Two-Out Hits Hurt Ports in 4-3 Loss
May 24, 2017 - California League (CalL1)
Stockton Ports News Release
VISALIA, Calif. - The Stockton Ports couldn't escape clutch hits by the Visalia Rawhide on Tuesday night at Recreation Ballpark. Visalia scored three of its four runs on the night with two outs in the inning, including the go-ahead single in the bottom of the seventh, as they snapped Stockton's win streak at three games with a 4-3 win over the Ports to open a three-game series.
Ports starter Angel Duno pitched around a pair of hits in the first but gave up back-to-back doubles to begin the second, the second one hit by Grant Heyman to drive in Henry Castillo and give the Rawhide a 1-0 lead.
Visalia starter Bo Takahashi (1-2) retired 12 of the first 13 batters he faced before finding himself in a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the fifth. With the bases full, he got Santiago Chavez to strike out, but then gave up a two-out infield single to Skye Bolt that brought in Stockton's first run of the contest and tied the game at 1-1.
The Rawhide took the lead right back in the bottom of the fifth. With runners at the corners and nobody out, Marty Herum hit a fly ball to center that was caught by Bolt. Sergio Alcatara, the runner at third, tried to tag and score but was thrown out at the plate by Bolt for a double-play. Jason Morozowski, the runner at first, tagged and went to second on the play. Morozowski would score on a two-out single to right by Francis Christy that gave Visalia a 2-1 lead. It was the last run allowed by Ports starter Angel Duno, who did not factor into the decision after going five innings and allowing two runs on nine hits while striking out six.
Stockton would take its first lead with two outs in the sixth. With Mikey White at first after a single, Trent Gilbert came to the plate and delivered a two-run homer to right that gave the Ports a 3-2 advantage. Those were the last runs allowed by Takahashi, who went on to set down his final four batters to take him through the seventh. He'd pick up his first win of the year, allowing three runs on five hits while striking out a season-high eight.
Jared Lyons (1-2), who came on in relief of Duno in the sixth and set the side down in order, worked into the seventh and gave up back-to-back singles to Acantara and Matt McPherson. After a double steal put the runners at second and third with nobody out, Lyons struck out Morozowski and then intentionally walked Herum to load the bases. After striking out Christy with the bases loaded for the second out, Lyons gave up a two-run single to left to Castillo that gave the Rawhide a 4-3 edge.
Lyons would suffer the loss, going 1.2 innings and allowing two runs on three hits while striking out three.
After Cameron Gann pitched the eighth and escaped a jam with a runner at third and one out with back-to-back strikeouts, Bud Jeter (SV, 11) came on to pitch the ninth and gave up a one-out single to Brett Siddall . Jeter, though, would strike out pinch-hitter Tyler Ramirez and get Bolt to fly out to deep center to end the ballgame and notch his league-leading 11th save of the season.
The Ports and Rawhide play the middle game of their three-game series on Wednesday night at Recreation Ballpark. Casey Meisner (2-5. 5.50 ERA) makes the start for Stockton, opposed by Visalia right-hander Ryan Atkinson (2-1, 3.15 ERA). First pitch is set for 6 p.m. PDT.
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California League Stories from May 24, 2017
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