LANCASTER, Calif. (AP) -This minor league game quickly turned into a major rout: Lake Elsinore 30, Lancaster 0.
The San Diego Padres’ affiliate put on a record-setting performance, beating Boston’s farm team Friday night in the Class-A California League.
Lake Elsinore posted the most-lopsided victory ever against Lancaster. The Storm came close to the league mark for runs, set by Fresno with 34 in 1947.
“I’ve never experienced anything like this,” said Lake Elsinore hitting coach Max Venable, a big league outfielder from 1979-91.
“I really can’t explain it,” he added. “The guys are still talking about it. I mean, we’re in awe.”
The Storm finished with 28 hits, one shy of the California League record, and six home runs. Chad Huffman and Craig Cooper each homered twice and Yordany Ramirez drove in seven runs.
“The wind kind of blows out in that ballpark and we hit a couple of balls that might not have gone out in other places,” Venable said. “But it was crazy.”
Huffman went 5-for-5, scored five runs and drove in five. Kyle Blanks, who scored six times, and Matt Antonelli each had six hits.
“It wasn’t like you could let up. Guys are competitive. If they have five hits, they want to get six,” Venable said. “And you never know what might happen tomorrow.”
The Storm scored four times in the first inning, six in the second, six more in the third and led 17-0 by the fourth. Lake Elsinore added six runs in the ninth.
“Like I was telling some of our fans late in the game, this was a once-in-a-lifetime thing to see,” Lancaster general manager Brad Seymour said. “I just hope I don’t see it again.”
Kris Johnson, one of Lancaster’s best pitchers, was tagged for eight runs in 1 1-3 innings. The JetHawks, whose pitching coach is former major leaguer Bob Kipper, used five pitchers before a crowd of 2,363.
Along with the defeat, Lancaster lost one of its top players. Left fielder Bubba Bell collided with the center fielder and went to the hospital with an abdominal injury.
“Even late in the game, our guys were still trying,” Seymour said.
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