Quakes' Bustabad nabs 800th victory

Juan Bustabad has won championships and awards. On Friday, he reached another milestone.

Bustabad recorded the 800th victory of his managerial career when the Class A Advanced Rancho Cucamonga Quakes defeated the Lake Elsinore Storm, 7-5, at The Epicenter.

"It's a big number. It just shows you've been doing it for a long time," he said. "And I can't do it without my players. I credit all my players for all those victories. The fans were great here in Rancho, we had a great big crowd. And now I'm 200 victories away from 1,000."

Bustabad was a first-round Draft pick of the Athletics in 1979 and spent parts of nine seasons in the Minor Leagues. He ended his playing career in the Dodgers system in 1989.

The 50-year-old Cuban began his managerial career in the Gulf Coast League in 1994. He spent five seasons in the Marlins organization before rejoining the Dodgers, with whom he's spent the last 11 years.

"It's a special moment," Bustabad said. "You can't do it by yourself, it's a team effort. And now we've won two in a row."

Bustabad was named 2010 Midwest League Manager of the Year after guiding Class A Great Lakes to a 90-49 record, then received the same honor in the California League last season after the Quakes went 80-60.

In Friday's milestone win, Austin Gallagher, C.J. Retherford and Michael Pericht homered for the Quakes. Freddie Cabrera (1-1) earned the victory with 2 1/3 innings of scoreless relief.