For the third straight year, the California League All-Star game was won by the North Division. Played between members of the four teams in the South Division and the four in the North, the MiLB version of the mid-summer classic has been a bit lackluster for fans of the South team.

Previously, the Advanced Single-A All-Star game featured a battle between the Carolina League and the California League, leaving the Florida State League to do their own thing. Since 2017, however, the California League has pitted their own SoCal teams against their Central / NorCal teams.

This year, the game took place at San Manuel Stadium in San Bernardino, CA, home to the Inland Empire 66ers (Angels). Before the game, fans attended FanFest, where players from both teams were on-hand to sign autographs and pose for photos.

Immediately following the FanFest event, the ever popular Home Run Derby was held and featured an interesting set up, as local little leaguers participated with the pros. Modesto’s (Mariners) Cal Raleigh, Visalia’s (Diamondbacks) Camden Duzenack, and Stockton’s (Athletics) Lazaro Armenteros represented the North’s derby participants, while Rancho’s Connor Wong, and Lancaster’s (Rockies) Casey Golden and Luis Castro were chosen for the South. Golden took the crown (belt), as did Charly Quezada from Newmark Little League.

Interested fans then lined up for a meet-and-greet with Hall of Fame right-hander Rollie Fingers. The famous Oakland Athletics mustachioed-wonder (yes, he still has it) was then inducted into the prestigious California League Hall of Fame.

Once the pregame festivities were over and the National Anthem sung, it was time to Play Ball!

The Quakes has three starters in the game: Wills Montgomerie was the starting pitcher, Jeter Downs started at shortstop and Devin Mann was the third baseman. All in all, the North and South teams both used a pitcher per inning, accounting for 16 total pitching changes. The North used 13 position players while the South used 12.

 Scoring Recap

• Top 2: Inland Empire’s Kyle Bradish gave up three runs in the second on two singles, a fielder’s choice error by Mann, and a bases clearing triple by the Stockton’s Jameson Hannah. 3-0 North
• Bottom 6: San Jose’s (Giants) Camilo Doval gave up a solo home run to Lake Elsinore’s (Padres) Esteury Ruiz. It would be the only run of the game for the South. 3-1 North
• Top 7: Quake pitcher Max Gamboa gave up back-to-back singles and a walk as a force out at third with the bases loaded brought home a run. 4-1 North
• Top 8: A fielding error by Mann, his second of the game, puts 66ers pitcher Jorge Tavarez in hot water as a run scored after he issued a walk and gave up a single. Another run scored on a ground out to first. 6-1 North
• Top 9: 66er Austin Warren gave up a double and a single, allowing a run to score. 7-1 North 

Quakes in the Game

• Wills Montgomerie had a 1-2-3 inning to start the game. He was removed in the second.
• Jeter Downs went 0-2, striking out twice. He was removed in the fifth.
• Devin Mann went 0-4 with two strikeouts. He made two errors during the game and played all nine innings.
• Connor Wong went 0-1 with a walk. He entered the game in the sixth inning at catcher.
• Donovan Casey went 1-2 after entering the game in the sixth as the left fielder.
• Logan Salow took over in the sixth inning and struck out the side. He was removed in the seventh.
• Max Gamboa took over for Salow. He gave up one run on two hits, walked one and struck out two.

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