Had it not been for the rain, or the virus that shall not be named, the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes would have opened their 28th season – their 10th as the Dodgers Advanced Single-A affiliate – on April 9th.

Would have.

Instead, for the previously mentioned reasons, that scheduled April 9 California League 2020 season opener passed with not a single strike thrown. 

Rather than thinking about what could have been, however, let’s take a look back at the last 10 years of Quakes Opening Days, starting in 2011 when the Dodgers and Quakes first became family. 

For a little background, the Quakes got their start in Rancho Cucamonga, CA a short 47.9 miles from Dodger Stadium back in 1993 after playing in Lodi, CA from the 1960s to the 1980s before moving to the small San Bernardino County suburb in the late ’80s. 

They initially were affiliated with the San Diego Padres before switching affiliations to the Anaheim Angels (which they were still called at the time) in 2001. The most important affiliate switch came in 2011 though, when the Quakes played their first season as the Dodgers Advanced Single-A affiliate.

  *  *  *  

2011

In their 2011 season – and Dodgers affiliation – opener, the Quakes took on the Inland Empire 66ers, the Angels new Advanced Single-A affiliate at the 66ers home in the city of San Bernardino, CA. Right-hander Allen Webster got the start for the Quakes, but he suffered the loss after giving up four runs on seven hits over 4.2 innings of work. Reliever Steve Smith gave up two more runs. The Quake offense scored just two runs to Inland’s six while the defense made an error in the 6-2 loss. 

2012

In 2012, the Quakes played the 66ers once again on Opening Day, this time at home at The Epicenter. Right-hander Zach Lee, the Dodgers first-round draft pick in 2010 out of McKinney High School in McKinney, TX, got the start, going five innings and giving up just one hit while striking out five. He left the game with a 2-0 lead, but the bullpen ran into some trouble, giving up two runs in the sixth.

The Quakes offense was able to add on three runs in the seventh, but the bullpen gave up three runs to retie the game and send it to extras. Unfortunately, the bullpen fell through again and gave up the go ahead run in the 11th that the Quakes weren’t able to take back and add to, dropping the game 6-5.

2013

For their third Opening Day as the Dodgers affiliate in 2013, the Quakes recorded a win against the Lake Elsinore Storm (Padres). Dodgers veteran right-hander Chad Billingsley got the start in a rehab appearance for Rancho. Billingsley gave up three runs over four innings, but the Quakes bullpen was able to keep Elsinore at bay. Rancho’s offense scored two in the sixth and three in the eighth to take a late lead over the Storm. 

Mike Thomas pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning to keep the win intact for Matt Shelton while earning himself the save.

2014

The Quakes started the season at home once again in 2014, but they got quite the beating from the San Jose Giants (Giants). San Jose started strong, scoring three on starter Chris Anderson, who would eventually take the loss. The Quakes got their one and only run in the fourth thanks to a solo home run from powerful first baseman Chris Jacobs, but that would be about all the offense they could muster, as they put up only four hits on the night, two coming from Jacobs. Dodgers 2012 first-round draft pick Corey Seager was in the starting lineup for Rancho but went 0-4 as the Quakes fell 7-1.

2015

In 2015 the Quakes started on the road again, this time in Bakersfield where they took on the Blaze in a close contest with a 3-2 final in favor of the Quakes. Right-hander José De León got the start for Rancho, going five innings and allowing the only runs Bakersfield would score. 

The Quakes offense kicked in for the sixth and seventh, scoring a run in each inning to tie the game. They scored the go-ahead and eventual game-winner in the ninth. 

Randy Fontanez got the win after pitching two hitless innings to close out the game. A then 19-year-old Cody Bellinger and catcher Kyle Famer were both in the starting lineup that day but neither managed to collect a hit, although Bellinger walked twice. 

Rancho would go on to win their first California League Championship in 2015, the franchise’s first since 1994.

2016

Despite having quite the Opening Day lineup in 2016, the Quakes fell to the Storm at home once again. Trevor Oaks got the start and gave up all four of the Storm runs in the first inning, eventually saddling him with the loss. 

Rancho scored one run each in the first two innings but failed to bring home any other runs. Andrew Toles went 2-4, while Matt Beaty went 1-4. Howie Kendrick was on a rehab assignment but went 0-3.

2017 

Opening Day 2017 was postponed thanks to rain in Stockton, but the Quakes sure made up for it the following day. In Game-1 of a doubleheader against the Stockton Ports (Athletics), they were nearly on the wrong side of a perfect game. With one out in the seventh and final inning of the game, Quakes shortstop Omar Estevez singled, proving to be the Quakes one and only base runner. Right-hander Caleb Ferguson took the loss, giving up two runs over two innings. 

In Game-2, however, the Quakes offense had returned as they scored two runs in the first and two more in the third. Mitchell White got the start and went four hitless innings, walking three and striking out five. Alex Hermeling went the final three innings, throwing three perfect, to give the Quakes their first no-hitter – albeit combined – in their 25-year history. Outfielder DJ Peters went 1-3 and was joined in the lineup by Estevez and outfielder Luke Raley.

 2018

The Quakes once again were on the road to start the 2018 season, this time in Visalia, where the Rawhide (Diamondbacks) went back and forth with the Quakes in runs scored. In the end, the Quakes lost 11-9, with starter Dean Kremer taking the loss. Estevez went 2-5, while second baseman Gavin Lux went 0-4, although he did score a run. 

Despite their rough start to the season, the Quakes went on to defeat the Rawhide in the California League finals to earn their second crown in three years.

2019

The Quakes returned to Stockton once again for Opening Day in 2019 and they again took a loss, falling 4-1 as they didn’t score until the eighth inning. On the plus side, newcomer Jeter Downs went 1-4 as the designated hitter. Starter Leo Crawford suffered the loss after giving up four runs over two innings.

   *  *  *  *  

Although no one knows exactly when Opening Day 2020 will be for the Quakes or who they will be playing and where, it’s definitely something to look forward to, as we all wait for the seemingly uncertain future to unfold.

  *  *  *  *  *  *