Iriart's Two Blasts Give Ports 4-2 Win
September 4, 2016 - California League (CalL1)
Stockton Ports News Release
STOCKTON, Calif. - The Stockton Ports struggled to find hits on Sunday night versus the Bakersfield Blaze, but Chris Iriart found two big ones over the final two innings that made the difference. Iriart tied the game with a leadoff homer in the eighth and with one on and two outs in the ninth, hit a two-run game-winner to right field to give the Boys of Banner Island a 4-2 win heading into the final game of the 2016 season.
Bakersfield's two runs came in the first inning off Ports starter Brett Graves. Jordan Cowan opened the game with a double to left and Drew Jackson followed with a single that put runners at the corners. After an errant pickoff throw to first allowed Cowan to score from third, Graves issued a walk and then back-to-back fielder's choice groundouts led to a second run as Jackson scored and made it a 2-0 Blaze advantage.
Graves pitched around a leadoff double in the second, back-to-back walks that opened the third and a two-out single in the fourth. He would not factor into the decision after going four innings and allowing two runs on four hits while walking three and striking out four in his final outing of the season.
Blaze starter Tyler Pike pitched around an error and a walk in the first, a pair of walks in the second and a pair of walks in the third as Stockton did not tally a hit over the first three frames. Stockton's first prime scoring chance came in the fourth when Justin Higley tripled to right field with one out to put the Ports in the hit column. Pike, however, would record back-to-back strikeouts of Iolana Akau and Seth Brown to strand Higley at third.
Pike would be rendered a no-decision on the night, going five scoreless innings while allowing one hit, walking five and striking out five.
Ramon Morla took over in the sixth and set the side down in order in his first inning. In the seventh, Higley opened the inning with a double to center, advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on a sac-fly to center by Akau to cut the Blaze lead to 2-1. It was the only run allowed by Morla in two innings worked.
Joe Pistorese (2-2) took over in the eighth and surrendered a leadoff homer to Iriart that tied the game at 2-2. Pistorese would go on to give up a walk and a single with one out, but escaped further damage with back-to-back strikeouts of Higley and Akau.
Following the start by Graves, Stockton's bullpen kept the Blaze out of the run column the remainder of the game. Joey Wagman took over in the fifth and retired nine of the 10 batters he faced over three near-perfect innings, allowing only a two-out walk in the sixth while striking out five in his outing.
Nick Highberger (1-0) took over in the eighth and gave up a leadoff double to Chantz Mack and then hit Kyle Petty to put two aboard with nobody out. After a sacrifice bunt put runners at second and third with one out, Joe DeCarlo hit a chopper to the shallow-playing second baseman Melvin Mercedes who threw home for a fielder's choice tag out of Mack. Austin Wilson then grounded out to second to end the inning.
Highberger pitched the ninth as well and surrendered a two-out triple to Cowan, but got Jackson to strike out to end the frame and preserve the tie. Highberger would go on to earn his first California League victory as he went two scoreless innings and allowed two hits while striking out one.
Pistorese would stay on to pitch the ninth and recorded back-to-back outs to open the inning. With two outs and the bases empty, Mikey White singled to left to extend the frame for Iriart, who followed with a two-run game-winning homer to right that gave Stockton a 4-2 victory. Irart now has five home runs in 15 games with Stockton since being promoted from Low-A Beloit.
Pistorese suffered the loss after allowing three runs on four hits over an inning-and-two-thirds.
The Ports and Blaze wrap up the 2016 regular season on Monday night at Banner Island Ballpark. Right-hander Mitchell Jordan (1-0, 2.25 ERA) makes his first start for Stockton, opposed by Bakersfield southpaw Anthony Misiewicz (7-10, 4.72 ERA). First pitch is set for 6:10 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 September 4, 2016
- Iriart's Two Blasts Give Ports 4-2 Win - Stockton Ports
- Back-To-Back Jacks Help Rodriguez and Nuts to 4-3 Win - Modesto Nuts
- Giants Offense Shut Down in 4-0 Loss - San Jose Giants
- JetHawks Hold off Sixers, Clinch Second Half Title - Inland Empire 66ers
- Mercedes Plays Nine Positions in 8-3 Ports Win - Stockton Ports
- Blaze Lack Punch, Fall to Ports - Bakersfield Blaze
- French Crowned in 7-3 Win - Modesto Nuts
- Late Rally Falls Short, Giants Lose 2-1 - San Jose Giants
- Lancaster 7, Inland Empire 6 - Lancaster JetHawks
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