Quakes Headed to Championship Series!
Rancho Cucamonga, CA – The Rancho Cucamonga Quakes advanced to their first Cal League Championship Series since they last won it all in 2018, coming from behind to defeat the Inland Empire 66ers on Friday night, with an 11-6 victory at LoanMart Field. Joe Vetrano slugged two home runs and
Rancho Cucamonga, CA – The Rancho Cucamonga Quakes advanced to their first Cal League Championship Series since they last won it all in 2018, coming from behind to defeat the Inland Empire 66ers on Friday night, with an 11-6 victory at LoanMart Field.
Joe Vetrano slugged two home runs and Garrett McDaniels fired three innings to finish it off and earn the win, as the Quakes will move on to face the Modesto Nuts, who completed a two-game sweep of San Jose on Thursday night to claim the North Division Title.
Trailing 4-0 in the second, Rancho rallied to score eight runs and take the lead for good. Vetrano led off the inning with a solo shot off starter Jorge Marcheco (0-1) and also capped the inning with a three-run blast. In between, Jordan Thompson smashed his first professional homer and Josue De Paula blasted a two-run shot to put Rancho ahead to stay.
Leading 8-4 after two, the Quakes got another in the third, as Thompson doubled and scored on a De Paula double, making it 9-4.
Leading 9-5 in the sixth, Rancho put it away with two more runs against the 66ers’ bullpen, with Vetrano capping a three-hit, five-RBI night, with a two-out run-scoring single to make it 11-5.
The 66ers got a run in the seventh, but McDaniels (1-0) came on to get a double-play ball, then proceeded to pitch a total of three innings to finish it off and earn his first post-season win, giving Rancho a 2-1 series victory.
Rancho and Modesto will meet in the Championship Series for the second time ever, with the Quakes defeating Modesto back in 1994, for their first of three Cal League Championships in their 30-year history.
The Quakes and Nuts will open Game One at John Thurman Field on Sunday at 5:05pm. No starting pitchers have been named for either club. The two clubs will take Monday off before returning to LoanMart Field for Game Two on Tuesday at 6:30pm. Game Three will also take place at LoanMart Field, on Wednesday if necessary. Tickets will be available for the Cal League Championship Series at rcquakes.com. Go Quakes!