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 a lopsided 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.