Crocker, Peters Carry Ports to 4-3 Win
June 1, 2013 - California League (CalL1)
Stockton Ports News Release
SAN JOSE, Calif. - The first two games of the four-game series between the Stockton Ports and San Jose Giants have each been decided by a single hit. On Friday night, it was Bobby Crocker getting the big knock for the Boys of Banner Island. Crocker's two-run single in the top of the sixth inning proved to be the difference in Stockton's 4-3 win over the Giants, bringing the series even at one game apiece.
Crocker led off the ballgame with a home run to left off Giants starter Clayton Blackburn (2-3) to give the Ports the early 1-0 lead. The Ports built on that lead in the fourth as Tony Thompson and Antonio Lamas led off with back-to-back singles and Thompson scored on a sacrifice fly by Dusty Robinson to make it a 2-0 advantage.
Stockton's biggest inning came in the sixth. With Blackburn still on the hill, two outs and the bases empty, Rashun Dixon doubled to left and Phil Pohl walked to put two aboard and knock Blackburn from the contest. Luis Rojas came on in relief and walked B.A. Vollmuth to load the bases. Crocker followed with a two-run single to right that scored Dixon and Pohl and gave the Ports a 4-0 cushion.
Blackburn suffered the loss for San Jose, going 5.2 innings and allowing four runs on five hits while striking out six and matching a season-high with four walks.
Ports starter Tanner Peters (6-3) kept San Jose off the scoreboard over the first five innings, scattering just four hits in that span.
Peters entered the bottom of the sixth with a 4-0 lead and walked Brock Bond with one out. Two batters later with two away, Angel Villalona came up and hit his fifth home run in six games, a two-run blast to left-center that cut Stockton's lead to 4-2. Peters struck out Jeff Arnold to end the inning and his outing.
Peters went on to be the winning pitcher, allowing two runs on five hits while striking out six. The win is Peters' fourth in as many outings.
T.J. Walz came on in relief in the seventh inning and gave up a leadoff home run to Devin Harris that brought the Giants to within a run at 4-3. Walz, after giving up a single to John Polonius, retired the next three batters to escape with the lead intact.
Seth Frankoff, in his first appearance since coming off the disabled list, pitched around an error that started the eighth and recorded a strikeout while preserving the one run Stockton lead.
Jose Macias (SV, 5), who suffered the loss in Thursday's contest, came on to pitch the ninth and try for the save. With two outs and the bases empty, Shawn Payne doubled to right to put the possible-tying run in scoring position. Macias, though, got Chris Lofton to fly out to left to end the ballgame.
The Ports and Giants play the third game of their four-game series on Saturday night at Municipal Stadium. Deyvi Jimenez (0-2, 6.48 ERA) is scheduled to make the start for Stockton, opposed by San Jose right-hander Danny Sandbrink (0-0, 9.00 ERA). First pitch is set for 5 p.m. PDT.
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