2021 game notes Thursday, July 1st, 2021 6:50 PM Contact: Mike Lindskog Game #50, Road Game #26 [email protected] Fresno, CA Rancho Cucamonga QuakeS (25-24) AT Fresno Grizzlies (31-19) RHP Carlos Duran (1-1, 4.30 ERA) vs. LHP Breiling Eusebio (4-0, 3.27 ERA) TODAY’S GAME: The Quakes continue their longest road trip of the year today, with game nine of a 12-game, 14-day swing up DIVISION STANDINGS north, as they take on the Fresno Grizzlies game three of a six-game set. Rancho has had an inconsistent road trip, dropping the first five in San Jose, before winning the next two. Last night’s loss was their first in the series, bringing their record to 2-6 on the trip. NORTH W L PCT GB San Jose 34 16 .680 - LAST GAME: Four Fresno pitchers combined on a three-hit shutout, as Rancho fell by a final of 7-0 on Wednesday night at Chuk- Fresno 31 19 .620 3 chansi Park in Fresno. The offense never got going, as Eddys Leonard finished with two hits and Jonny DeLuca had the other, as Modesto 28 22 .560 6 Rancho was blanked for just the second time this year. Quakes’ starter Kendall Williams (1-1) gave up a two-run homer in the first Stockton 21 29 .420 13 to Grant Lavigne and was later removed for precautionary reasons after he needed some time to collect himself in the first inning in Fresno’s 100-degree heat. Braydon Fisher pitched well, allowing two runs (one earned) over four innings of relief to keep the Quakes’ SOUTH W L PCT GB in the game. Fresno blasted three homers on the night and earned their third shutout of the year in the win, as reliever James Keegan Rancho Cucamonga 25 24 .510 - (3-0) was credited with the win, retiring 12 of the 13 batters he faced over four scoreless frames. Lake Elsinore 24 26 .490 1.5 LIFE AFTER BRANDON LEWIS: The Quakes didn’t necessarily feel it on Tuesday in a 5-1 win over Fresno, but last night’s shut- Inland Empire 23 26 .469 2 out will remind everyone that INF Brandon Lewis’ promotion to High-A Great Lakes will hurt this offense in the short-term. Rancho Visalia 13 37 .260 12.5 is now hitting .246 as a team, currently fifth in the league. Lewis was among the league leaders in several offensive categories prior to 2021 PLAYOFF STANDINGS his departure and carried a batting average of .278. Lewis debuted on Tuesday for Great Lakes and went 0-for-5. He collected his first NORTH W L PCT GB hit in last night’s win for the Loons, but is just 1-for-10 with five K’s in his first two games overall. San Jose 34 16 .680 - STEADY EDDYS: Eddys Leonard had a pair of hits last night and currently has a modest five-game hitting streak on this current Fresno 31 19 .620 3 road trip. Leonard has recorded two hits in three of those five games and is now hitting a season-best .284 with an OBP of .385 enter- Modesto 28 22 .560 6 ing today’s game. Leonard, who has three different hitting streaks of at least seven games this year, will hit fifth tonight as the DH. Rancho Cucamonga 25 24 .510 8.5 PLAYOFFS? YES, PLAYOFFS!: At the beginning of the 2021 season, it was understood that there would be no playoffs across ** Top two teams qualify for 2021 playoffs, regardless of division the country for all of Minor League , due to the ongoing global pandemic. In an article released by Baseball America earlier TODAY today, they confirmed that will implement a “revised” playoff plan, allowing each league to crown a champion Modesto at Visalia, 6:00 PM with a playoff series. The playoffs will be shortened to a single series, that features the top two teams (by record), regardless of divi- Inland Empire at Lake Elsinore, 6:35 PM sion. The Quakes currently sit fourth in the league, despite them owning the best record in the South Division. The top three teams Rancho Cucamonga at Fresno, 6:50 PM in all of Low-A West currently reside up North, where San Jose has a three-game lead over Fresno and a six-game lead over Modesto. San Jose at Stockton, 7:05 PM The Quakes are currently 5.5 games back