Storm catcher Truitt Madonna puts the tag on a Visalia baserunner. (Photo by Action Captures Media)
The Storm offense was exceptional all night. As a team, they hit 3 home runs, including one of the most unusual round trippers that anyone has ever seen.
Leading off the 3rd inning, center fielder Ryan Wideman crushed a pitch that hopped one time on the infield dirt, raced pass the diving Rawhide shortstop Kayson Cunningham, and all the way to the left field wall. When it arrived there, it seemed to stop. The Rawhide outfielders immediately held up their arms indicating that the ball was stuck under the fence. Despite this, Wideman continued running – all the way around the bases, a “round tripper” — and then into the dugout.
Base umpire Jarvis Warner went out to investigate and decided that the ball was not stuck. One could see him pushing the ball back and forth at the fence. He ruled that the hard-hit shot to shortstop that went all the way to the wall was a home run. That put the Storm up 2-1.
The Storm would not look back the rest of the evening. Lake Elsinore scored 2 more runs in the 3rd inning, and then 1 in the 4th, 2 in the 5th, 3 in the 6th, 1 in the 7th, and 6 in the 8th.
Wideman hit a second home run, this one over the fence, as did designated hitter Victor Duarte. All told, Wideman had 4 hits and drove in 4 runs Catcher Truitt Madonna also had 4 hits by way of 3 doubles and a triple. Left fielder Conner Westenburg had a triple and drove in 2 runs, and third baseman Bradley Frye had 3 hits as well. All told, the Storm had 9 extra-base hits among its 17 for the game.
Storm pitching got the job done, giving up just 4 hits but also walking 9 Rawhide batters in the effort. Starter Winyer Chourio, who did not walk any batter, pitched 4 innings, struck out 6, scattered 3 hits, and gave up 2 earned runs. Reliever Joseph Herrera got the win with 1 inning of work to improve to 2-0 on the season.
For the Rawhide, third baseman Jose Mejia was the lone bright spot. He homered and tripled in the game and drove in 2 runs.
With the win, Lake Elsinore improved to 7-9, two games behind the Cal League South Division-leading Rancho Cucamonga Quakes. Visalia fell to 5-11 on the season.
The Storm and the Rawhide will play game 2 of the 6-game series tonight at Diamond Stadium. The game is scheduled for 6:05 pm. For tickets, visit tickets@stormbaseball.com or visit the Diamond Stadium Box Office prior to the game. The Box Office opens 3 hours before the game.
You can also listen to the game for free on MiLB.com or watch it for free on the Bally Sports Live app.
Winyer Chourio gave up 2 hits in 4 innings on the mound. (Photo by Action Captures Media)
Jose Verdugo steals second base. (Photo by Action Captures Media)
Jorge Quintana waits at second base for the throw from Bradley Frye. (Photo by Action Captures Media)
Kerrington Cross takes the pickoff throw at first base. (Photo by Action Captures Media)
