The 66ers announced on Wednesday that they are offering a no-cost reading program to area elementary schools that is also sponsored by Rotolo Chevrolet.

Participating schools will have an assembly that includes Sixers mascot Bernie and the community relations team. Students will receive a baseball-themed bookmark, and will receive 2 tickets to a selected game if the student reaches his or her reading goal.

“We realize the importance of touching these students lives in a positive aspect. It’s a very special treat for Bernie and 66ers staff members to come to their school just for them. Kids hold on to those memories for a long time and we hope that it’ll further their interest in reading beyond finishing the bookmark,” 66ers Community Groups manager Kelsey Beckenbach said in a press release.

Perhaps even bigger in this era of cash-strapped schools is an opportunity for the schools to earn money.

Students will receive tickets to attend one of the first four Sunday home games in 2013: April 7, April 21, May 12 and May 19.

The 3 schools the the most representation throughout the 4 days will receive donations from the 66ers. The school with the most attendees will get $1,500, while second and third place will each receive $1,000.

Andre Ethier completed his 2-game rehab assignment with the Quakes on Thursday, going 0 for 2 with a walk, a double play and an RBI groundout.

He was fine, said he felt good and was ready to return to the Dodgers from the strained oblique muscle.

But the Quakes may have suffered another injury. Starting catcher Chris O’Brien pulled his hamstring while running the bases in the third inning. Backup catcher Steve Domecus came in and doubled and scored later in the game in the Quakes’ 5-4 loss to the 66ers before 4,828 at the Epicenter.

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The excitement of Matt Kemp at San Manuel Stadium didn’t carry over to Saturday’s series-opener against Visalia.

With no promotion for the fans in attendance, only 2,035 showed up for Saturday’s game and the 66ers were routed, 9-2 in a game in which they trailed 9-0 after the seventh inning.

Left fielder Ryan Jones crashed hard into the wall trying to make a sliding catch of a foul ball in the third inning. The wall is padded, but Jones slid low and his knee hit the concrete wall underneath the padding.

“It was a great attempt,” Haselman said.

Jones limped off the field and came out of the game. It appeared to be just a bruise of the knee, the same injury that has catcher Jett Bandy on the disabled list. But Haselman didn’t think the injury would force Jones to the disabled list.

“It doesn’t look as bad as Jett’s,” he said.

Nick Maronde, the Angels’ No. 10 prospect according to Baseball America, was activated by the 66ers off the disabled list after Friday night’s game.

Maronde, 0-1 with a 2.83 ERA in six starts with the Sixers this season, had been sidelined since May 4 with left lat strain.

He had pitched three times in a rehab appearance in the rookie-level Arizona League. He was 0-1 with a 1.13 ERA in eight innings. He will rejoin the Sixers rotation, but it is not known exactly when.

To make room for Maronde, the Sixers released reliever Kevin Nabors. Nabors was just activated from the disabled list on Thursday. In addition, reliever Baudlio Lopez, on the DL with a left quad strain, is going to rookie-level Orem.

There are few times during the course of a season when the Quakes could use more seats. Tuesday was one of those times.

Quakes president Brent Miles said he thought they could’ve sold “about 2,000″ more tickets. Instead, they had to settle for a sell-out crowd of 6,516 to watch the Quakes defeat High Desert 4-2.

The reason for the extra demand was two words: Matt Kemp. Kemp, the Dodgers’ all-star outfielder and MVP candidate, began a rehab stint with the Quakes as he works his way back from a hamstring injury.

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As the South Division race in the California League is heating up, it appears one hopeful’s time is about up.

Four teams: High Desert, Lake Elsinore, Lancaster and the Quakes entered Saturday’s games separated by a single game in the standings, with the 66ers four games back.

With four teams ahead of them and only eight games remaining entering Saturday, the Sixers would pretty much need to win out and have everything else break right to still have a chance.

But Lancaster held on for a 4-2 victory, knocking the Sixers five games out of first and on the brink of elimination.

Meanwhile, the Quakes beat High Desert 4-2 and Lake Elsinore downed Visalia 6-3.

So, after Saturday’s games, it’s Lake Elsinore (34-29) in sole possession of first place, but the Quakes, High Desert and Lancaster all one game back at 33-30.

Nearly an hour and a half after the Quakes lost at home to Lancaster 7-3, the Sixers were finishing up a marathon game at Lake Elsinore, losing 2-1 in 14 innings on Tuesday night.

The Sixers’ game went 3 hours, 44 minutes. The Quakes finished theirs in 2:19.

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