66ers rally; Quakes nearly no-hit

The 66ers and Quakes were at opposite ends of the offensive spectrum on Saturday.

The Sixers (11-12) scored a season-high 12 runs, rallying from a 7-2 deficit by scoring three in the fifth and five in the sixth, winning 12-8 over first-place High Desert (14-8). It was played in front of the largest home crowd of the season at San Manuel Stadium, 5,076.

The Quakes, meanwhile, nearly had a perfect game, then a no-hitter thrown against them. Lake Elsinore pitcher

Burch Smith (2-2) retired the first 16 batters he faced before he hit Tony Delmonico with a pitch with one out in the sixth inning.

The Quakes were still without a hit until Tyler Henson lined a double to left, leading off the eighth inning. Henson ended up scoring the Quakes’ lone run later in the inning on a wild pitch. The Quakes finished with just two hits and lost, 4-1.

Smith, obviously a prime candidate to be pitcher of the week, pitched 7 2/3 innings, allowing one hit, one run, two walks while striking out 13.

Dodger reliever Ronald Belisario (0-1) started, and allowed three runs in the first two innings. Regular Quakes starter Garrett Gould was nearly as dominant as Smith. Gould allowed four hits and one run in six innings while striking out 12. He struck out five batters in a row at one point. He struck out at least two batters in every inning from the fifth to the seventh.

Back to the Sixers, who did not have nearly the same level of pitching in their game.

Sixers starter Trevor Reckling struggled with his command, walking five and hitting one while allowing five earned runs in two-plus innings. High Desert starter James Gilheeney wasn’t awful, but was victimized by two errors in the fifth inning that led to three unearned runs. Gilheeney allowed five runs (two earned) in five innings.

The Sixers trailed 7-2 before scoriing three in the fifth. They added five more in the sixth as Drew Heid’s two-run double snapped a 7-7 tie. The Sixers were led by the top three in their order: Travis Witherspoon (3 for 5, three runs, two RBIs), Heid (2 for 5, two runs, two RBIs), and Randal Grichuk (2 for 4 with a pair of two-run homers).

Baudilio Lopez (1-0) allowed two runs in four innings to get the win. Bryant George, Kevin Nabors and Ryan Chaffee combined to allow one run in three innings.