Storm Fall Big Despite Big Nights from Top Prospects

SAN BERNARDINO, CALIF. — The Inland Empire 66ers pounded out 16 hits – nine for extra bases – as they dropped the visiting Storm 16-8. While the game was ugly from a team perspective, Lake Elsinore’s top offensive prospects had a big night.

Shortstop Leodalis De Vries collected a pair of hits including a 103 mph double off the wall in right field and, for the fourth straight game, drew a walk. The 17-year-old has reached in nine consecutive games, posting an impressive .333/.476/.485 line with only four strikeouts in that stretch.

The consensus top international free agent from this year’s class, De Vries has gotten past the shoulder injury that sidelined him for two weeks in early May. He returned to hitting from the right side last week and had a hit from that side on Sunday.

“In 2021, when I saw Jackson Merrill come in, and then where he got in a year. You could see the maturing of the professional at-bats,” said manager Lukas Ray. “That’s what it’s turning into for [De Vries].

“The takes on the fringe, he’s yes-yes-no on every pitch. And when the pitcher puts the ball in the zone, he puts the barrel on it.”

De Vries, hitting out of the leadoff hole, opened the game with a first-pitch line drive single to center. After a routine flyout in his second at-bat, he laced a double to the right field wall that left the bat at 103 mph as part of a three-run fifth inning then hit another ball 100+ mph to center for an out in his next trip to the plate. He finished his night with a five-pitch walk.

The Storm fell behind in the game quickly, giving up a pair of runs in the first when a flare pop fly dropped in between first baseman Romeo Sanabria, second baseman Alain Camou and Wyatt Hoffman, who was playing right field for the second time in his career.

Inland Empire roughed up starter Jose Luis Reyes for three runs in the third inning with a leadoff homer and a pair of loud doubles. The 21-year-old righty from Mexicali appeared to rely too much on his change-up in that frame and 66er hitters were geared up to attack it.

The Storm pulled back within a run in the top of the fifth, but then the wheels came off as they gave up 11 runs over the next two frames, which featured six walks, five extra-base hits and some shoddy defense.

“When you put up eight runs, you usually have an opportunity to win a game,” said Ray. “The offense put a lot of hard balls in play. It’s just a matter – and it’s just a whole team effort, pitching and defense – of preventing the runs.”

While the game turned into a laugher, the offense continued to push all night.

Romeo Sanabria had yet another big night at the plate. The 22-year-old first baseman had three singles, including a ball he pulled to right at 105 mph and a line drive to center at 98. He also drew his league-leading 41st walk of the year and finished the night with a .959 OPS that’s good for a 159 wRC+.

“It’s impressive. It’s all caps IMPRESSIVE,” said Ray. “The ball explodes off his bat and he only swings at pitches in the zone. It’s an elite-level hitter.

“I’ve seen him get pitched so many different ways, and he hasn’t been fooled.”

Catcher J.D. Gonzalez also had a strong night at the plate, connecting on a pair of hits and drawing a walk to reach base safely three times for the first time in his young career. The 18-year-old catcher, who jumped to the Cal League in late April despite having missed all of his senior year of high school and the summer of his draft year following knee surgery, has been making better swing decisions and more contact over the last two weeks.

After striking out in 30 of his first 69 plate appearances, he’s punched out only six times in his last 36 trips to the plate. The left-handed hitter connected on an RBI single against a pitcher 10 years older than him in the contest.

Rosman Verdugo also hit the ball hard all night, but had less to show for it. The Baja California native smoked a liner to third base at 97 mph on the third pitch of the game, but it was caught and got De Vries doubled off first.

After chasing to strike out in the third inning, Verdugo followed doubles by Wyatt Hoffman and De Vries in the fifth with a rocket to the left-center gap for his 14th extra-base hit of the year.

The 19-year-old hit each of his final two balls of the night north of 95 mph, but had nothing to show for them.

“The last two nights, that’s what it’s been,” said his manager. “It took us to our seventh hitter [Tuesday] night to hit a ball less than 100 mph. Tonight, we hit two balls that were 90+ [to open the game], and we’ve got nobody on.”

Coming off a sweep of Rancho Cucamonga at home last week, Lake Elsinore have dropped their first two to open the series in San Bernardino.

ODDS AND ENDS

Center fielder Nick Vogt had a three-hit night. Since coming off the injured list, the UC Santa Barbara product is 9-for-24. … Jacob Campbell had a single and double in five trips to the plate. He also became the third position player to pitch for the Storm this year, holding the hosts scoreless despite loading the bases in his inning of mop-up duty. He, Hoffman, and Chase Valentine have combined for four innings of shutout work to save the pitching staff at various points in the year.