Brizuela Blasts Two But Ports Fall 5-3
August 15, 2016 - California League (CalL1)
Stockton Ports News Release
STOCKTON, Calif. - Outside of a pair of home runs by Jose Brizuela, the Stockton Ports struggled to get runs home on Sunday night at Banner Island Ballpark. Stockton went 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position en route to a 5-3 loss to the High Desert Mavericks, who claimed the final game of the season series between the two teams. The Ports did win the season series as they finish having won seven of the 13 meetings played head-to-head with High Desert.
The Mavericks opened the scoring in the second as Jose Trevino doubled to begin the frame and scored two batters later on a sac-fly by Jairo Beras. Ports starter Kyle Friedrichs (3-7) pitched around hits allowed in the third and fourth innings and set the side down in order in the fifth. High Desert, however, would add to its lead in the sixth as Dylan Moore led off with a home run to make it 2-0. Two batters later, Trevino reached on a throwing error committed by Brizuela and that signaled the end of the outing for Friedrichs. Joey Wagman took over and gave up a two-out, two-run homer to Beras to make it a 4-0 Mavericks lead.
Friedrichs would suffer his sixth straight loss, going 5.1 innings and allowing three runs (two earned) on six hits while striking out three.
Wagman allowed the fifth High Desert run of the night in the seventh as Scott Heineman tripled with two outs and scored on an ensuing single by Moore to make it a 5-0 Mavericks lead. Wagman allowed two runs on three hits over an inning-and-two-thirds.
Mavericks starter Brett Martin, making his second start in the California League, retired nine of the 10 batters he faced over three innings pitched and did not allow a hit in that span. He also struck out six in his three innings of work.
Tyler Davis (5-5) took over in the fourth and pitched around back-to-back two-out singles in his first frame. Davis pitched around a leadoff single in the fifth and a leadoff single followed by a walk in the sixth.
Stockton finally got to Davis in the seventh. With one out, Brizuela hit the first of two home runs to put the Ports on the board. Richie Martin followed with a single, Seth Brown walked and Iolana Akau singled to left to score Martin and make it a 5-2 contest. It was Stockton's only hit with a runner in scoring position on the night.
Martin was lifted after recording the second out of the inning in favor of Nick Gardewine (SV, 6). Martin went on to earn the win, going three-and-two-thirds innings and allowing two runs on seven hits while walking two and striking out three.
Gardewine set the side down in order in the eighth and came back for the ninth. Brizuela led off the ninth with his second home run in as many at-bats out to right field to make it a 5-3 game. Martin followed with a single to bring the possible-tying run to the plate. Gardewine, however, would strike out Brown, Akau and James Harris in succession to close out the ballgame and earn his sixth save of the season.
Brizuela became the fourth Ports player to have a multi-homer game this season. Harris, who singled in the sixth, extended his consecutive game on-base streak at home to 39 games.
After dropping two of three to High Desert, the Ports travel to Visalia on Monday to begin a four-game series with the Rawhide. Casey Meisner (0-12, 4.17 ERA) gets the start in the series opener for Stockton, opposed by Visalia left-hander Alex Young (2-4, 3.31 ERA). First pitch is set for 7 p.m. PDT. This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.
California League Stories from August 15, 2016
- Inland Empire Takes It on Chin Versus Nuts - Inland Empire 66ers
- Storm Get Washed Away in Sweep by Blaze - Bakersfield Blaze
- Brizuela Blasts Two But Ports Fall 5-3 - Stockton Ports
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.
