CalL1 Stockton Ports

Pimentel's Single Lifts Ports to 6-5 Win in 10

August 20, 2016 - California League (CalL1)
Stockton Ports News Release


STOCKTON, Calif. - The Stockton Ports opened their three-game series with the Bakersfield Blaze in thrilling fashion on Friday night at Banner Island Ballpark. After seeing a two-run lead slip away in the eighth, the Boys of Banner Island rallied for the game-winning run with two outs in the bottom of the 10th as Sandber Pimentel lined an opposite-field single to left to score Mikey White and give the Ports a 6-5 win. The victory puts Stockton five games back of Bakersfield for first place in the North Division with 15 games left to play in the regular season.

Each team threw a two-run punch in the first inning. With runners at the corners and nobody out in the top of the first, Ports starter Kyle Friedrichs recorded back-to-back strikeouts. With two outs, however, Friedrichs would throw a wild pitch and then give up a triple to Kyle Petty as the Blaze took a 2-0 lead.

Stockton countered with the first of three home runs in the bottom of the first. With one on and one out, John Nogowsi hit his seventh home run of the season out to left field to tie the game at 2-2.

The Ports took their first lead in the second on a two-out solo homer by Seth Brown, his sixth of the season, over the back porch in right. Bakersfield came back in the top of the third with a solo blast of its own from Drew Jackson that tied the game at 3-3.

The Jackson home run was the last run allowed by Friedrichs, who was rendered a no-decision after going six innings and allowing three runs on seven hits. Friedrichs left the game with a chance for the victory. It was also the first time since July 3rd where he struck out at least five batters in a game. With the no-decision, he also avoided taking the loss in his seventh straight appearance.

The Ports grabbed the lead again in the bottom of the fourth. Blaze starter Anthony Miesewicz issued his only walk of the night to Chris Iriart with one out. Two batters later with two away, Richie Martin singled to right to score Iriart and give Stockton a 4-3 advantage. The Ports built on the lead with another run in the sixth on Iriart's first California League home run, a solo blast to left, making it a 5-3 ballgame.

Misiewicz would also be rendered a no-decision on the night as he went six innings and allowed five runs on five hits while striking out a season-high nine.

Carlos Navas took over for Friedrichs in the seventh and set the side down in order in his first inning. In the eighth, however, Navas issued back-to-back walks to Chantz Mack and Jay Baum. Petty followed with an RBI single to right that scored Mack and made it a 5-4 game. The ball was bobbled in right field by Melvin Mercedes, an error that allowed Petty to take second base. Cody Stull was then summoned with runners at second and third and nobody out. Stull would get Joe DeCarlo to ground out to shortstop, but on the play Baum scored from third to tie the game at 5-5. With Petty at third base and only one out, Stull recorded a key strikeout of Austin Wilson and then got Jordan Cowan to pop up a bunt attempt to the mound to end the inning.

The two eighth inning runs were charged to Navas who went an inning-plus. Stull would pitch two perfect innings and strike out three.

After Vinny Nottoli pitched the seventh and eighth scoreless. Darin Gillies (2-1) took over for the Blaze in the ninth and set the side down in order in his first inning. In the 10th with one out, Mercedes would flare a double to left field to put the winning run at second. White followed and hit a pop-fly to the right field line on which the first baseman Petty and the right fielder Mack miscommunicated. The popup fell in and put runners at the corners with one out. With the infield playing in, B.J. Boyd attacked the first pitch and hit a sharp grounder at the second baseman Gianfranco Wawoe, who threw home for the tag out of Mercedes. With runners then at first and second and two outs, Pimentel singled to left. White was waved around third and there would be no play at the plate as the left fielder Baum had the ball kick off his glove. It was an RBI single for Pimentel that gave Stockton a walk-off win by a final of 6-5.

Matt Sergey (2-0), who struck out the side after issuing a leadoff walk in the top of the 10th, picked up the win for Stockton.

The Ports and Blaze play the middle game of their three-game series on Saturday night at Banner Island Ballpark. Casey Meisner (1-12, 3.99 ERA) makes the start for Stockton, opposed by Bakersfield left-hander Tyler Pike (6-5, 3.95 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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