Quakes Catch Fire in Middle Innings to Rout Storm

Lake Elsinore, Calif. – The Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (4-0) scored in each of their last five turns at bat on Monday night, turning their first deficit of the season into a convincing 16-3 victory over the Lake Elsinore Storm (1-3).

Although the Quakes scored the game’s first run just two batters in, Lake Elsinore kept their offense quiet through the first four innings. A two-out, two-run rally in the bottom of the second gave the Storm an early 2-1 edge.

However, once the fifth inning began, the Quakes got their offense going. Kendrey Maduro leveled the score on a groundout before Slate Alford’s two-run base hit put Rancho Cucamonga on top 4-2 and delivered a lead they would hold for good.

Despite the Storm pulling one run closer in the bottom of the frame, the Quakes quickly canceled it out. Two runs came home on a wild pitch and a delayed steal of home in the top of the sixth, and Marlon Quintero added one more tally on his RBI single in the seventh, providing Rancho Cucamonga a 7-3 edge heading into the final two innings.

At that point, the Quakes kicked into high gear. They rallied for seven runs in the top of the eighth, highlighted by a Lucas Ramirez three-run triple, extending their advantage to double-digits and placing the contest out of reach. Rancho Cucamonga tacked on an additional pair in the ninth for good measure, supplying the final touches to an impressive road victory.

The Quakes return to Diamond Stadium of Lake Elsinore on Wednesday at 6:05 PM for their second matchup against the Storm in this six-game series. RHP Ubaldo Soto will start for Rancho Cucamonga opposite RHP Jesus Castro for Lake Elsinore as both pitchers make their 2026 season debuts.