– RANCHO CUCAMONGA, CA
For many who know their baseball history, one of the biggest rivalries in Southern California is the Freeway Series. This refers to the hometown and defending World Series Champion Los Angeles Dodgers and the Los Angeles Angels (of Anaheim). The two foes have gone toe-to-toe plenty of times over the years and produced some great games.
On May 5, 2026, that rivalry was renewed in the Inland Empire through their minor league clubs. The Dodgers’ newest minor league team, the Ontario Tower Buzzers, faced off against the Angels’ minor league team, the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes. This matchup did have a bit of irony. Last year, the Quakes were the Dodgers’ minor league affiliates before they set up the Tower Buzzers. Also, ironically, the Quakes were the Angels’ minor league affiliates before they went to the Dodgers.
It certainly made for an exciting contest that was witnessed by a special crowd. It was Education Day in Rancho Cucamonga, which meant that the game was attended by lots of school kids. Nevertheless, it was business as usual for both teams. The Quakes came into this game after taking four out of six games from the Inland Empire 66ers. The Tower Buzzers came into this game with a different kind of momentum. The Buzzers were on a five game losing streak going into this contest, and desperate for a win to spark a turnaround.
In the end, the Quakes were blanked by the Tower Buzzers in the first matchup of what may become a new rivalry by a score of 3-0. Throughout his 5.1-inning start, pitcher Ubaldo Soto kept the Quakes in the contest. Soto permitted just one run and six hits, walking four batters and striking out four ahead of his departure.
However, Tower Buzzers starter Jesus Tillero managed to win this pitcher’s duel. The former Quake worked 6.1 scoreless frames, scattering four hits and one walk while striking out seven in what may be the best pitching performance out of any of the Buzzers’ pitchers this season. (Of course that doesn’t include Blake Snell or Brock Stewart’s rehab assignments as they attempt to return to the Dodgers.)
Easton Shelton gave the Tower Buzzers the lead through his two-out double in the top of the fourth, but the Quakes’ bullpen shutdown the Tower Buzzers’ rally with the bases loaded. A Ching-Hsien Ko solo home run in the eighth and an Emil Morales sacrifice fly in the ninth added run support in the late innings. The Tower Buzzers bullpen promptly backed it up and secured the final eight outs to finish off the historic victory.
This was the first round of this six game series. The Quakes’ record goes to 16-11 while the Tower Buzzers went up to 12-15. Be prepared for more fireworks as a new rivalry is born; another reflection of the rivalry between the Dodgers and the Angels.
Here are more photos from today’s game:
