ICYMI: Storm Stay One Game Up In Wild Card Race On Campusano's Walk-Off Home Run

LAKE ELSINORE, Calif., On the day the California League announced the 2019 All-Star team, Storm All-Star catcher and league Co-MVP Luis Campusano delivered the game winning hit, a three-run walk-off home run to left field with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, as Lake Elsinore rallied past the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes, 5-2, at The Diamond on Wednesday night in dramatic fashion.
The San Diego Padres' affiliate had a shutout and a 2-0 lead going into the ninth inning, thanks to SS Gabriel Arias belting his team-leading 16^th home run in the bottom of the sixth and 1B Olivier Basabe hitting his seventh of the season in the seventh inning. Four Storm pitchers combined to limit the Los Angeles Dodgers' affiliate to zero runs and four hits through the first 24 outs. Starter RHP Gabe Mosser (4 IP, 2 hits), LHP reliever Fred Schlichtholz (2 IP, 1 hit), LHP Sam Williams (1.1 IP, 1 hit) and RHP Hansel Rodriguez, the eventual winner, kept the Quakes scoreless until the ninth.
With Rodriguez and the Storm three outs away from their league-leading 13^th shutout, the first-place Quakes responded with a late rally. With runners on second and third and only one out, Rancho's Deacon Lipit delivered a two-RBI single into centerfield to tie the game, setting the stage for Campusano.
Lake Elsinore, having lost 18 of 25 to their I-15 rivals this season prior to the comeback, started a one-out rally on a hit-by-pitch to CF Jeisson Rosario followed by a walk to DH Allen Córdoba charged to RHP Max Gamboa. Gamboa was then replaced by LHP Darien Nunez, who induced 2B Xavier Edwards to pop up to the first baseman before Campusano hit his 14^th home run of the season 369 feet down the left field line for the game-winner.
The Storm have eight walk-off wins on the season, including six in their last seven home victories. For Campusano, the league's top batter, it was his first walk-off hit of the year.
Lake Elsinore is 66-60 overall and 31-27 in the second half. The Storm are two games out of first place in the second half, and one game ahead of Lancaster in the Wild Card race. The Storm have four remaining games against Rancho Cucamonga and will play Lancaster eight times in the final 11 games, including August 30-September 2 at home to close out the regular season.
Noteworthy:
RHP Gabe Mosser: Four innings, zero runs, two hits, one walk, one strikeout
RHP Hansel Rodriguez: 1.2 innings, four strikeouts, zero walks, winning pitcher
C Luis Campusano: 2-5, one home run (14^th), three RBI (72), now batting .321
SS Gabriel Arias: 1-4, one home run (16^th), one RBI (69), four-game hitting streak
1B Olivier Basabe: 1-4, one home run (7^th), one RBI (48)
RF Jack Suwinski: 3-4, three singles          
CF Jeisson Rosario: 1-1, two walks (league leader with 75), two stolen bases (10), one HBP            
WP: Hansel Rodriguez (3-1)
LP: Max Gamboa (5-5)
Save: None        
HR: LE: Arias (16^th, solo, B6), Basabe (7^th, solo, B7), Campusano (14^th, three-run, B9) | RC: None
Time: 3:21
Att: 1,221
On Deck:
On Thursday, August 22, in the rubber-game of the three-game series, the Storm will send 10-game winner, LHP Aaron Leasher, to the mound against eight-game winner, RHP Wills Montgomerie, to close out the homestand. The Storm will begin a seven-game road trip in Lancaster tomorrow and will return to The Diamond August 30-September 2 against the Jethawks. For the best available seats buy online at stormbaseball.com or call 951-245-4487.