Quakes Tee Off on Ports, Secure Series-Opening Win

Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. – The Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (2-2, 38-32) lived by the long ball in their return to Morongo Field on Tuesday evening, sending four balls over the wall to see off the Stockton Ports (2-2, 29-41) 9-2.

After both teams came up empty in the first inning, Rancho Cucamonga broke through in the bottom of the second. Following a Ryland Zaborowski double, Victor Rodriguez launched a two-run home run in his first-ever Single-A at-bat, handing the Quakes a 2-0 lead.

One frame later, two more big flies helped power a four-run rally, boosting the Rancho Cucamonga edge to six. Kevyn Castillo started it off, cashing in an Anyelo Marquez leadoff single by supplying an RBI base hit off his own. Kendrey Maduro then connected on a two-run home run, and the next batter, Zaborowski, cranked an opposite-field solo shot, capping off the crooked number with back-to-back blasts.

Marquez delivered an RBI single in the bottom of the fourth to immediately plate Lucas Ramirez after his leadoff double, giving starting pitcher Ubaldo Soto a seven-run lead to protect. Through his first five frames, he did just that. The right-hander kept the Ports off the board, scattering five hits and two walks, stranding five runners on base.

Stockton got to him, though, in the top of the sixth, using a Bryan Arendt RBI double and Shotaro Morii sacrifice fly to pull within five. However, the Quakes assembled an immediate response. Marlon Quintero lined a one-out two-bagger, and Ramirez smashed a two-run home run, restoring Rancho Cucamonga’s advantage at seven.

The bullpen held the Ports down over the next two innings, but down to their final strike, they scratched across one more tally on a Bryan Andrade double. Nevertheless, Alex Martinez shook it off and promptly collected the final out, sealing a Rancho Cucamonga victory.

The Quakes get back to work on Wednesday at 6:30 PM in game two of their six-game series against the Ports. LHP Talon Haley, the reigning California League Pitcher of the Week, takes the mound for Rancho Cucamonga opposite LHP Jackson Phipps for Stockton. As part of Raising Cane’s Pups in the Park at Morongo Field, fans can bring their four-legged friends to enjoy the action.