Ports Rally Late, Beat Blaze 8-6
May 21, 2015 - California League (CalL1)
Stockton Ports News Release
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. - After seeing a comeback fall short on Tuesday night, the Stockton Ports broke a late tie and held on to the lead to even their series with the Bakersfield Blaze on Wednesday night at Sam Lynn Ballpark. The Ports broke a 5-5 tie in the eighth by pushing three runs across and held on for an 8-6 win in the second game of their seven-game road trip.
Bakersfield opened the scoring in the first with a pair of doubles from Tim Lopes and Guillermo Pimentel, with Pimentel driving in Lopes to give the Blaze a 1-0 lead. Stockton was quick to tie in the top of the second on a one-out solo home run by Tyler Marincov that tied the game at 1-1.
The Blaze took the lead back in the bottom of the fourth as Austin Wilson reached to open the inning on an infield single. Wilson later scored on a sac-fly by Carlton Tanabe that gave the Blaze a 2-1 lead. The Ports evened the score in the fifth when Nick Rickles opened the inning with a ground rule double to right and scored later on an errant pick-off attempt by Blaze starter Tyler Pike, tying the game at 2-2. It was the final run allowed by Pike, who received a no-decision after going five innings and allowing two runs (one earned) on five hits while striking out two.
Bakersfield took the lead back in the last of the fifth. With the bases empty and one out, Lopes reached on a fielding error committed by third baseman Matt Chapman. After Tyler O'Neill was hit by a pitch, Pimentel drove in two more runs with a single to center to give the Blaze a 4-2 lead.
Ports starter Joel Seddon received a no-decision, going five innings and allowing four runs (three earned) on six hits while striking out four.
Stockton scored three in the top of the sixth off Blaze reliever Dylan Unsworth. With two on and one out, Chapman singled to center to score one run. Blaze center fielder Ian Miller then misplayed the ball, allowing a second run to score and tie the game at 4-4. Chapman scored later in the inning on a passed ball to give Stockton a 5-4 lead. Those were the only three runs (one earned) allowed by Unsworth in two innings of relief.
Sam Roberts (1-1) took over in the bottom of the sixth and struck out Justin Seager to begin the inning, but Seager reached on a wild pitch. Tanabe followed with a double that put runners at second and third. Two batters later, Miller drove in the tying run with an RBI single, knotting the contest at 5-5.
Nick Valenza (1-1) took over for the Blaze in the eighth inning and issued a leadoff walk to B.J. Boyd. Two batters later, Marincov singled to put two runners aboard. Chapman followed with an RBI double to left to give the Ports a 6-5 lead. Rickles came up next and delivered a two-run single to left that increased the Ports lead to 8-5.
Valenza suffered the loss, allowing three runs on three hits in two innings of work. Roberts picked up the win for Stockton, allowing one run on four hits in two innings of relief.
Brendan McCurry (SV, 4) entered to start the eighth and gave up a leadoff home run to Martin Peguero that cut the Ports lead to 8-6. McCurry, though, would go on to retire five of the next six batters he faced to close out the ballgame and pick up his fourth save of the season.
The Ports and Blaze play the rubber match of their three-game series on Thursday night at Sam Lynn Ballpark. Left-hander Dillon Overton (1-0, 2.08 ERA) makes the start for Stockton, opposed by Bakersfield right-hander Carlos Misell (1-2, 5.93 ERA). First pitch is set for 7:35 p.m. PDT.
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