Donaldson's 14th Inning Blast Gives Ports 6-5 Win
Published on September 1, 2008 under California League (CalL1)
Stockton Ports News Release
STOCKTON, Calif. - It took 14 innings, but it was a result worth waiting for. On Sunday, the Stockton Ports and Visalia Oaks dueled for over four hours in their longest game of the 2008 season. After many twists and turns, it ended abruptly with one pitch in the bottom of the 14th inning--a pitch that Josh Donaldson lined over the left field fence, giving the Ports a 6-5 walk-off win. The win is Stockton's fifth straight, and assures them a series win in their final series of the 2008 regular season.
Baserunners were hard to find for the Oaks against Ports starter Graham Godfrey. Five of the six they had against Godfrey came in the second inning. Pete Clifford and Ed Easley started the frame with back-to-back singles. Ricardo Sosa came up next and hit a ball to third that was booted by third baseman Chris Carter, allowing Clifford to score and putting Easley at third. Greg Thomson followed with what looked to be a bloop single to right. The ball fell in front of Ports right fielder Matt Spencer, who had a chance to throw out Sosa at second on a force. Spencer's throw pulled shortstop Carlos Arrieche off the bag, and the play was ruled a fielder's choice and E-9, giving Thomson an RBI and giving the Oaks a 2-0 lead. Two batters later, Manny Ferrer knocked a single to center to make it 3-0.
Godfrey would go on to retire 13 of the next 14 batters he faced to finish his night. The only batter that reached was Pedro Ciriaco, who was hit by a pitch with one out in the sixth. Godfrey set the side down in order in four of the six innings in which he pitched and would receive a no-decision, going six innings and allowing just the three runs (one earned) on three hits while striking out two. He didn't walk a batter on the night.
The Ports would begin chipping away in the bottom of the third against Oaks starter Bryan Augenstein. With runners at the corners and one out, Carter got Stockton's first run home on a sac-fly to center. It was the only run allowed by Augenstein in his five innings of work.
Stockton got their second run in the sixth off reliever Jorge Perez. With two outs and Donaldson at second, Carlos Arrieche knocked an RBI single to center, cutting the Oaks lead to 3-2. In the seventh, with reliever Dan Stange on the hill, Spencer came up and tied it with a solo blast to right.
Stockton's first lead of the night came in the bottom of the fifth. With runners at second and third and two down, Mike Massaro blooped a two-run single to right field off Oaks reliever Josh Ellis, giving the Ports a 5-3 lead.
Visalia, facing another tough loss, would battle back to tie the game in the ninth. With Sam Demel on the hill going for his 19th save, Clifford worked a one-out walk. Easley and Sosa followed with singles--Sosa's an infield RBI single to cut the Oaks deficit to 5-4. After Demel recorded the second out, Konrad Schmidt gave the Oaks a tie with a two-out RBI single to right, scoring Easley and knotting the score at five. Demel was charged with his sixth blown save of the year, and pitched just the one inning.
In extra innings, the Ports bullpen was sensational. James Heuser came on in the 10th and struck out the first five batters he faced into the 11th. Heuser retired all six batters he faced, and turned it over to Pat Currin, who worked a scoreless 12th and 13th. The Oaks bullpen matched Stockton's good effort. Kyler Newby got out of a jam in the ninth with Carter at third and one out. Newby pitched two scoreless frames to get through the 10th. Scott Maine (3-2) escaped the 12th and stranded a runner in scoring position, and, with two outs in the 13th, intentionally walked Carter to load the bases before getting Frank Martinez to fly to left.
Jose Fragoso (3-3) pitched a scoreless top of the 14th, and in the bottom of the inning, Donaldson took the first pitch he saw from Maine and lined it into the visitor's bullpen behind the left field wall, giving the Ports a 6-5 walk-off win. Fragoso was credited with the win for the Ports, while Maine took the loss for the Oaks.
The Ports are now 9-6 in extra innings on the year and 6-1 in extra frames at Banner Island Ballpark.
Stockton and Visalia will play the final game of the 2008 regular season on Monday at Banner Island Ballpark. Derrick Gordon (5-4, 4.82 ERA) will take the ball for the Ports, opposed by right-hander and Stockton native Barry Enright (11-8, 4.43 ERA) for the Oaks. First pitch is set for 6:05 p.m. PDT.
California League Stories from September 1, 2008
- Quakes Beat 66ers 5-3 - Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
- JetHawks Clinch Second Half Title - Lancaster JetHawks
- Giants Conclude Regular Season With 6-4 Victory - San Jose Giants
- Quakes To Hold Fan Appreciation Day Today - Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
- Donaldson's 14th Inning Blast Gives Ports 6-5 Win - Stockton Ports
- San Jose Suffers 6-3 Loss To JetHawks - San Jose Giants
- Quakes Blow Lead in 9th Lose 6-4 to 66ers - Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
