Skurla’s 3 RBIs, Cook’s Pitching Carry Fresno Over the Gulls, 6-2

Two Fresno Giants combined to overwhelm the Gulls on Saturday, handing Ventura County a 6-2 defeat in a California League game at Ventura College.

Fresno right fielder John Skurla supplied the offense, driving in three runs on three hits, including a towering home run over the trees beyond the right-field fence. Giants pitcher Dennis Cook made the runs stand up, limiting the Gulls to two runs on two hits through seven innings.

The left-hander (10-5) walked three and struck out 11, including six in the first three innings. He has 130 strikeouts in 135 innings this season.

Both Ventura County runs came on home runs. Geronimo Berroa hit his 16th of the season in the fourth inning and Santiago Garcia added his fifth two innings later. Todd Provence (4-8) was the losing pitcher, allowing all six runs on nine hits in 6 innings.

Fresno opened the scoring with three runs in the fourth on a two-run double by Skurla that scored T.J. McDonald and Ty Dabney. One out later, Tom Mathews singled home Skurla for a 3-0 Fresno lead.

Berroa’s home run in the bottom of the inning cut the lead to 3-1, but Fresno struck for three more runs in the sixth with Skurla again figuring in the scoring.

His home run deep over the right-field fence was his fourth of the year. Romy Cucjen followed with an infield single and moved up a base on an infield out. Felipe Gonzalez then scored Cucjen with a single to right and took second base on the throw home. Paul Van Stone’s single scored Gonzalez to complete Fresno’s scoring.

Garcia’s two-out solo home run in the bottom of the inning accounted for the final score.