Nine-Run Eighth Helps Quakes Sweep
Rancho Cucamonga, CA - A nine-run eighth broke open a one-run game, as the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes completed a three-game sweep of the Lake Elsinore Storm with a convincing 12-5 win on Sunday evening at LoanMart Field.
Corey Seager had a two-run homer as well as a two-run single, highlighting a nine-run eighth inning for the Quakes, sending the Storm to their sixth straight loss.
Quakes' starter Freddie Cabrera (3-3) was outstanding, allowing just a pair of unearned runs over five solid innings in the win.
The Storm took a 2-0 lead over Cabrera in the second, as after a one-out error, Bridger Hunt's two-RBI single put them in the early lead.
The Quakes stormed back in the third against Storm starter Frank Garces (7-8), as Darnell Sweeny gave Rancho the lead for good with his league-leading 14th triple of the year, a bases-loaded liner down the right-field line that put the Quakes up 3-2.
That lead held until the eighth, when Rancho broke things open against Storm reliever Luis De La Cruz. O'Koyea Dickson started the outburst with a two-run single, then scored on Seager's two-run blast, his third in a Rancho uniform, making it 7-2. The Quakes poured it on with five more, capped by another Seager hit to drive in two more to make it 12-2.
Lake Elsinore put some pressure on Blake Smith in the ninth, scoring three times before reliever Edwin Carl slammed the door and earned the final two outs.
Rancho's win, combined with another loss for High Desert, means the Quakes are now just a half-game back of the wild card leading Mavs with 14 games to play.
After a day off on Monday, the Quakes will head to High Desert for a three-game showdown on Tuesday, sending JonMichael Redding (4-4) to the mound against Mavs' lefty Cameron Hobson (5-9) at 7:05pm.
The Quakes will return to LoanMart Field on Tuesday, August 27th for the final home stand of the regular season. Tickets are available by calling (909) 481-5000 or online at rcquakes.com. We hope to see you very soon at LoanMart Field. Go Quakes!