Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. – The Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (5-4, 41-34) came through in a big way at the plate on Sunday at Morongo Field, setting a new season-high in runs and tying their season-high in hits to easily take down the Stockton Ports (4-5, 31-44) 17-4 and secure a series win.
The Ports opened the scoring in the top of the first inning on a Breyson Guedez single, but the Quakes wasted little time canceling it out. Hayden Alvarez drew a walk, and Kevyn Castillo ripped a double, placing runners on second and third for Kendrey Maduro. He delivered a two-run single that flipped their one-run deficit into a one-run lead at 2-1.
Two frames later, Gabriel Davalillo added on, supplying early separation from Stockton. He connected on a solo home run, doubling the Rancho Cucamonga advantage to 3-1.
Their big breakthrough, though, came in the bottom of the fourth, as they rallied for eight runs to blow the game open. Castillo supplied another double to start the onslaught, and Maduro promptly followed up by slugging a two-run home run. Victor Rodriguez chipped in an RBI single, and as the Quakes loaded the bases for John Wimmer, he delivered a grand slam that reached the batter’s eye in center field, propelling Rancho Cucamonga ahead 11-1.
In support of all the offense, Major League rehabber Grayson Rodriguez held the Ports in check. He quickly brushed off the initial setback and finished his start by tossing three shutout frames, striking out four hitters over 57 pitches.
Stockton pulled one run back in the fifth and two more in the seventh, but the Quakes woke back up in their half of the latter inning. Wimmer cashed in a Jonathan Linares leadoff double by immediately driving him in via a base hit, and he came home alongside Alvarez two batters later on Castillo’s third double of the contest. Maduro roped a two-run two-bagger of his own, and Davalillo cranked another long ball, this time a two-run shot, closing out the six-run outburst.
Jaren Warwick and Fulton Lockhart backed up the offense out of the bullpen and shut Stockton out the rest of the way. Both relievers fired a spotless inning, hammering down the decisive win.
The Quakes travel to Excite Ballpark on Tuesday at 6:30 PM to open a six-game series against the San Jose Giants. Upon the conclusion of their time in the South Bay, they return to Morongo Field for a nine-game homestand starting on July 7th as they welcome the Lake Elsinore Storm to town on Healthy RC Recycle Tuesday and Two Dollar Tuesday.