Quakes drop series finale 4-3, Carl Crawford ready for return to Dodgers

RANCHO CUCAMONGA -- The Quakes and Rawhide (Diamondbacks) could be among the best teams in the California League this season.  This weekend was their first four game series of the season and with the Rawhide's 4-3 win today at LoanMart Field, the teams split the series with two wins each.

Carl Crawford started in left field and and played his final rehab game before joining the Dodgers tomorrow at Dodger Stadium. Crawford went 1-for-3 with a walk and also got on base via a catcher's interference.  He caught the three fly balls that went to left field today.

"I feel good, body feels good, back is all right," Crawford said after playing nine innings Sunday, "I felt fine the last two days I played, hopefully everything stays well."

Crawford also caught he Dodgers comeback win today saying he watched the highlights in the clubhouse after the game.

As for the game, it was a day of missed opportunities as the teams were a combined 4-for-22 with runners in scoring position.

The Rawhide scored first when with two out, Domingo Leyba singled  Rudy Flores hit a short but high fly ball to center, three players converged on the ball and ball fell out of the centerfielder Johan Mieses's glove for an RBI double.

The Quakes would tie the score in the third inning.  Crawford's ground out scored Andrew Toles, who had earlier doubled and took third on a wild pitch.

In the fourth inning, the Quakes took a 3-1 lead.  Paul Hoenecke hit a solo shot and Julian Leon scored on a single by Erick Mejia.

Grant Holmes pitched well after the first inning but in the fifth, the Rawhide scored three runs to take the lead.

Holmes' final pitching line was five innings pitched, allowing four runs, eight hits, three walks and struck out three.  Alex Burgos and Joe Broussard each pitched two scoreless innings to finish up for the Quakes.

As was noted above, the Quakes had chances to tie and take the lead, they had the bases loaded with one out in the seventh and a runner on second with one out in the ninth but they could not get the key hit to drive in those runs.

Diaz to DL

Red-hot Cuban outfielder Yusniel Diaz missed his third straight game on Sunday and was placed on the seven-day disabled list with shoulder tightness. Diaz, who has a five-game hitting streak to go with three home runs and three doubles in his last seven games, will be reevaluated by the medical staff but is expected to be ready to return once his seven days are up.