Offense Picks Up Too Late Again, Storm Fall 10-4 for Sixth Loss in Seven Games

LAKE ELSINORE, CA - It was another tough offensive performance from Lake Elsinore Friday night. The Storm collected just six hits and went scoreless through the first five innings to fall to Fresno 10-4 for the third time in four games.

After a scoreless first, the Grizzlies attacked quickly in the second. Tanner Thach led off with an opposite-field double and Wilder Dalis singled him home just one batter later. After the inning’s first out, Kyle Fossum poked a single down the left field line and extended the Grizzlies lead to 2-0.

In the fourth, Fresno tagged Lake Elsinore for two more. Fossum would double in Carlos Renzullo for his second hit in two at-bats. Then with two outs, Yeiker Reyes softly hit a groundball down the third base line. Storm catcher Yoiber Ocopio fielded and delivered an errant throw to first that got away from Dawson Willis. Fossum came into score and the lead doubled to 4-0 Grizzlies.

The sixth inning was more of the same. Fresno pounced on Carson Swilling during his first inning of work. After back to back singles, Swilling’s wild pitch scored the game’s fifth run. A few batters later, Jeremy Ciraco reached on a fielder’s choice to score another run. 6-0 Fresno after the top of the sixth.

Lake Elsinore got one back in the bottom half however. After Conner Westenburg reached on an error, Bradley Frye doubled down the right-field line to put the Storm on the board. But the Grizzlies bats were consistent all night and it continued in the seventh. A Roldy Brito triple turned into a run after a wild pitch, Renzullo grounded out with a runner on third for the inning’s second run and another would come across and give Fresno a 9-1 lead.

The Storm would score two more in the bottom of the eighth, both off the bat of Ocopio. Fresno answered with one more in the ninth and Lake Elsinore did the same to stop the scoring at 10-4. To start the second half, the Storm are just 1-6 after clinching a playoff spot since winning the South Division after the first 66 games.

Lake Elsinore returns to action on Saturday to face Fresno for game five of the six-game set from Diamond Stadium. This is the second series of the year between the Storm and the Grizzlies with the two teams splitting the series 3-3. The Storm will turn to RHP Tyler Schmitt (4-3, 4.47 ERA) to face Grizzlies RHP Austin Newton (1-5, 5.59 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 6:45 p.m. PT.

About the Lake Elsinore Storm

The Lake Elsinore Storm are the Single-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres in the California League. For more information on the Storm, visit milb.com/lake-elsinore. For information about tickets to any of Lake Elsinore’s 66 home games, call (951) 245-4487 or email: info@stormbaseball.com.