Ports Cap Regular Season with 8-7 Comeback Win
September 8, 2015 - California League (CalL1)
Stockton Ports News Release
STOCKTON, Calif. - The Stockton Ports saved their biggest comeback of the season for last on Monday night at Banner Island Ballpark. The Boys of Banner Island erased a 6-0 deficit and went on to an 8-7 walk-off win over the Modesto Nuts to close out the regular season with a record of 74-66 and a number two seed in the playoffs in the North Division.
Modesto got out to a 4-0 lead in the third. With two on and nobody out, Raimel Tapia lined a double to the right field corner to give the Nuts the first run of the game. Michael Benjamin, Jr. followed and laid down a sac-bunt that was fielded by Ports starter Kyle Finnegan, who turned and attempted to throw to third and threw wide of the bag, allowing Tapia and Wilson Soriano to score to make it 3-0. Benjamin went on to score on an ensuing single by Rosell Herrera to run it to a 4-0 Modesto lead.
The Nuts plated two more runs in the fourth as they took advantage of poor Stockton defense. Dillon Thomas reached to open the inning on a fielding error committed by second baseman Branden Cogswell. Correlle Prime brought him home on a double to center field to make it a 5-0 game. Prime went on to score two batters later on a sac-fly by Soriano to give the Nuts a 6-0 advantage.
Finnegan received a no-decision, going five innings and allowing six runs (three earned) on four hits while matching a career-high with seven strikeouts.
After Tyler Chatwood worked two perfect innings on a Major League rehab assignment and Zach Jemiola kept the Ports out of the run column over his first three innings, Stockton took advantage of poor Modesto defense in the sixth. With one on and one out, Franklin Barreto lined a single to center that was overran by the center fielder Tapia, an error that put runners at second and third. After an RBI groundout by John Nogowski put the Ports on the board, Nuts catcher Troy Stein made an errant pick-off throw down to third with two outs that allowed Barreto to score and make it a 6-2 contest.
The Ports surged ahead in the seventh. With two outs and the bases empty, Cogswell and J.P. Sportman hit back-to-back singles and Melvin Mercedes lined a double to left-center to cut the Nuts lead to 6-3 and knock Jemiola from the game. Johendi Jiminian (5-5) entered and gave up a two-run single to Brett Vertigan that made it a 6-5 game. Barreto followed with a two-run homer to right to give the Ports a 7-6 advantage.
Jemiola was charged with three of the five runs that scored in the inning and received a no-decision, going 4.2 innings and allowing five runs (three earned) on seven hits while striking out four.
After a scoreless inning apiece from Carlos Navas and Sam Roberts, Sam Bragg took over in the eighth and gave up a leadoff single to Herrera. After a one-out infield single put runners at the corners, Thomas grounded out to second to plate the tying run and knot the game at 7-7. It was the only run allowed by Bragg in his lone inning of relief.
Stockton plated the game-winning run in the ninth with Jiminian still on the mound. Cogswell led off with a single to center and was moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Mercedes. After Vertigan was intentionally walked to set up a possible inning-ending double-play, Barreto came up and hit a perfect double-play ball to short. After the first out was recorded at second base, the second baseman Wilfredo Rodriguez, who entered the game as a defensive replacement prior to the start of the inning, threw in the dirt to first and the ball skipped past the first baseman Prime and into the dugout, allowing Cogswell to score the game-winning run automatically and give the Ports the 8-7 victory.
Following a day off on Tuesday, the Ports begin play in the 2015 California League playoffs at San Jose on Wednesday to kick off the best-of-three Mini-Series. Dylan Covey (8-9, 3.59 ERA makes the start for Stockton in the series opener. First pitch at Municipal Stadium is set for 7 p.m. PDT.
California League Stories from September 8, 2015
- San Jose Giants Jason Forjet Named California League Pitcher of the Week - San Jose Giants
- JetHawks Begin Postseason Wednesday at the Hangar - Lancaster JetHawks
- 66ers Tally 15 Hits But Fall 7-6 in Finale - Inland Empire 66ers
- Ports Cap Regular Season with 8-7 Comeback Win - Stockton Ports
- Nuts Close Season with 8-7 Loss - Modesto Nuts
- McDonald Slugs 30th Homer in Regular-Season Finale - Lancaster JetHawks
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