Comeback Bid Falls Short, Ports Dropped 7-6
Published on August 18, 2023 under California League (CalL)
Stockton Ports News Release
Stockton, CA - Down 7-0 going into the bottom of the eighth inning, the Ports put together a valiant comeback but could not get over the hump in a 7-6 loss to the San Jose Giants on Thursday night at Banner Island Ballpark.
The loss snaps Stockton's three-game winning streak.
After picking up an unearned run in the first inning to take a 1-0 lead, the Giants (61-50) used four doubles in the third to extend their advantage. With Alexander Suarez on third base and one out, Diego Velasquez hit a double to left center field to double the San Jose lead to 2-0. After Tanner O'Tremba was hit by a pitch and Andrew Kachel flew out to left, Cole Foster and Scott Bandura hit back-to-back doubles to score three runs to make it 5-0.
The Giants got two more unearned runs in the top of the seventh. Turner Hill reached on three-base error by Ports' first baseman Will Simpson and scored on a sacrifice fly by Velasquez to make it 6-0. O'Tremba then singled, advanced to second base on a two-out balk and scored on a double to left center by Foster to give San Jose a 7-0 lead.
Stuck on just two hits going into the eighth inning, the Ports (41-70) cobbled six hits together to get back into the game with a five-run rally. Bjay Cooke started the inning with a single up the middle off Giants reliever Tyler Vogel and moved up to third on a double by Dereck Salom. Simpson then grounded out to short allowing Cooke to score to make it 7-1, and Henry Bolte followed with a single up the middle to drive in Salom to cut the San Jose lead to 7-2. A single by Jose Mujica put runners at the corners for Myles Naylor who doubled off the wall in right field to score Bolte from third base making it 7-3. Jonah Cox then reached on a fielding error by Foster at shortstop allowing Mujica to score and Yeniel Laboy drove in Naylor with a single to right field to bring the Ports to within two at 7-5.
The Ports came within one swing of victory in the bottom of the ninth. Trailing by two runs, Will Simpson got the inning started with a one-out single, and moved up to third base on a throwing error by Giants third baseman Anthony Rodriguez after a Bolte single. With runners on second and third, Mujica lined a single to center to score Simpson bringing the Ports to within one at 7-6. After Mujica advanced on a wild pitch to put runners at second and third, Cameron Cotter slammed the door for San Jose with strikeouts of Naylor and Cox to strand the tying run at third and the winning run at second to end the ballgame.
Giants starter Manuel Mercedes (3-5) got the win with five shutout innings allowing just one hit while striking out six. Luis Carrasco (4-6) took the loss for Stockton surrendering five runs (four earned) on five hits in five innings. Cotter picked up his fourth save in getting the last five outs for San Jose.
The Ports and Giants continue their series with game four on Friday night at Banner Island Ballpark with first pitch at 7:05 pm. Tickets are available at stocktonports.com.
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