LAKE ELSINORE — The Storm squandered too many opportunities on Wednesday, going just 2-for-11 with runners in scoring position as they fell to the Rockies’ Cal League affiliate in 10 innings. The club stranded 12, including leaving the bases loaded in the first and final frames.
Both Leo De Vries and Rosman Verdugo came into the night on torrid streaks, but the duo combined to go just 1-for-8 on the night, though they each drew a walk as well. De Vries has now hit in eight straight, raising his average 40 points. The shortstop also looked sharp in the field as the game seems to be slowing down for him a bit as he closes in on 50 starts.
Ethan Long has given the Storm lineup some extra punch this year. (Photo: Jerry Espinoza)
Ethan Long drove in two of Elsinore’s three runs on the night with a bases loaded walk in the first inning and a line drive single to plate Verdugo in the third. The right-handed slugger out of Arizona State was slowed after a three-week stint on the IL in May into early June, but is 15-for-42 with two doubles and a pair of homers over his last 11 games to push his OPS back over .800 for the year.
On the mound, Jose Luis Reyes rolled through the first three innings on just 28 pitches as the Grizzlies swung early and often. Working with a fastball that touched 93, the 21-year-old from Mexicali gave up only one hit and struck out three as he breezed through the lineup the first time.
In the fourth, though, Reyes gave up a pair of singles before Brad Cumbrest jumped a 2-2 spinner for a three-run homer to right.
Reyes bounced back nicely, setting down the final seven batters he faced to complete six innings for the first time all year.
Javier Chacon followed with a pair of hitless innings, striking out three. The 21-year-old lefty continues to show great feel for a changeup that could be a real weapon, especially on days like Wednesday when his fastball ran up to 94 with good life. He’s racked up 63 strikeouts in 48.1 innings while holding opponents to a .189 average this year, but has lost the zone with his fastball at times, walking 28. He’ll need to continue to develop a breaking ball to maintain his early success.
After spending Tuesday with the big league club, Xander Bogaerts picked up his rehab assignment in Lake Elsinore, making his first appearance in a Low-A game since 2011. The second baseman had a pair of line drive singles up the middle in four trips to the plate before giving way after seven innings.
In the first inning, Bogaerts was on third base when Verdugo pulled a ball just foul down the line, making the big leaguer twist awkwardly to avoid the ball. He appeared to have pain in the left shoulder he’s been rehabbing, but stayed in the game and didn’t appear to have any lingering issues.
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