Offensive Surge Takes Ports to 10-7 Win
Published on May 28, 2018 under California League (CalL1)
Stockton Ports News Release
LANCASTER, Calif. - The Stockton Ports had their bats come alive to end a six-game road trip on a high note Sunday afternoon at The Hangar. The Ports scored a combined nine runs in back-to-back innings on their way to a 10-7 win over the Lancaster JetHawks to wrap up their Southern California road trip with a record of 4-2 and earn their second consecutive series victory.
For the first time in the series it was the Ports who scored first as Kevin Merrell doubled to open the game and scored two batters later on an RBI single by Skye Bolt to give the Ports a 1-0 lead.
A pair of defensive miscues resulted in a run for the JetHawks in the bottom of the first. With Alan Trejo at first base and one out, Ports starter Zack Erwin (4-3) picked over to first and had Trejo caught between first and second but Merrell, the shortstop receiving the throw down to second, mishandled the ball. Roberto Ramos, already at the plate, proceeded to ground a ball underneath the glove of first baseman Sandber Pimentel that allowed Trejo to score and tie the game at 1-1.
Lancaster would take a three-run lead as they scored in both the second and third innings. In the second, Willie Abreu led off with a double and scored on an ensuing RBI single by Jacob Bosiokovic to make it 2-1. Ramos added to the JetHawks lead with a two-run homer in the third to make it a 4-1 ballgame.
JetHawks starter Rico Garcia (5-5) had retired five consecutive batters going into the fourth but issued a leadoff walk to Pimentel to open the fourth inning. Luke Persico and Edwin Diaz followed with back-to-back singles that loaded the bases and Collin Theorux cleared the bags with a triple to right-center that tied the game at 4-4. Merrell came up next and grounded out to second to score Theroux and make it a 5-4 Ports lead.
Garcia worked into the fifth inning and, after retiring the first batter, proceeded to give up a walk to Persico followed by back-to-back singles to Diaz and Theroux that loaded the bases with one out. Garcia was then lifted for Kenny Oakley who gave up an RBI single to Merrell followed by a two-run single to Mondou. Mondou scored when Bolt came up next and hit a fly ball to center field that was dropped by Melendez to make it 9-4. Jonah Heim followed with a sac-fly to left, making it a 10-4 contest.
Garcia would take the loss for Lancaster as he went 4.1 innings and allowed eight runs on nine hits while walking four and striking out two.
Beginning with Heim's sac-fly, JetHawks pitching retired 15 consecutive batters to close out the contest. Oakley allowed a pair of unearned runs in 2.2 innings worked while Heath Holder pitched 2.1 perfect innings down the stretch.
Erwin would pitch three scoreless innings to close out his outing on his way to earning the victory, going six innings total and allowing four runs (three earned) on seven hits while walking two and striking out two.
Andrew Tomasovich came on to pitch the seventh and retired the first batter of the inning but then proceeded to give up a single to Colton Welker and, after hitting Ramos, walked Tyler Nevin to load the bases. Brian Serven came up with the bases loaded and one out and hit a sac-fly to center that cut the Ports lead to 10-5. After Abreu reached on an infield single to reload the bases, Tomasovich was lifted for Will Gilbert who gave up a single to Bosiokovic. Two runs scored on the base hit but the JetHawks also ran themselves out of the inning on the play as Abreu was thrown out by Bolt trying to go from first to third, ending the inning and the Lancaster rally.
Tomasovich allowed three runs on two hits over two-thirds of an inning. Gilbert went on to pitch a scoreless eighth before turning it over to Miguel Romero (SV, 10), who pitched a perfect ninth inning to earn his 10th save of the season.
Following back-to-back series victories on their road trip, the Ports return home to take on the Modesto Nuts Monday night in the opener of a four-game series at Banner Island Ballpark. Jake Bray (1-2, 2.97 ERA) makes the start for Stockton, opposed by Modesto right-hander Randy Bell (2-3, 4.70 ERA). First pitch is set for 6:10 p.m. PDT.
California League Stories from May 28, 2018
- Adell's Smash Spoil No-No But Quakes Take Series Finale 8-2 - Inland Empire 66ers
- 66ers Even Series with MacKinnon's Walk-Off Single - Inland Empire 66ers
- Rancho Drops Monday's Opener to Storm - Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
- Lancaster Drops Memorial Day Matchup - Lancaster JetHawks
- Offensive Surge Takes Ports to 10-7 Win - Stockton Ports
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