Tower Buzzers’ Opening Day Sold Out
The very first opening day of the brand new Ontario Tower Buzzers at the brand new ONT Field was a complete sellout. All 6,000 seats were taken in the inaugural game of the Dodgers’ Single A farm team.
In their inaugural game the Tower Buzzers hosted the Lake Elsinore Storm. Unfortunately for the home team, the visitors were too strong as they prevailed 7-5.
Nevertheless, the very first game of the Tower Buzzers was a big party.
The $100 million stadium seats about 6,000 people and offers affordable tickets that start at $13. Families said they appreciate the affordability.
Everything in this ballpark breathes aviation as the ballpark is named after the abbreviation of Ontario International Airport, ONT, as the airport is also the name-giving sponsor of the ballpark. The entrances of the ballpark are called gates. Stadium suites are called flight cabins, and employees are dressed up in aviation-linked uniforms.
But next to the aviation theme, there is a lot Dodgers about this ballpark. Next to big murals of the Dodgers’ own Fernando Valenzuela, the dimensions of the playing field are the same as those at Dodger Stadium. Also the Jumbotron scoreboard looks like those at Chavez Ravine.
Players of the home team were presented as the trotted past two fire-breathing pillars.
The Tower Buzzers took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second on a solo shot by Brendan Tunink but that lead would not last long as Lake Elsinore scored five runs in the third inning and never looked back. Ontario inched closer in the ninth when Connor O’Neal scored from second on a single by Jaron Elkins but the game ended on a failed stealing attempt by Jaron Elkins who was caught stealing second base for the final out of the game.
Brendan Tunink connects for the first ever Tower Buzzers homerun
The Tower Buzzers are the newest franchise of the California League, practically replacing the Modesto Nuts, who were left by their parent club, the Seattle Mariners. The M’s left for San Bernadino to fill the void the Angels left as they headed to Rancho Cucamonga to take the place of the Dodgers who moved to Ontario.
The Tower Buzzers aren’t the only team with a new ballpark in 2026. Also the Chattanooga Lookouts and the Wilson Warbirds (until 2026 the Carolina Mudcats) will play in a brand new ballpark, but both teams will start the season on the road tonight.