LAKE ELSINORE, CA – In its first home game in over two weeks, Lake Elsinore took an early three run lead over Rancho Cucamonga and held off a late-game rally to give the Quakes a 4-3 win and jump to sole possession of first place in the South Division.
The action started in the third for the Storm when Jose Verdugo singled on a looping flyball to right field. Two batters later, Conner Westenburg socked his fourth triple of the year down the left field line. Verdugo scored with ease and Lake Elsinore’s second run was just 90 feet away. Wesenburg scored shortly after thanks to a wild pitch from Rancho starter Talon Haley. After three, the Storm led 2-0.
In the fourth, Luke Cantwell worked a one-out walk and advanced to third after an error by Haley on a pickoff attempt. Moments later, Kerrington Cross singled Cantwell home to give the Storm their largest lead of the afternoon. Haley finished the inning and ended his outing with three hits, two earned runs, and seven strikeouts.
The Quakes responded in the top of the fifth with a solo shot from Jonny McGill. What looked to be an easy playable fly ball in left-center was carried by the gusting wind over the wall for the first Rancho run of the day. The Quakes followed with back to back extra-base hits from a Marlon Quintero double and a Hayden Alvarez triple to score one more and cut the deficit to just one. Lake Elsinore starter Winyer Chourio had his best start of the season with a five inning, ten strikeout performance en route to his first win in 2026.
The Storm added an insurance run in the sixth after Cantwell and Cross reached to start the inning. Jorge Quintana sacrificed the two over into scoring position to follow. After Verdugo popped out, Yoiber Ocopio tallied his third RBI of the season with a single to right.
Rancho scored one more in the eighth after threatening early in the inning after an Alvarez walk and an Anyelo Marquez single. After a wild pitch advanced both runners, another scored Alvarez from third and cut the Quakes deficit to just one run. But in the ninth, Will Koger shut the door by retiring the side in order with two strikeouts. The Storm grab their 20th win of the season and take sole possession of first in the division and for the time being, have the best record in the California League.
Lake Elsinore returns to action on Wednesday to face Rancho Cucamonga for game two of the six-game set from Diamond Stadium. This is the second series of the year between the Storm and the Quakes with the two teams splitting the first six games. The Storm will turn to RHP Jesus A. Castro (0-1, 4.58 ERA) to face Quakes RHP Ubaldo Soto (0-3, 6.85 ERA).First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 p.m. PT.
About the Lake Elsinore Storm
The Lake Elsinore Storm are the Single-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres in the California League. For more information on the Storm, visit milb.com/lake-elsinore. For information about tickets to any of Lake Elsinore’s 66 home games, call (951) 245-4487 or email: info@stormbaseball.com.