Storm Lose Late, 9-5

LAKE ELSINORE — The last three outs of the game in a save situation are different. The Storm found that out on Thursday night.

Up 5-2, Jordan Valenzuela, 21, entered the game after two outstanding pitching performances by Lan-Hong Su and Zack Qin. Valenzuela came into the game with one save and 27 strikeouts under his belt in 21 Cal League innings, despite 15 walks, after starting the year with an impressive showing in the ACL.

Valenzuela gave up three straight singles for the first run of the inning, then got a line out to right field, putting runners at first and third. He walked the next batter, then balked in another run to cut the deficit to one. After intentionally walking the next hitter, he hit a batter with the bases loaded to allow the Giants to even things up.

On the first pitch after Andrew Wright relieved Valenzuela, a passed ball on his first pitch gave San Jose the lead. They scored twice more to cap off a seven-run ninth.

In the bottom half, the Storm loaded the bases with three walks, but Ty Harvey grounded out to end the game and the team settled for a third straight loss.

“It is always tough to get the last three outs,” said Storm manager Brallan Perez. “So much of this game, especially at this level, is preparing them mentally to slow the game down.

“It is something we have to teach, and it’s the biggest part of being a pro and how we want to play the game.”

After losing the first two games by large deficits, the Storm appeared on track because of strong pitching performances from Su, 19, and Qin, 20. Each threw four innings, with Qin, who signed out of MLB’s development academy in mainland China in 2022, holding San Jose hitless for four innings.

“I thought they did very well, particularly in the tempo of the game,” said Perez. “They really executed the plan that we had for them coming into the game.”

Su, signed out of Taiwan for a six-figure bonus last October, matched his game high with five strikeouts without issuing a walk.

Offensively, Lake Storm got a mammoth three-run home run to right field – and maybe a more impressive bat flip – by Jorge Quintana in the third inning. 

His up-the-middle partner, second-round pick Elliot Lascelles had an RBI single in the fourth as part of a two-hit game that also included a pair of walks.

In three games and his first 13 plate appearances, the left-handed hitter has reached base nine times, with a pair of extra-base hits. In nine games against much older competition in the MLB Draft League, he was equally impressive, hitting .394 with an on-base percentage of .523.

“The baseball IQ that this guy has is unbelievable,” Perez said of the Canadian native. “He is very smart and understands how to play the game on both sides of the ball.

“His approach at the plate is just awesome, and he’s only going to get stronger and better.”

Notes: Nu’u Contrades, a sixth-round pick from Arizona State, had a nice evening with a run scored, a pair of hits, a walk, and made several nice plays at third base. Contrades, 22, played third base all three seasons at ASU, but also saw time at second and first in the summer Cape Cod League. … Jesmaylin Arias, 19, also doubled to right to bring home run. He has four extra-base hits in 11 games since joining Lake Elsinore. He had a loud year in his second ACL campaign, posting a .510 slugging percentage.