Lake Elsinore Dominates Grizzlies in Series Finale, 12-3, Despite Series Loss

By Larry Belmontes

The Lake Elsinore Storm closed out another regular season series on a high note Sunday afternoon crushing the visiting Fresno Grizzlies 12-3 in front of an electric home crowd. Although the Storm dropped the series (2-4), they saved their best performance for game six stringing together timely hits, capitalizing on errors, and getting dominant pitching to bury Fresno.

A Hot Start After Early Trouble

Things didn’t begin well for the Storm. Fresno jumped ahead 2-0 in the top of the 1st thanks to some early action at the plate. Lake Elsinore however wasted no time responding in the bottom half. With the bases loaded and no outs, Ryan Jackson poked a single into center to load the bases, and after a strikeout by Kavares Tears, Zach Evans tied the game with a two run single up the middle. But, by the end of the 1st, the Storm had completely erased the deficit and they were just getting started! GO STORM!

Jackson, Evans & Company Fuel the Offense

Lake Elsinore’s offense kept rolling in the 2nd. With two outs, Ryan Jackson delivered again, this time scoring B.Y. Choi to give the Storm a 4-2 lead. Jackson finished the day with multiple hits and was a consistent thorn in Fresno’s side.

The Storm’s offense truly broke open the game late. In the bottom of the 6th, a fielder’s choice turned into a run when Cobb Hightower grounded into a double play, allowing Chase Valentine to score and extend the lead to 5-3. Then, in the 7th, Kavares Tears redeemed his early strikeouts with a laser double to center, scoring Jackson and pushing the game nearly out of reach at 6-3. But the real storm came in the bottom of the 8th, when Lake Elsinore erupted for six more runs, putting a definitive stamp on the win and turning a solid lead into a blowout! (LOVING THIS!)

Gutierrez Outduels Johnson Jr. on the Mound

On the bump, Luis Alejandro Gutierrez put on a clinic for the Storm. The 20 year old Venezuelan righty was lights out, racking up strikeouts and limiting damage after the early first-inning runs. He worked around some trouble and let his defense back him up when needed.

Fresno starter Lebarron Johnson Jr., a 2024 fifth round pick of the Rockies out of Texas, struggled to locate his pitches despite an early lead. He was tagged for multiple hits in key moments and was haunted by errors and missed opportunities from his defense including a costly miscue in the 6th that allowed a run to score and kept the inning alive.

Strikeout Showcase

This game turned into a strikeout showcase quickly as the Grizzlies struck out 15 times, with Robert Calaz and Yeiker Reyes each fanning three times a piece. Lake Elsinore also struck out a good amount of times, but their contact came in much bigger moments of the game. Fresno couldn’t find any answers at the plate down the stretch striking out the side in the 7th and again racking up strike outs in the final innings. That was a very anticlimactic end to a series they had major control over.

Series Recap & What’s Next

Despite the Storm’s huge 12-3 victory in the finale, Fresno still took the series 4-2 showing resilience and offensive strength throughout the week. But Saturday night’s rout served as a reminder that Lake Elsinore has firepower of their own and if they can get more consistency at the plate and keep the pitching sharp, they could be a force moving forward.

Current California League Standings

In the California League South, the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (Dodgers) are running away with the division at (28-11) holding a commanding 11 game lead. Yeah, they’re more than likely the first half champs. Tied in second are the Lake Elsinore Storm (Padres) and Visalia Rawhide (Diamondbacks) both sitting at (17-22). The Inland Empire 66ers (Angels) trail the pack at (13-26).

In the California League North, the Modesto Nuts (Mariners) lead the way at (24-15) with the San Jose Giants (Giants) three games back at (21-18). The Stockton Ports (Athletics) are in third at (19-20), while the Fresno Grizzlies (Rockies) bring up the rear at (17-22) seven games behind Modesto.

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