Shortly after the Dodgers Advanced Single-A affiliate Rancho Cucamonga Quakes won the California League South Division first half title, thereby guaranteeing them a berth into the postseason, they underwent a very significant personnel change. In addition to losing guys named Gavin Lux, Zach McKinstry, Logan Landon, Zach Reks, Tony Gonsolin, Karch Kowalczyk, and Dustin May (among others) to promotion to the Double-A Tulsa Drillers, they also lost Dean Kremer, Zach Pop, and Rylan Bannon in the blockbuster trade that brought All-Star shortstop Manny Machado to the Dodgers.

By every indication, the Quakes had lost the very heart of the team that secured their spot in the postseason, including two of the Cal League’s best starting pitchers (Kremer and May), and the guy who was leading the California League in home runs (Bannon). As such, many began to think that they didn’t stand a chance in: A) The second half; and B) the playoffs.

But under the leadership of third-year manager Drew Saylor and his staff, not only did the second half Quakes: A) Also win the California League South Division second half title, they did so by: B) Besting their first half record of 35-35 (.500) with a franchise record-setting second half record of 52-18 (.743) which, at one point, included a franchise record-setting 15-game winning streak.

When the 2018 regular season came to a close on September 3, the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes had amassed an overall record of 87-53 (.621), which was also a new franchise record. Along the way, manager Drew Saylor also became the winningest manager in franchise history.

Simply put, the second half Quakes team – the one that many thought wouldn’t stand a chance in the second half and in the postseason – was arguably the best Quakes team in the eight years that they have been the Dodgers Advanced Single-A affiliate. As such, it came as no surprise – none whatsoever – when Saylor’s team: A) Not only won the best-of-five 2018 California League Championship Series on Friday night in front of a LoanMart Field crowd of 2,464, but: B) Did so by sweeping the Cal League North champion Visalia Rawhide (Diamondbacks) in three games which, quite frankly, weren’t even close.

After winning the first two games of the series at Recreation Park in downtown Visalia by scores of 5-4 and 9-3, the Quakes returned home and sealed the deal with a lopsided 9-1 win over the Rawhide, to with the Cal League championship for the second time in the last three years.

The 2018 California League champion Rancho Cucamonga Quakes.
(Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

“The mountain top, it looks beautiful,” said a champagne-soaked Drew Saylor, following the three-game series sweep. “I can’t imagine any other way than to be able to do it here in front of our fans. I mean, they’re the best fans in the Cal League by a very wide margin.

“It means a lot to be able to bring a championship back here to Rancho, especially how much this place means to me and my family and to our organization, so this is a special night,” Saylor added.

In a unique twist of fate, just prior to the start of Game-3 of what would be the series clencher, it was announced that rehabbing Dodgers relievers John Axford and Tony Cingrani would be added to the Quakes playoff roster, not in an attempt to stack the deck (so to speak), but rather to get them some live-game action as they work themselves back from injuries in hopes that they might be able to rejoin the parent team for the extremely tight stretch run in the National League West and perhaps into the MLB postseason.

While some may cry foul by bringing in two rehabbing major leaguers for a minor league playoff game – this in addition to Dodgers right-hander Yimi Garcia, who was already on the Quakes roster on a rehab assignment – the bottom line is that this could (and turned out to be) the final game of the 2018 season for Rancho Cucamonga. As such, it would be the last opportunity to get Axford, Cingrani, and Garcia into a live game, and a high-leverage one at that.

Axford entered the game in the top of the seventh inning after an absolutely brilliant performance by Quakes right-hander Isaac Anderson. In his 6.0 innings of work, Anderson allowed no runs and only one hit, while walking two and striking out six Rawhide batters.

Quakes right-hander Isaac Anderson was absolutely brilliant in his six innings of work in Game-3 of the Cal League Championship Series, allowing no runs and only one hit.
(Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

Axford, on the other hand, was anything but effective, issuing a one-out walk, inducing a fly out, threw a wild pitch that allowed the runner to advance to second base, and then gave up an RBI double to Rawhide center fielder Marcus Wilson, to give Visalia their one and only run of the game.

Having reached his predetermined limit of 15-20 pitches (he made 19), Saylor brought in Quakes left-hander Logan Salow to replace Axford. On his second pitch, Salow induced a ground out to Quakes first baseman Nick Yarnall to end the inning and the only real threat that Visalia would mount on the night.

Cingrani took over for Salow in the top of the eighth inning, issuing a two out walk while striking out two of the four total batters he faced in his only inning of work.

Garcia began the top of the ninth and induced a pop out to Quakes second baseman Jared Walker and struck out the second batter he faced.

With only one out to go, Saylor did what Saylor absolutely positively needed to do – he brought in one of his own pitchers – Cal League South Finals hero Parker Curry – to get the final out of the game and of the 2018 California League Championship Series.

Curry did exactly that on his second pitch to Rawhide catcher Daulton Varsho, who grounded out to first baseman Nick Yarnall to give the 2018 Rancho Cucamonga Quakes their rightful place in California League history.

Series MVP honors went to Quakes third baseman Cristian Santana, who went 4-for-13 (.308) with three runs scored, a double, and a home run, while driving in two during the three-game series.

When asked if the grand slam home run by Quakes right fielder Cody Thomas in Game-1 was the defining moment of the series, Saylor has this to say:

“Absolutely, especially with two outs too, in a tight ballgame. That really gave us some breathing room,” said Saylor. “I think that was the moment in this series that we felt like ‘We got this thing.’ You started to feel a little different, the guys started talking a little different, their body language was different.

“It was a big knock by Cody Thomas. I think Cody and Cristian could have been co-MVPs for me,” added the Quakes skipper.

Well done men. Well done indeed.