Ports Blow Four-Run Lead, Fall 6-5
May 13, 2016 - California League (CalL1)
Stockton Ports News Release
VISALIA, Calif. - One night after blowing a four-run lead and escaping with a victory, the Stockton Ports blew their largest lead of the season in a loss on Thursday night at Recreation Ballpark. The Visalia Rawhide scored the final five runs of the ballgame and defeated the Ports by a final of 6-5 in 10 innings to salvage the final game of a three-game series.
Visalia had right-hander Josh Collmenter starting on a Major League rehab assignment and Collmenter was tagged for two runs early. With one on and two out in the second, John Nogowski hit his first home run of the season to give the Ports a 2-0 lead.
Ports starter Heath Fillmyer retired the first six batters that he faced before surrendering a leadoff triple to Colin Bray in the third, who scored on an ensuing sac-fly by Tyler Baker to cut the Stockton lead to 2-1. The Ports retaliated with three runs in the fourth as they loaded the bases with nobody out and got a two-run single from Mikey White followed by an RBI single from Iolana Akau to make it a 5-1 lead. Those were the final runs allowed by the Rawhide and by Collmenter, who did not factor into the decision after allowing five runs (four earned) on six hits in four innings pitched.
Fillmyer ran into trouble in the bottom of the sixth as he gave up an infield single to Marty Herum to start the frame. Two batters later, Henry Castillo struck out but reached on a wild pitch to put runners at first and third with one out. Fillmyer then induced a ground ball back to the mound off the bat of Grant Heyman. Fillmyer, after looking Herum back to third, threw to second but his throw pulled White off the bag. The error loaded the bases with one out and Colin Bray delivered a two-run single to left to cut the Ports lead to 5-3 and knock FIllmyer from the game. Kyle Finnegan was summoned and got a strikeout and a groundout to end the inning and preserve the lead for the time being.
Fillmyer was rendered a no-decision, going 5.1 innings and allowing three runs (two earned) on six hits while striking out five.
Finnegan ran into trouble to start the seventh as he surrendered a leadoff double to Cody Regis. After Domingo Leyba drew a walk, Finnegan struck out Herum and the intentionally walked Rudy Flores to load the bases with one out. After Castillo lined out to the shortstop White, Heyman delivered a two-run double to left to tie the game at 5-5. Finnegan allowed two runs on two hits in an inning-and-two-thirds.
Stockton's offense, meanwhile, failed to take advantage of favorable scoring chances in the middle innings. Nick Baker came on to start the fifth inning and, after a strikeout wild pitch and a double, had runners at second and third with nobody out. Stockton went on to load the bases with one out but would fail to score and build on a 5-1 lead at the time. In the sixth, the Ports had back-to-back singles to start the inning but a double play hit into by James Harris stalled the momentum and the Ports came away empty handed.
Baker went three scoreless innings and pitched around four hits allowed while Bud Jeter pitched a perfect eighth. For Stockton, Lou Trivino came on in relief of Finnegan and pitched a scoreless eighth and ninth to send the game into extra innings.
After Luis Ramirez (6-0) pitched a scoreless ninth and 10th for Visalia, Rob Huber (0-1) came in to pitch the last of the 10th for Stockton. With one out, Huber walked Bray and then pinch-hitter Victor Reyes reached on a fielding error committed by the first baseman Nogowski to put runners at first and second. Ericson Leonora then stepped in and delivered the game-winning single to left to score Bray and give the Rawhide the walk-off victory. Huber suffered the loss while Ramirez picked up the win for Visalia.
After taking two of three from the Rawhide, the Ports continue their road trip on Friday night as they begin a four-game series with the Bakersfield Blaze. Casey Meisner (0-4, 4.11 ERA) gets the start in the series opener for Stockton, opposed by Bakersfield left-hander Eddie Campbell (2-2, 5.81 ERA). First pitch is set for 7:15 p.m. PDT at Sam Lynn Ballpark.
California League Stories from May 13, 2016
- Ports Blow Four-Run Lead, Fall 6-5 - Stockton Ports
- San Jose Giants on Deck: Giants Return Home for Two Games against Modesto - San Jose Giants
- Leonora Single Gives Rawhide 6-5 Walk-Off Win - Visalia Rawhide
- Storm Take Second Straight against Sixers - Inland Empire 66ers
- Sixers Suffer Storm Sweep - Inland Empire 66ers
- Giants Shutout Blaze to Complete Series Sweep - San Jose Giants
- Quakes Tripped up on Thursday - Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
- Early Ferguson Home Run Propels Lancaster - Lancaster JetHawks
- Timely Tanks Lead Nuts to 6-4 Win - Modesto Nuts
- Slump Continues in 6-0 Blanking - Bakersfield Blaze
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