Sloppy Storm Commit Eight Errors in Loss to Inland Empire

LAKE ELSINORE – Every minor league team gets a home game on either July 3 or July 4 to celebrate Independence Day with fireworks and a big gate. For the Lake Elsinore Storm, it meant a large crowd that stayed for every pitch. Unfortunately, the crowd hung around for the fireworks and festivities and not for baseball. 

The 66ers took full advantage of eight Storm errors, including two in an 11-run outburst in the fifth inning to defeat the Storm 23-9, in front of a crowd of 3,232 at The Diamond. 

Inland Empire jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the second inning, thanks in large part to some shoddy Storm defense. The 66ers had two runners on when Jorge Ruiz connected on a two-run double to put the 66ers on the board. Leo De Vries cut off a throw from left fielder Jacob Campbell and fired into second but badly overthrew Alain Camou and the ball went into right field. The ball rolled around, allowing Ruiz to take third. He attempted to score on the play but was gunned down at home on an excellent throw by Storm right fielder Braedon Karpathios.

The 66ers added two more runs in the inning, thanks to a throwing error by starter Jose Luis Reyes and a throwing error by Rosman Verdugo – one of three errors on the night for the young infielder. 

Rosman Verdugo had a rough game defensively. (Photo: Jerry Espinoza)

“The defense will be addressed,” said Storm manager Lukas Ray postgame. “ We’ve been really good on defense recently but tonight we just took a couple of steps back. We go back to our routines; you don’t want to panic because these are really good players. Some of them are playing out of position and they are giving their best effort. We’ll get back to our routines and taking groundballs tomorrow and hopefully, we can get a win on the fourth on the road.

“You just try and reinforce the positives that they have done. The fact that Campbell continued hitting after [committing two errors]; it’s a testament to who he is. They are going to make mistakes; that is why they are here. You try to praise the positive and we’ll just keep working.” 

Inland Empire piled on in the fifth, with a controversial play firmly in the middle of things. After the first two batters reached base on a walk and an error, 66ers first baseman Sonny DiChiara hit a deep fly ball to center field that Wyatt Hoffman appeared to make a nice play on. However, the umpires ruled that he dropped the ball. Both Hoffman and Lukas Ray were incredulous at decision, but even after the umpires discussed it, they upheld the original call, which was scored an error on Hoffman. 

“[The umps] saw the call differently,” said Ray. “[The] kind of approach we take to any call that we don’t necessarily agree with is that there is no review here and it is what it is. You have to keep playing.” 

66ers right fielder Randy De Jesus followed with a majestic homer launched to left to give the 66ers a 7-0 lead. Inland Empire had 11 consecutive batters get on base to open the frame and sent 15 men to the plate in the inning. 

Lake Elsinore did put together some good at-bats late. They drew six walks on the night and Verdugo mildly atoned for his three errors with a homer in the ninth – his eighth of the year. 

Despite the lopsided result on the scoreboard, Ray was able to find a few reasons to be optimistic. 

“A huge thing that we stress all the time is to not give any pitch away and not give any at-bat away and the main positive of the night is that we made them use every bullpen arm they had available. So that keeps it a positive for the rest of the week.” 

Storm Notes

• Luis Campusano made his third appearance of the series as he attempts to rehab from a thumb injury. He went hitless in four at-bats but reached twice on errors by Inland Empire. In three games with the Storm, Campusano is 1-for-11.
  
  

  Leo De Vries follows through after contact. (Photo: Jerry Espinoza)

• Inland Empire went a staggering 14-for-21 with runners in scoring position. The Storm was just 1-for-9. 
• The two teams combined for 11 errors Wednesday night. 
• Top prospect Leo De Vries had a pair of singles, including a sharp single to center in the ninth inning. He also showed impressive range in the field, making a few nice plays that were narrowly ruled hits.
  “The strides Leo has made have been tremendous,” said Ray. “He made a nice play on a chopper coming in; he doesn’t make that play a month-and-a-half ago. He’s made strides in every aspect of his game. He didn’t chase the pitches down earlier in the game. He’s been super impressive for a 17-year-old.”