Quakes stun Storm, advance to Finals

It looked like the Quakes were headed back to Lake Elsinore for a decisive Game 5.

But trailing 5-2, the Quakes rallied for a run in the eighth and then three in the ninth against Cal League record-breaking closer Brad Brach.

Angel Castillo’s bases-loaded two-run double with two outs against Brach scored the tying and winning runs as the Quakes won 6-5 to advance to the Cal League Championship Series for the first time since 1998 by winning the series 3-1.

Eric Oliver started the rally in the eighth with an RBI single with two outs that meant Brach had to come into the game. But he had two outs and nobody on in the ninth, Alberto Rosario and Luis Jimenez singled. Gabe Jacobo, on the ninth pitch of his at-bat, eked out an infield single to just behind second base that scored Rosario to make it 5-4. Dillon Baird walked on five pitches to load the bases before Castillo hit a rocket to center that eluded center fielder Rico Noel, one-hopped the wall scoring two runs and set off a raucous celebration.

There was plenty of champagne in the dugout sprayed all over, dousing manager Keith Johnson in the process.

The Quakes will play Game 1 of the Cal League Championship Series at San Jose on Thursday. The best of five series will return to Rancho Cucamonga for Games 3, 4, and 5 Saturday-Monday. San Jose is the defending league champion, and also won in 2005 and 2007. But each of those times, San Jose had home-field advantage.