Left-hander Luis Gutierrez threw five solid innings and a six-run third inning propped him up as low Single-A Lake Elsinore beat Modesto, 9-2, on Tuesday to force a decisive Game 3 of the California League Championship Series.
The series is tied 1-1.
Gutierrez struck out three and allowed one run on four hits and two walks.
Right-hander Kleiber Olmedo struck out six over three innings of one-run ball.
Catcher Brendan Durfee, left fielder Braedon Karpathios and right fielder Sean Barnett all drove in two runs on two hits.
Durfee, Karpathios, Jack Costello and shortstop Brandon Butterworth each doubled.
Game 3 is 7:05 p.m. Wednesday.
Tuesday’s scoreboard
TRIPLE-A EL PASO (60-85)
Chihuahuas 7, Las Vegas 5 (10): The bullpen closed the game with 6⅓ no-hit innings. RHP Jared Kollar (4.43 ERA) accounted for three of them, RHP Francis Pena (3-2, 5.27 ERA), turned in two and LHP Austin Davis (3.35 ERA) earned the save with a scoreless 10th. RHP Carl Edwards Jr. (5.31 ERA) allowed five runs in 3⅔ innings in the start. A sacrifice fly from 2B Clay Dungan (.786 OPS) and a an RBI single from RHP Bryce Johnson (.851 OPS) drove in the go-ahead runs in the 10th. RF Cal Mitchell (.842 OPS) hit his 18th homer. C Luis Campusano (.646 OPS) went 2-for-4 with an RBI, a walk and a run scored.