Buzzers Rally Late to Knock Off First-Place Storm 5-4

LAKE ELSINORE, Calif. — The Ontario Tower Buzzers came in hot Tuesday night, kicking off a big six-game stretch against the top-ranked Lake Elsinore Storm. Down late, Ontario managed three runs in the eighth inning and grabbed a 5-4 win at The Diamond. Just like that, they pulled within three games of first place in the South Division.

Ontario bumped its record up to 30-28, while Lake Elsinore dropped to 33-25.

The Buzzers wasted no time going after Storm starter Winyer Chourio, who has been one of the best strikeout guys in the California League. In the first inning, they took advantage. After Ching-Hsien Ko and Jaron Elkins were retired, Chase Harlan sparked things with a double to right field. Mairo Martinus ripped an RBI triple to right-center to drive in Harlan, and Ontario was up 1-0. Not long after, a wild pitch from Chourio let Martinus easily trot home, making it 2-0.

That early offense gave starter Tyler Gough just enough breathing room. Gough looked sharp again, throwing three scoreless innings with four hits allowed and six strikeouts. He navigated trouble and kept hitters off balance, dropping his ERA to a slick 0.79 through three starts with Ontario.

Lake Elsinore finally got something going in the fourth. Gough was out, and Jholbran Herder came in shaky. He walked three to load the bases, and Jesus Tillero had to come in for damage control. Tillero plunked Luke Cantwell, letting in a run, but got a big strikeout to keep Ontario up 2-1.

The Storm took the lead in the sixth. Jorge Quintana singled, Qrey Lott got hit by a pitch, and Conner Westenburg loaded the bases with another single. Cantwell came through, lining a two-run single that scored Quintana and Lott. Suddenly, Lake Elsinore was up 3-2.

For most of the game, Chourio seemed like he’d be the headline. He fanned nine in six innings, surrendering only four hits and two runs, and Ontario hitters just couldn’t solve him.

Things then turned in the eighth. Landyn Vidourek, who’d come in as a defensive sub, led off with a single. Ko followed it up with a base hit to left-center, and Vidourek hustled home to tie the game. Then the Storm bullpen unraveled. Reliever Rordy Mejia uncorked two wild pitches, moving Ko to third and Harlan (who’d drawn a walk) to second. Martinus grounded out to bring Ko home for the lead, and Easton Shelton followed with a grounder to second that tacked on another run, making it 5-3.

Ontario’s middle order came up big. Harlan went 2-for-3 with two doubles, a walk, and scored twice. Martinus chipped in a triple and two RBIs. Ko added an RBI single and crossed the plate twice.

Tillero did the rest. The 20-year-old righty chewed through 5.1 innings out of the bullpen, giving up three runs on four hits and striking out four. In the ninth, Cantwell tripled and scored on Kerrington Cross’s groundout, but Tillero closed it down and got his third win of the year.

Cantwell carried Lake Elsinore’s offense, ending up 3-for-4 with three RBIs and a triple in the ninth. But the Storm left nine runners on base and were just 3-for-14 when they had chances to score.

Ontario, meanwhile, did what good teams do, made its hits count. They only managed seven hits but went 2-for-8 with runners in scoring position and left just four guys stranded.

This win gave Ontario a big bump, showing the Storm they’re not backing down. The Buzzers get another crack at them Wednesday night in Lake Elsinore.