New 66ers/old Quakes beat new Quakes/old Sixers

It was opening night at Arrowhead Credit Union Park on Thursday night and there was little evidence that the 66ers had once been a proud affiliate for the Dodgers.

With a new coat of Angels red paint in the clubhouse, a big Angels logo on the field and new uniforms that only had a small hint of blue as part of their logo, the Sixers celebrated their new Angels partnership with a home win. The new Sixers defeated the Quakes, who are the new Dodgers affiliate 6-2, before 3,585 at chilly ACU Park.

As a Dodgers affiliate last year, the Sixers went a minor-league worst 19-51 at home.

By the end, most of the fans were gone, but those who were there as Sixers fans had to like what they saw. This year, with some players who led the Quakes to within one game of a Cal League championship last year, they are off to a good start -- albeit after one game.

Sixers pitchers allowed only five hits and none after the fifth inning, but walked a total of 12 and the Quakes went 2 for 13 with runners in scoring position and left 15 men on base.

The Quakes looked more like the SIxers team that struggled in 2010, and not the Dodgers' low Single-A Great Lakes team that went 90-49.

Ex-Sixer Tony Delmonico was 2 for 4, the only Quake with multiple hits. Ex-Quake Dillon Baird went 3 for 4 with two runs and two RBIs, Casey Haerther had two hits and two RBIs, while rehabbing Angel Reggie Willits was 1 for 5 with a two-run single. Another rehabbing Angel, reliever Scott Downs, got the win, despite allowing the tying run on two hits and a walk in the fifth inning.