Quakes Rally Twice in Win

Lake Elsinore, CA – A misplayed fly ball in right field led to the game-winning run in the ninth for Rancho Cucamonga, as the Quakes came from behind to defeat the Lake Elsinore Storm, 5-4 on Tuesday night at The Diamond.

The Quakes and Storm will meet a total of 30 times this year and their first head-to-head meeting saw the Quakes rally twice to tie and take their first lead in their final at-bat.

Tied at 4-4 with two outs in the ninth, Diego Cartaya earned a walk on five pitches from Lake Elsinore reliever Aaron Holiday (2-1). Damon Keith followed with a deep fly ball to right field. Storm outfielder Justin Farmer retreated all the way to the wall and had room to make the catch, but let it hit off his glove, allowing Cartaya to score and make it 5-4.

Cartaya impacted the bottom of the inning as well, helping the Quakes win their third straight. Reliever Ben Harris walked the lead-off batter, but benefited from a strike-em-out-throw-em-out double-play, as Cartaya gunned down the would-be base-stealer. Harris hit a batter and gave up an infield single, but got James Wood to ground back to the mound to end the game, giving Harris his second save.

The Quakes found themselves in a 3-0 hole, as the Storm scored three unearned runs against Benony Robles in the fifth.

Cartaya jumpstarted the offense in the sixth, as his fifth homer of the year put Rancho on the board at 3-1.

The Quakes later tied the game with two more in the sixth, but saw the Storm take the lead again in the bottom of the inning

Rancho again tied the game, as they scored on an error to even the game at 4-4.

Ben Casparius turned in his best start of the year in the no-decision, as he fired four innings of hitless baseball.

The Quakes (14-8) are now just one game back of Lake Elsinore in the South Division standings. Maddux Bruns (0-0) will go the mound in game two, while the San Diego Padres will send rehabbing left-hander Blake Snell to the hill. Game time is 6:05pm.

On Tuesday, May 10th, the Quakes return to LoanMart Field, opening a six-game set against Stockton. Tuesday the 10th will be Education Day, with a special start time of 11:00am. Tickets are available at rcquakes.com. We hope to see you at LoanMart Field...Go Quakes!