Homers Help Ports to 9-4 Win over Giants
Published on June 2, 2013 under California League (CalL1)
Stockton Ports News Release
SAN JOSE, Calif. - Stockton Ports center fielder Bobby Crocker, who hails from Aptos, Calif., has felt right at home playing at San Jose Municipal Stadium. Crocker hit a home run on the first pitch of the ballgame on Saturday afternoon, one of two he hit in the game and one of four hit by the Ports as they blasted their way to a 9-4 win over the San Jose Giants.
Crocker's first home run came on the first pitch of the game thrown by Giants starter Danny Sandbrink (0-1). Sandbrick found trouble again in the second inning when with two outs and the bases empty, Rashun Dixon singled and B.A. Vollmuth hit a two-run homer to left to make it a 3-0 Stockton lead.
The Giants countered with a pair of runs in the second inning with three doubles off Ports starter Deyvi Jimenez. Jeff Arnold started the inning with a double and John Polonius doubled two batters later to put the Giants on the board. Shawn Payne came up next and doubled to left to bring San Jose to within a run at 3-2.
Sandbrink retired six in a row after allowing the home run to Vollmuth. Stockton, though, would rally again with two outs and nobody on in the fourth. Dusty Robinson reached on an infield single and Dixon followed with a two-run homer to left-center that increased the Ports lead to 5-2.
Sandbrink suffered the loss, going four innings and allowing five runs on six hits.
Jimenez retired eight of the final nine batters he faced and was lifted after pitching four innings, allowing two runs on four hits while striking out five.
Jose Casilla took over in the fifth inning for the Giants and set the side down in order. In the sixth, though, Ryan Ortiz doubled with one out and Robinson drove him home with an RBI single to left that made it a 6-2 Ports advantage. It was the only run allowed by Casilla in three innings of work.
Jake Brown (2-2) took over for Stockton in the fifth inning and retired 10 of the 11 batters he faced over 3.2 innings of scoreless relief, picking up the victory on the afternoon.
The Ports added three more runs in eth ninth inning facing Giants reliever Bryce Bandilla. Dixon started the inning with a double and wound up at third base with two outs. Crocker came to bat and hit his second home run of the game, a two-run shot to left field that increased the Ports lead to 8-2. Addison Russell followed with a double and scored on an ensuing single by Max Muncy, making it a 9-2 ballgame. Bandilla allowed three runs on four hits in his lone inning of work.
Jonathan Joseph took over with two outs in the eighth and recorded the final out of the inning. Joseph started the ninth by hitting Mac Williamson. Angel Villalona came up next and hit a two-run homer to left, his second home run in as many games and his sixth homer in his last seven games, bringing the score to 9-4. Joseph, though, retired the next three batters in succession to close out the ballgame.
Dixon finished the afternoon 3-for-4 and was a triple shy of hitting for the cycle. Crocker went 2-for-5 with a pair of home runs and three RBI. Stockton is now five games back of San Jose for first place in the North Division.
The Ports and Giants wrap up their four-game set on Sunday afternoon at Municipal Stadium. In a battle of two of the top three ERA men in the California League, Drew Granier (5-3, 2.49 ERA) makes the start for Stockton, opposed by San Jose southpaw Ty Blach (6-1, 2.73 ERA). First pitch is set for 1 p.m. PDT.
California League Stories from June 2, 2013
- 'Hawks Rout 'Hide to Take Series - Lancaster JetHawks
- Mavericks Rally Late to Drop Modesto - Modesto Nuts
- Muncy's Slam Sends Ports to 6-3 Victory - Stockton Ports
- Late Grand Slam Dooms Giants in 6-3 Loss - San Jose Giants
- Quakes Play Long-Ball, Back Gould for Win - Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
- Pair of Three-Run Homers Down Blaze, 7-3 - Bakersfield Blaze
- Gagnon Deals as Nuts Win Again, 3-1 - Modesto Nuts
- Rough Ninth for Quakes - Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
- Blaze Mount Ninth Inning Comeback, Stun Quakes, 9-8 - Bakersfield Blaze
- Homers Help Ports to 9-4 Win over Giants - Stockton Ports
- Tucker Extends Streak, RBI Lead in Win - Lancaster JetHawks
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.
