CalL1 Stockton Ports

Ports Crush Nuts 13-2 in Opener

Published on April 8, 2016 under California League (CalL1)
Stockton Ports News Release


STOCKTON, Calif. - It didn't take the Stockton Ports very long to assert themselves in 2016. The Ports scored 11 runs over the first three innings on their way to a lopsided 13-2 victory over the Modesto Nuts on Opening Night at Banner Island Ballpark. The win marked Stockton's sixth straight victory in a home opener dating back to 2011.

A returnee from the 2015 squad got the scoring started in the bottom of the first. With one on and two out, Tyler Marincov hit a two-run homer to left in his first at-bat of the season to give the Ports a 2-0 advantage. Stockton blew the game open in the second. After a leadoff triple by Mikey White, Nuts starter Jesus Tinoco (0-1) recorded back-to-back strikeouts and looked like he was on his way to escaping the jam. The Ports went on to rattle off seven straight hits, beginning with an RBI single by Argenis Raga to make it a 3-0 score. James Harris followed with a two-run homer to right. After B.J. Boyd singled, Joe Bennie lined an RBI double to the right field corner and Marincov followed with an RBI single that knocked Tinoco from the contest.

Helmis Rodriguez came on in relief for Modesto and gave up an RBI single to Seth Brown that scored Marincov and ran the score to 8-0. The first eight runs of the game were charged to Tinoco as he suffered the loss, going 1.2 innings and allowing eight runs on seven hits while striking out two.

Stockton's offense tagged Rodriguez for three more runs in the third. With the bases loaded and one out, Bennie delivered a two-run single to right. Boyd would score later in the inning on a wild pitch to run the Ports lead to 11-0.

Meanwhile, Ports starter Daniel Gossett (1-0) worked well with the big lead. Gossett allowed just one hit over the first four innings. In the fifth, with one on and two out, Gossett gave up a two-run homer to Forrest Wall that provided Modesto with its only runs of the night. Gossett went on to finish the frame and earn the win, going five innings and allowing two runs on four hits while walking three and striking out six.

Lou Trivino and Kyle Finnegan combined to pitch four scoreless innings to close out the game for Stockton.

The Ports added a run in the sixth and a run in the seventh. In the sixth, Marincov doubled to open the inning and scored two batters later on a groundout by White. It was the final run allowed by Rodriguez, who went 4.1 innings in relief and allowed four runs on six hits. Colin Welman came on to pitch the seventh and gave up a leadoff pinch-hit single to Andy Paz, who later went on to score on a pinch-hit single by Melvin Mercedes to make it a 13-2 score.

The Ports and Nuts play the second game of their four-game set on Friday night at Banner Island Ballpark. Brett Graves (0-0, 0.00 ERA) makes the start and his California League debut for Stockton, opposed by Modesto left-hander Sam Howard (0-0, 0.00 ERA). First pitch is set for 7:10 p.m. PDT.

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California League Stories from April 8, 2016


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