CalL1 Stockton Ports

Late Mavs Rally Sinks Ports 2-1

August 13, 2016 - California League (CalL1)
Stockton Ports News Release


STOCKTON, Calif. - The Stockton Ports found out the hard way on Friday night that a 1-0 lead is always a shaky proposition in the California League. The High Desert Mavericks scored a run in each of the final two innings to overcome a slim deficit and beat the Ports by a final of 2-1 with Stockton going 1-for-11 with runners in scoring position and stranding the tying and winning runs in scoring position in the ninth,

After failing to score with runners at second and third and one out in the fourth, the Ports scored the first run of the game in the bottom of the fifth on back-to-back one out doubles by Seth Brown and Argenis Raga. It was the only run allowed by Mavericks starter Jeffrey Springs, who was impressive in five innings pitched. Springs allowed just three hits while walking one and striking out a career-best nine. He retired the first nine batters he faced to begin his start.

Ports starter Brett Graves pitched around singles in the first, third and fifth innings to keep the game scoreless. Graves, who had won his last three starts, pitched around a walk and a single in his final inning to preserve the 1-0 lead the offense had given him. He left the game with a chance to pick up the win but was rendered a no-decision after seven scoreless frames. He allowed four hits while striking out three.

Stockton saw scoring chances fall by the wayside in each of the last four innings versus the High Desert bullpen. The Ports couldn't make anything of a leadoff single by Mikey White in the sixth as the next three batters were retired. With two on and nobody out to start the seventh, Raga attempted to lay down a sacrifice bunt but Mavericks catcher Jose Trevino started a 2-6-3 double-play to extinguish the threat. The sixth and the seventh were worked by Mavericks reliever Kelvin Vasquez, who allowed one hit but did not allow a run.

Matt Sergey took over for Graves in the eighth and gave up a leadoff single to Josh Morgan. Michael De Leon came up next and struck out but on strike three, a passed ball allowed Morgan to reach second base. Two batters later with two outs, Dylan Moore tied the game with a double to left to make it a 1-1 score. The run was unearned and the only run allowed by Sergey in what was his lone inning of work.

After the Ports failed to take advantage of a leadoff single by James Harris in the eighth, High Desert plated the eventual winning run in the top of the ninth. With Carlos Navas (3-7) on the hill, Jose Cardona hit an opposite-field home run to right to give the Mavericks a 2-1 lead. It was the only hit allowed by Navas, who suffered the loss in the contest.

Shane McCain (4-3), who pitched a scoreless eighth, came on for the ninth and gave up a single and a walk to start the inning. After a Richie Martin sacrifice bunt advanced the possible-tying run to third and winning-run to second, Brown hit a broken-bat groundout to the shallow-playing first baseman Moore and Raga struck out to end the ballgame.

McCain picked up the win, going two scoreless innings while pitching around two hits and a walk.

The Ports and Mavericks play the middle game of their three-game series on Saturday night at Banner Island Ballpark. James Naile (2-0, 4.57 ERA) makes the start for Stockton, opposed by High Desert right-hander Cody Palmquist (3-1, 3.18 ERA). First pitch is set for 7:10 p.m. PDT. This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.

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California League Stories from August 13, 2016


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