CalL1 Stockton Ports

Late Run Helps Ports Past Storm 8-7

July 8, 2016 - California League (CalL1)
Stockton Ports News Release


STOCKTON, Calif. - The Stockton Ports enjoyed their biggest come-from-behind victory of the season on Thursday night at Banner Island Ballpark. Stockton erased a four-run deficit with five runs in the fifth inning and scored a run in the eighth to break a late tie on their way to an 8-7 win over the Lake Elsinore Storm, earning a series victory and a split of the regular-season series with the Storm.

Each team scored a run in the first inning as Michael Gettys grounded to second to drive in a run in the top of the first and Joe Bennie hit a two-out double to right to tie the game in the home half of the inning.

Lake Elsinore took the lead back in the third inning. After back-to-back walks opened the frame, Gettys singled to left and Fernando Perez followed with an RBI groundout to first to give the Storm a 3-1 lead. The Ports shaved a run off the deficit in the bottom of the third. After a bunt-single by James Harris and a double by Richie Martin put runners at second and third with one out, B.J. Boyd delivered a sac-fly to center to make it a 3-2 game.

The Storm added to their lead over the fourth and fifth innings. In the fourth with one on and one out, Trae Santos hit a two-run homer to right to make it 5-2. In the fifth with runners at the corners and nobody out, Edwin Moreno hit a sac-fly to make it a 6-2 Storm advantage.

Ports starter Matt Stalcup would receive a no-decision after allowing six runs on eight hits while striking out four in five innings of work.

Storm starter Chris Huffman opened the fifth by walking Harris, then allowed back-to-back singles to Martin and Boyd before being lifted for Brandon Alger. Alger gave up an RBI single to Bennie to make it 6-3. After Seth Brown popped out, Sanber Pimentel drew a bases-loaded walk to cut the Ports deficit to 6-4. Mikey White came up next and delivered a two-run single to right that tied the game at 6-6. Argenis Raga followed with an RBI single to right that scored Pimentel and made it a 7-6 Stockton lead.

Three of the five runs that scored in the fifth were charged to Huffman, who received a no-decision after going four-plus innings and allowing five runs on seven hits while striking out three. Alger recorded two outs in the fifth before being lifted for Ben Paullus who finished the frame. Alger allowed two runs on three hits in two-thirds of an inning of work.

Cody Stull entered to begin the sixth for Stockton and pitched two perfect frames while striking out four.

Stockton saw a chance to add to the lead fall by the wayside in the seventh as they failed to get a run in after putting runners at the corners with one out. Lake Elsinore capitalized in the eighth with Carlos Navas (2-4) on the mound. With one out, Navas hit Ty France and then gave up a single to Javier Guerra that put runners at the corners. A.J. Kennedy followed with a sac-fly to right to tie the game at 7-7.

Gerardo Reyes (0-1) entered to pitch the bottom of the eighth for the Storm. With two outs and the bases empty, Brown lined a ball to right field that was dropped by Moreno for an error. Pimentel came up next and looped a double to the left field corner that scored Brown all the way from first to give the Ports an 8-7 lead. The run was unearned for Reyes who would suffer the loss on the night.

Navas, who suffered the blown save in the eighth, came back for the ninth and set the side down in order to secure the victory and was the game's winning pitcher.

The win marked the second time in the series the Ports got the game-winning hit with two outs in the eighth as it happened in the opener on Monday. It also marked Stockton's biggest come-from-behind win on the season, surpassing the game on April 13th when the Ports erased a three-run deficit at home versus Lancaster.

After taking three of four from Lake Elsinore, the Ports travel to San Jose four a four-game weekend series with the Giants. Kyle Friedrichs (3-1, 4.08 ERA) gets the ball for Stockton in the series opener, opposed by San Jose right-hander Jordan Johnson (6-6, 4.63 ERA). First pitch is set for 7 p.m. PDT.

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California League Stories from July 8, 2016


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