Diaz' Slam Helps Ports Snap Skid
July 28, 2018 - California League (CalL1)
Stockton Ports News Release
LAKE ELSINORE, Calif. - The Stockton Ports got off to a fast start in snapping a five-game losing streak on Saturday night at The Diamond. Edwin Diaz' grand slam in the first inning led the way for Stockton as the Ports held on for an 8-6 win over the Lake Elsinore Storm, their first win on their current six-game road trip.
After a pair of singles and an error loaded the bases in the first inning with one out, Diaz delivered his grand slam to left field to give the Ports an early 4-0 lead. For the Ports, it marked their sixth grand slam of the season.
Lake Elsinore got a run back in the third as Brad Zunica led off with a double and scored two batters later on a groundout by Rod Boykin. Stockton, though, got three runs back in the top of the fourth and took advantage of a key error committed by Storm starter Ronald Bolanos (4-7). With the bases loaded and one out, Trace Loehr drew a walk to bring in a run and make it 5-1. Chase Calabuig came up next and hit a comebacker to the mound. Bolanos fielded the ball cleanly but made an errant throw to the plate and threw the ball to the backstop, allowing two runs to score and giving Stockton a commanding 7-1 advantage.
Bolanos would suffer the loss as he went five innings and allowed seven runs (four earned) on six hits while striking out six.
Ports starter Zack Erwin (8-8) suffered through his worst inning of the night in the bottom of the fourth. A leadoff walk and back-to-back singles by Hudson Potts and Luis Torrens resulted in a run that cut the Ports lead to 7-2. Three batters later with two on and two out, Zunica lined a two-run double down the left field line that whittled Stockton's lead to 7-4.
Erwin would pitch through the fifth and go on to pick up the victory, allowing four runs on seven hits while striking out three.
The Ports added to their lead in the seventh when Diaz came up with two on and two out and delivered an RBI single to left that scored Calabuig and made it 8-4. Lake Elsinore, though, would get a pair of runs in the bottom of the seventh off Ports reliever Will Gilbert. Gilbert walked Zunica to open the inning and, two batters later, surrendered a one-out triple to Boykin. Boykin scored on an ensuing groundout by Edwin Olivares that cut the Ports lead to 8-6.
Gilbert pitched two innings and allowed two runs on one hit while striking out four.
Ty Damron took over in the eighth and gave up a leadoff double to Potts. Two batters later he walked Jorge Ona which put runners at the corners with one out. Damron notched a key strikeout of Ruddy Giron, at which point Angel Duno (SV, 12) was summoned to face Zunica and struck him out to end the inning.
Duno would go on to set the side down in order in the ninth to notch his 12th save of the season.
Diaz, who went 2-for-4 with 5 RBI, joined Sandber Pimentel and Nate Mondou as the only Ports who have driven in five runs in a game on the season.
The Ports and Storm play the rubber game of their three-game set on Sunday night at The Diamond. Kyle Friedrichs (1-0, 5.06 ERA) makes the start for Stockton, opposed by Lake Elsinore left-hander Adrian Morejon (4-4, 3.59 ERA). First pitch is set for 5 p.m. PDT.
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California League Stories from July 28, 2018
- Diaz' Slam Helps Ports Snap Skid - Stockton Ports
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