The Rancho Cucamonga Quakes headed up to Lancaster for their first set of games following the All-Star break. Although the standings restart for the second half, the Quakes looked to add to their overall standings.

Game-1 

Center fielder Jeren Kendall tripled to start off the game and was driven in by right fielder Donovan Casey who hit a two-run home run to put the Quakes up 2-0 in the first.

Austin Hamilton started his first game for the Quakes this season and gave up three hits in the bottom of the inning, including an RBI triple and an RBI single that would tie the game at two. In the third, Hamilton gave up another run after a double and triple were hit back-to-back, giving the JetHawks a 3-2 lead. 

Rancho took the run back as the Quakes newest addition, designated hitter Niko Hulsizer, hit an RBI single in the fourth, tying the game again. Kendall hit his second triple of the night in the fifth, driving in a run to give the Quakes back the lead. His hit was followed by an RBI double from third baseman Devin Mann. First baseman Marcus Chiu hit a solo home run in the ninth for a little insurance and it turned out the Quakes would need it.

Connor Strain came in for the save but was removed due to an injury. Max Gamboa replaced him, giving up a single and three straight walks to bring home a run for Lancaster. A bases-loaded wild pitch brought in another run to bring the JetHawks to within one. The next batter hit an RBI single to tie it at six and Gamboa’s fourth wild pitch of the inning allowed the game-winning run to score. Gamboa suffered the blown save and the loss, as the Quakes dropped the first game of the second half 7-6.

Game-2

Starter Michael Grove had a 1-2-3 inning to start the game, but a rough second inning would prove to be his undoing as he gave up a solo home run to start the inning, then three singles, a double, a wild pitch, and two walks. Austin Drury came in to relieve him but gave up a bases loaded walk before recording the third out, putting Lancaster up 5-0.

The Quakes took two back in the third against Lancaster’s starter Will Gaddis on a sac fly from Kendall and Casey’s second two-run home run of the series. Wills Montgomerie replaced Drury in the fourth with two outs and gave up a base hit and a double, allowing all three of his inherited runners to score, as well as one of his own, giving the JetHawks a 9-3 lead. Mann hit a solo shot in the fifth to inch the Quakes closer. Montgomerie gave up another run in the seventh, but Rancho tacked on two in the eighth with a solo shot from Casey and strikeout/wild pitch/error.

The JetHawks hit back-to-back home runs to start the bottom of the inning, giving them a commanding 13-6 lead. Catcher Connor Wong drove in a run with a single in the ninth, but that was as close as the Quakes would get, falling 13-7, with Grove taking the loss.

Game-3 

The Quakes got on the board first once again with a run scoring on a wild pitch and a sac fly from Kendall to take a 2-0 lead. Josiah Gray turned in another quality start at the hitter-friendly (and very windy) Hangar, giving up a solo home run and an RBI single over his five innings. He also struck out nine, tying his season high.

Rancho added on five runs in the sixth to protect Gray’s lead. Chiu got the scoring started with his second home run of the series, a two run shot to left. Shortstop Jeter Downs drove in two with a single to left and was immediately driven in by Mann giving the Quakes a 7-2 lead.

Wes Helsabeck took over for Gray in the sixth and the offense continued to supply him with more run support in the seventh. Casey and catcher Jordan Procyshen both blasted solo shots and Mann drove in the Quakes 10th run with a single to left. Helsabeck gave up a three run home run in the seventh to put Lancaster within five and was replaced by Bryan Warzek. Warzek struck out two in his 1.1 innings and was replaced by Logan Salow to close out the game. Salow gave up a double but struck out the side to give the Quakes their first win of the second half, 10-5.

Game-4

For the third time in four games, the Quakes put up the first runs of the game, scoring two in the third on back-to-back home runs from Mann and Chiu. In the fourth, the JetHawks laid into Quakes starter Andre Jackson, hitting two two-run home runs and an RBI single to take a 5-2 lead. Sven Schueller replaced Jackson with two outs in the inning and was able to get out of the inning without further damage. 

With the bases loaded in the seventh, Wong crushed a grand slam home run to left to give the Quakes the lead back. Gamboa took over for Schueller in the seventh and gave up two runs to give the JetHawks back the lead. The Quakes once again countered with two of their own in the eighth with a sac fly from center fielder Brayan Morales and Mann’s second home run of the day to tie the game at eight.

Connor Mitchell came in to try to keep the score where it was, but a run scored on an RBI single to put the JetHawks up for good, as the Quakes went down in order in the ninth. Mitchell took the loss and the Quakes fell to 1-3 in the second half, 42-30 overall.

The Quakes head to Lake Elsinore next to take on the Storm (Padres) in a three game series.

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