch of his third at-bat of the night (fourth plate appearance), Avans roped a line drive into the right-center field gap for a two-run triple scoring Heredia and Chiu, thus abruptly ending the 66ers no-hitter and shutout on what would end up being the Quakes only hit of the night. Avans himself would score moments later on a perfectly executed safety squeeze bunt by Quakes second baseman Brandon Montgomery to make it a 3-0 ballgame.
(Video capture courtesy of MiLB.TV. Apologies for the poor quality)
Quakes right-hander Jordan Sheffield would come on to pitch the bottom of the 10th, also with a runner on second base, and promptly struck out the side of the visibly demoralized 66ers to earn the save (5) for Quakes right-hander Max Gamboa (1-0).
In the simplest of terms, you will not see (or hear) a more exciting game than this one.
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I tuned in to that game last night, it was CRAZY how it ended! Quakes hitters were thoroughly no-hit for all 9 innings, then that recently called-up OF from Low-A Great Lakes steps up and busts it all up with that eventual game-winning 2-run triple. Really enjoying how both Gamboa and Sheffield have taken to their newfound relief roles. They were key in helping the Quakes outlast the 66ers in extras with their excellent work out of the pen. Sheffield’s definitely looking like a potential late-inning stopper at the rate he’s going. Only wished the Dodgers hadn’t tried to make him a starter in the first place, lol…