66ers Redeem Themselves with a 6–2 Win Over the Storm In Game Five

By Larry Belmontes

With their backs against the wall in this series, the Inland Empire 66ers refused to fold turning in a dominant middle inning performance. Powered by clutch hitting and lockdown pitching, the 66ers defeated the Lake Elsinore Storm 6-2, trimming the series deficit to (3-2).

Breakout in the Fifth

The 66ers had been kept quiet early by Storm starter Bryan Balzer, but the bats came alive in the top of the 5th when the tide of the game shifted sharply.

With one out and runners aboard, Kevyn Castillo kicked off the scoring with a ground ball single to center plating Johan Macias and moving Jorge Ruiz to second. That hit gave Inland Empire a 1-0 lead and shifted momentum firmly in their favor. Then, with two outs and runners still in scoring position, Caleb Bartolero roped a sharp line drive to left field that not only drove in Ruiz and Castillo, but allowed Bartolero to take second on a throwing error by left fielder Kaden Hollow. Just like that, the 66ers led 3-0.

Kevyn Castillo Goes Yard

In the top of the 6th, Castillo struck again. With Ruiz on base, Castillo launched a 2 run homer to right center field to blow the game open at 6-0.

Storm's Late Push Falls Short

Lake Elsinore managed to get across two runs late, but it wasn’t nearly enough to overcome Inland Empire’s six run burst. The 66ers’ pitching staff, led by Yeferson Vargas, held the Storm in check throughout the game piling up strikeouts and refusing to allow any big innings.

Pitching Highlights

Inland Empire 66ers: Yeferson Vargas

Vargas was electric, setting the tone early by striking out Ryan Jackson to open the bottom of the first. He consistently attacked the strike zone and worked through the Storm lineup with confidence. His ability to generate swing and miss stuff was evident, as he collected key punchouts against Yendry Rojas, B.Y. Choi, and Kavares Tears.

Lake Elsinore Storm: Bryan Balzer

Balzer cruised early but ran into major trouble in the 5th and 6th innings. The 66ers capitalized on command lapses and defensive miscues tagging him for 6 runs, including Castillo’s long ball.

Strikeout Parade

Both teams’ pitchers racked up strikeouts throughout the night. Inland Empire pitching struck out Rojas twice, Choi twice, and even fanned Yoán Moncada and Dario Laverde in the 9th to cap a dominant outing. In total, the 66ers struck out 9 Storm hitters over the final five innings.

Looking Ahead

With the series now 3-2 in favor of the Storm, the pressure shifts. The Inland Empire 66ers head into Game 6 with confidence and momentum, knowing another win ends the series in a tie. For Lake Elsinore, the mission is simple: regroup and close out the series with a win before the 66ers can complete the comeback to tie it (3-3).

Current California League Standings

In the South Division, Rancho Cucamonga (Dodgers) holds a commanding lead at (18-8) and is red hot winning 9 of their last 10. Visalia (Diamondbacks) sits second at (12-14), six games back. Lake Elsinore (Padres) is now (10-16) and Inland Empire (Angels) rounds out the division at (8-18). The 66ers remain at the bottom but showed life tonight and are looking to gain momentum. Rancho Cucamonga leads the league in run differential (+53), while Inland Empire has struggled, scoring only 116 runs while allowing 170, a -54 differential. Still, in a season that’s far from over, anything can happen.

In the California League North, Modesto (Mariners) leads the division at (17-9) holding off San Jose (Giants), who trail by just one game at (16-10). Stockton (Athletics) sits third with a (14-12) record but has lost 7 of its last 10, while Fresno (Rockies) is well behind at (9-17) and the league’s worst run differential at -71.

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