7 in a row

-Storm Update-

"Seventh Heaven: Storm Win Seventh-Straight To Complete Perfect Home Stand

Lake Elsinore, CA – The Lake Elsinore Storm were walk-off winners for the third time in four games Thursday night, besting the Visalia Rawhide 3-2 in eleven innings to complete a perfect home stand.

For the first time this series the Rawhide opened the scoring. Ryan Court tagged Storm starter Colin Rea with a solo shot in the second to put Visalia up 1-0.

But despite the early deficit, Rea found his groove. The 6’ 5” righty went on to retire the next eleven hitters following Court’s blast.

With Rea cruising, the Storm struck for two in the fifth. Hunter Renfroe hit his ninth double of the year, a two-out rocket that was no more than six feet off the ground, to score Luis Domoromo. Gabriel Quintana followed with an RBI single to plate Renfroe, and the Storm jumped out to a 2-1 lead.

Visalia would tie it in the seventh, but a strong outing from reliever Cody Hebner kept the ‘Hide in check through the eighth and ninth. Bryce Morrow (W, 1-0) worked a scoreless tenth and eleventh, setting the table for another heroic moment in the bottom of the inning.

Storm newcomer Luis Tejada recorded his first California League hit to start the rally, a one out double that landed just feet from the wall. John Nester provided the winning hit in the subsequent at-bat, a sharply hit single to right that scored Tejada and sealed the seventh-straight Storm victory.

The win is the ninth straight at The Diamond for the Storm (17-11), who are now 10-4 at home. Of those ten victories, four have come in walk-off fashion. Lake Elsinore improves to 3-1 in extra inning games and is in sole possession of first place in the Southern Division. Their record is second only to the Bakersfield Blaze, who are 20-8 in 2014.

Domoromo continues to swing a hot bat after a slow start. The Venezuelan has now hit safely in seven straight games, tying the longest hitting streak by a Storm player this season. He has collected 13 hits in his last 27 at-bats. Renfroe has hit in six in row.

With the longest home stand to date in the books, the Storm will travel up the 15 freeway to take on the Inland Empire 66ers (11-17) in the first of three games tomorrow night. Ruben Mejia (2-1, 3.92) will start for the Storm while Alex Keudell (0-4, 10.13) gets the ball for IE. First pitch is set for 7:05pm" - Tyler Zickel

Play Ball !!!

T.Pichierri - Planet Padres Writer

Storm Update

- Storm Update -

"Storm Win Sixth-Straight In Walk-Off Fashion

Lake Elsinore, CA – When you play the game the right way, good things happen. Good things have certainly been happening to the Lake Elsinore Storm, who were walk-off winners Wednesday night in a 4-3 defeat of the Visalia Rawhide to extend their winning streak to a season-high six games.

A big part of the team’s recent success has been the performance of its starting pitchers. Zach Eflin continued that trend with his longest start of the season, a 6.2 inning effort that, while not his best performance of the year, was exactly what the Storm needed to continue their winning ways. The 20-year old from Chuluota, Florida scattered six hits and allowed just one run while striking out six.

Eflin was bolstered by yet another early lead. Duanel Jones worked a one-out walk in the second and advanced to third on a Luis Domoromo single. Jeremy Rodriguez plated Jones with a sacrifice fly to give the Storm a 1-0 lead after two innings.

Lake Elsinore would increase their lead in the fifth. Corey Adamson reached on a two-out hit by pitch, and three consecutive singles from Hunter Renfroe, Gabriel Quintana and Diego Goris scored a pair to increase the advantage to 3-0.

Despite the three-run cushion, Visalia chipped away late in the game. Eflin was tagged for a run in the seventh, and the Rawhide would add single runs in the eighth and ninth to tie the game 3-3. The Storm pitching staff had previously held the ‘Hide scoreless for 20 innings until scoring against Eflin.

With the game still tied after nine, the Storm headed to extras for the third time this season. Ben Paullus worked a one-two-three tenth, and Lake Elsinore didn’t waste any time in the bottom of the frame. Goris singled with one out, and Jones provided the heroics with a game-winning double to tan the ‘Hide 4-3.

Paullus earned the first California League win of his career while Enrique Burgos was saddled with the loss. Domoromo extended his hitting streak to six, the longest active streak on the roster, and is one game shy of tying Quintana’s seven game stretch from earlier in the season. The Storm (16-11) have now won eight consecutive games at The Diamond, improving their record to 9-4 at home. Visalia (17-10) drops their fourth game in a row, their longest losing streak of the season.

The Storm are 5-2 in one-run games and 2-1 in extra innings contests. They will finish the month with the most wins in April over the last five seasons.

A series sweep is on the line tomorrow night as Colin Rea (3-0, 4.30 ERA) takes the hill for the Storm while Spencer Arroyo (2-1, 2.56 ERA) gets the ball for Visalia. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05pm."
- Tyler Zickel

Play Ball

T.Pichierri - Planet Padres Writer