After being no-hit by the Stockton Ports (Athletics), the Quakes looked to bounce back from their offensive woes against the Inland Empire 66ers (Angels). 

Game-1

John Rooney made his home debut on the mound at LoanMart Field, making an error and giving up two RBI singles in the first, but settling in nicely after the Quake offense kicked back in gear after being no-hit the night before.   

With the bases loaded in the bottom of the first, third baseman Miguel Vargas grounded into a double play, but it allowed a run to score, cutting Inland Empire’s lead in half. Rooney got into a little bit of hot water in the second with runners on first and third but completed his second successful pickoff of the night to end the inning.

In the bottom of the third, shortstop Jeter Downs reached on an error, allowing second baseman Deacon Liput to score, tying the game at two. The bottom of the fifth was the Quakes biggest offensive outburst of the night for them as left fielder Donovan Casey and Downs hit back-to-back home runs to put the Quakes up 4-2.

Rooney continued into the sixth inning, loading the bases without recording an out and was removed in favor of position player (infielder) Brandon Montgomery. Montgomery worked seamlessly with the bases loaded, inducing a ground out right back to him to record a 1-2-3 double play on the force at home and getting the next batter to fly out to left. 

Melvin Jimenez replaced Montgomery in the seventh and walked two, but got out of the inning without issue. He went back out for the eighth and gave up a run on three singles and an error. Darien Nunez came in to get the final out of the inning and go for the four-out save. He issued a walk in the ninth, but nothing more, keeping win number one intact for Rooney and earning his second save of the season. 

Game-2

Andre Jackson got the start in the early start summer camp game and gave up a solo home run in the first to give the 66ers an early lead. Center fielder Jeren Kendall evened things out, driving in Downs, who had reached on a triple, with a ground out to second. 

In the bottom of the third, patience at the plate paid off for Rancho. With the bases loaded, Vargas and Quakes first baseman Marcus Chiu both drew walks to give the Quakes a 3-1 lead. Jackson pitched five innings total and only allowed the one run on two hits. He walked four but struck out six.

Guillermo Zuniga took over in the sixth and ran into some trouble. With two runners on, he gave up a two-RBI double to retie the game at three. He recorded two outs in the seventh and was removed in favor of Bryan Warzek, who walked and hit a batter before recording the final out of the inning. Warzek went out again in the eighth, loading the bases without recording an out, then making way for Brett de Geus. de Geus walked the first batter he faced, allowing a run to score. A single, forceout and a sac fly gave the 66ers a 7-3 lead.

The Quakes got a rally started in the bottom of the ninth, with right fielder Brayan Morales driving in a run with a sac fly. Vargas drove in two more with a double, but a pitching change and back-to-back strikeouts would put the Quakes one shy of going to extras or walking it off. Warzek took the loss, moving his record to 1-3.

Game-3

The Quakes scored first, courtesy of an RBI single by catcher Stevie Berman in the bottom of the second. Unfortunately, it would be their only run of the game. Starter Leo Crawford used that run support to his advantage but gave up a run in the fifth to tie the game. He went five total, giving up six hits, but just the one run.

Sven Schueller took over in the sixth and kept the 66ers off the board through two. Nunez went in for the eighth and gave up a double, but nothing else, setting him up for the ninth. He recorded two strikeouts and was replaced by Connor Strain. Strain got the final out of the inning as well as one in the tenth but gave up a walk and a single for the go-ahead run. He recorded another out, but a wild pitch allowed another run to score.   

The Quakes had the bases loaded in the bottom of the inning, but were unable to bring any runs home, causing them to fall for the second game in a row. Strain took the loss, dropping his record to 0-4.

Coming up

The Quakes continue their homestand as the Ports return to town for the second time in as many weeks. Friday night features a Tremor 2018 Cal League Championship bobblehead, while Saturday is fireworks night, and Sunday has pre-game yoga and post-game kids run the bases.

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