Blaze Even Series as Ports Fall 7-1
Published on July 6, 2015 under California League (CalL1)
Stockton Ports News Release
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. - After earning a slim one-run victory on Saturday night, the Stockton Ports found themselves buried under a flurry of hits and runs on Sunday night at Sam Lynn Ballpark. The Bakersfield Blaze scored their first run of the game in the bottom of the first inning and never looked back as the Ports dropped the middle game of their three-game set to the Blaze by a final of 7-1.
The Blaze jumped in the run column early as Guillermo Pimentel hit a two-out solo homer to put Bakersfield on the board. Bakersfield used the long ball to widen its lead in the third. With one on and two out, Burt Reynolds hit a two-run homer off Dylan Covey (6-4) to make it a 3-0 game.
Covey allowed two more runs in the fifth. With two on and nobody out, Reynolds hit a weak ground ball to short that Franklin Barreto threw wide of first. The play was ruled an infield single and an error, allowing each runner an extra base and a run to score to make it 4-0. Austin Wilson added a sac-fly to right to make it a 5-0 contest.
Covey would suffer the loss, going five innings and allowing five runs on eight hits while striking out three.
Blaze starter Brett Ash (4-5) allowed just one hit over the first four innings and three hits over the first six in keeping the Ports out of the run column. Stockton's lone run of the game came in the seventh, when Michael Soto doubled to right field with one out and scored later in the frame on a passed ball to make it 5-1. Ash would leave with one out in the inning but go on to pick up the win, allowing the run on five hits while striking out six.
The Blaze got two more runs in the seventh off Ports reliever Victor Veliz, who made his California League debut. With the bases loaded and one out, Veliz surrendered a two-run double to Justin Seager that ran the lead to 7-1. They were the only two runs allowed by Veliz in three innings of relief.
Rafael Pineda and Carlos Misell combined to pitch two-and-two-thirds innings of scoreless relief for the Blaze to close out the ballgame.
The Ports and Blaze play the rubber match of their three-game series on Monday night at Sam Lynn Ballpark. Left-hander Matt Stalcup (1-0, 4.44 ERA) makes the start for the Ports, opposed by Blaze southpaw Eddie Campbell (3-4, 7.23 ERA). First pitch is set for approximately 7:45 p.m. PDT.
California League Stories from July 6, 2015
- Christian Arroyo Named California League Offensive Player of the Week - San Jose Giants
- Blaze Even Series as Ports Fall 7-1 - Stockton Ports
- Offense Boosts Blaze in 7-1 Win - Bakersfield Blaze
- Giants Earn 5-2 Victory over Rawhide - San Jose Giants
- Wade K's Eight in Nuts 5-4 Win - Modesto Nuts
- Early Rally Holds up against Storm - Lancaster JetHawks
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