of Fresno in that setting, with 71 games remaining in the 120-game season. That obviously makes this six-game series against Fresno a crucial one, as winning four-of-six would give the Quakes any potential tie-breaker over TOMORROW the Grizzlies in the event of a tie for the second playoff spot. The 2022 season will see the league move to a 132-game schedule and Modesto at Visalia, 6:00 PM the first-half and second-half winners of each division meet in the playoffs. Inland Empire at Lake Elsinore, 6:35 PM GOODBYE LANCASTER, HELLO FRESNO: This six-game set marks the first time that the Quakes and Fresno Grizzlies are Rancho Cucamonga at Fresno, 6:50 PM meeting in history, as this is the one and only series between the two teams in 2021. With Major League Baseball’s initiative to reduce San Jose at Stockton, 7:05 PM the minor leagues to 120 teams before the start of the 2021 season, the Lancaster JetHawks were eliminated from the then- League. Taking their spot in the newly-renamed Low-A West League are the Fresno Grizzlies, who join the league from the former LOW-A WEST SCOREBOARD Triple-A , where they were members since 1998. The home of the Grizzlies is Chukchansi Park, which seats a YESTERDAY more Triple-A appropriate crowd of 10,000-plus fans. The Lancaster JetHawks were affiliated with the for the final Fresno 7 Rancho Cucamonga 0 four years in the Cal League. This made Colorado the only affiliate left in Low-A West and they ended up being the only choice for Lake Elsinore 4 Inland Empire 0 Fresno. The Grizzlies were a Giants’ affiliate from 1998-2014 and then won their only PCL title as a ’ affiliate in 2015. Modesto 5 Visalia 3 They spent their final two years in the PCL as a ’ affiliate, prior to dropping three levels in 2021. Stockton 4 San Jose 2 CARLOS DURAN: The Quakes will go with right-hander Carlos Duran tonight, as he makes his tenth appearance and ninth start of the year, his first against Fresno. Duran’s last start was a tough one in San Jose on 6/25, as he allowed a season-high five runs on six 2021 QUAKES AT A GLANCE hits over just three innings, taking his first loss of the year. In his seven prior starts, Duran had allowed just two runs on two occa- 1st Half Record: 25-24 sions. Duran signed with the Dodgers in 2018 out of the Dominican Republic. 2nd Half Record: 0-0 BREILING EUSEBIO: Left-hander Breiling Eusebio will make his 11th start of the year and his first against Rancho tonight. In his vs Fresno: 1-1 last outing overall, Eusebio allowed five runs on eight hits over five innings in a no-decision against Visalia on 6/25, marking the sec- vs Fresno Home: 0-0 ond straight outing that he’s allowed five runs (6/19 vs Stockton). He signed with the Rockies out of the Dominican Republic in 2013. vs Fresno Road: 1-1 NEW RADIO HOME: Throughout the 2021 season, you can catch all the action from the ease of your phone or computer. Listen online at rcquakes.com and the iHeartRadio app (Keyword: Quakes) with the “Voice of the Quakes” Mike Lindskog and Davis Elling- Home Record: 13-11 ton. To listen LIVE at LoanMart Field, tune your portable FM radio to 91.3 FM. Road Record: 12-13 HOME GAMES: The Quakes will be returning to LoanMart Field to play host to the on July 6th, as the Storm Current Streak: L1 will be making their first trip to Rancho Cucamonga this season. Tickets are available at rcquakes.com. Probable Quakes Lineup UPCOMING GAMES AND PROBABLES 1. #11 J. Vogel CF Date Opp Pitching Probables Time Radio 2. #3 S. McWilliams 2B 3. #14 J. Vivas 3B 7/2 at Fresno RHP Gavin Stone vs. RHP Mike Ruff 6:50 PM RCQuakes.com 4. #15 J. DeLuca RF 5. #6 7/3 at Fresno RHP Robbie Peto vs. RHP Anderson Amarista 6:50 PM RCQuakes.com A. De Jesus SS 6. #10 E. Leonard DH 7. #5 S. Lao 1B 7/4 at Fresno RHP Jimmy Lewis vs. LHP Sam Weatherly 6:35 PM RCQuakes.com 8. #33 W. Chalo C 7/6 vs Lake Elsinore TBD vs. RHP Kendall Williams 6:30 PM RCQuakes.com 9. #7 E. Mateo LF P. #27 C. Duran RHP