66ers Miscues Aid 8-5 Ports Win
Published on July 23, 2018 under California League (CalL1)
Stockton Ports News Release
STOCKTON, Calif. - The Stockton Ports matched their largest come-from-behind win of the season on Sunday night at Banner Island Ballpark. Stockton took advantage of back-to-back botched double-play balls in the sixth inning and scored seven unanswered runs after trailing by four in an 8-5 win over the Inland Empire 66ers.
Stockton scored the first run of the game in the bottom of the first inning as they loaded the bases with two outs and saw Brett Siddall get hit by a pitch to take an early 1-0 lead. Inland Empire fired back with a three-run top of the second that began with a solo home run hit by Franklin Torres, his first of two on the night. After a single, a walk and an error loaded the bases with one out, Alberto Triunfel hit a two-run single to center to give the 66ers a 3-1 lead.
Inland Empire made it a 5-1 lead with two runs in the third on a two-run homer by Torres, his second of the contest. Those were the final runs scored by the 66ers and the last surrendered by Ports starter Matt Milburn, who did not factor into the decision after going 4.1 innings and allowing five runs (four earned) on eight hits while walking two and striking out three.
66ers starter Erik Manoah gave up two runs in the bottom of the third on RBI singles by Sandber Pimentel and Trace Loehr that cut the Stockton deficit to 5-3. Manoah worked into the fifth, where he surrendered a leadoff home run to Edwin Diaz that brought the Ports to within a run at 5-4. Manoah was then lifted for Kida De La Cruz (1-3). Manoah did not factor into the decision, going four-plus innings and allowing four runs on nine hits while striking out four.
De La Cruz would be let down by his defense in the sixth inning. After Brallan Perez opened the frame with a single, Chase Calabuig hit a double-play ball to the second baseman Torres who made an errant throw to second base, an error that put runners at the corners with nobody out. Luke Persico came up next and hit a double-play ball to third. Third baseman Connor Justus fielded and threw to Torres at second and Torres dropped the ball as Perez scored from third to tie the game. Pimentel followed with a two-run double to right that gave the Ports a 7-5 lead.
De La Cruz would suffer the loss after allowing three runs (one earned) on two hits in two innings worked.
Stockton added one more run in the seventh on a two-out RBI single by Calabuig to run the lead to 8-5. It was the only run allowed by 66ers reliever Brett Hanewich in two innings of relief.
The Ports bullpen combined to shut the 66ers out over the final 4.2 innings. Pat Krall (2-1) pitched two-and-two-thirds innings in relief of Milburn and picked up the victory in the contest. Sam Sheehan worked two-thirds of the eighth inning before Angel Duno (SV, 11) took over with two on and two out and pitched the final inning-and-a-third perfect to notch his 11th save of the season.
Stockton and Inland Empire play the rubber game of their three-game series on Monday night at Banner Island Ballpark. Left-hander Zack Erwin (7-7, 5.25 ERA) makes the start for Stockton, opposed by Inland Empire right-hander Matt Ball (2-1, 3.22 ERA). First pitch is set for 7:10 p.m. PDT.
California League Stories from July 23, 2018
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