Ports Drop Pitcher's Duel, 1-0, to Storm
July 25, 2025 - California League (CalL)
Stockton Ports News Release
STOCKTON, Calif. - A pitcher's duel went to Lake Elsinore on Friday night in a 1-0 loss for the Ports to give the Storm a 3-1 lead in the six-game series.
Ports starter Cole Miller was solid in four innings as he makes his way back from missing all last season due to Tommy John surgery. The fourth-round pick in the 2023 draft threw four shutout innings and allowed just one hit and one walk to three strikeouts on 51 pitches.
Storm starter Maikel Miralles was just as impenetrable for the Ports offense, as he went six innings for the first time in his career, shutting out Stockton on two hits and two walks with three punchouts of his own.
Lake Elsinore (44-50, 15-13) broke the scoreless stalemate in the in the sixth off reliever Jose Dicochea, who ended up being saddled with a tough-luck loss. After a 1-2-3 fifth, Dicochea issued a one-out walk followed by a pair of singles that plated the lone run scored in the game, with Victor Figueroa driving in the run for a 1-0 Storm lead.
The Ports (40-54, 8-20) managed just three hits in the game and had a runner in scoring position only two times in the contest. Cameron Leary had a base hit in the sixth to extend his on-base streak to 28 games and his hit streak to nine straight. He'd get to second on a ground out but would be stuck there.
The home team's best threat came in the bottom of the ninth with two outs when Pedro Pineda singled through the right side and C.J. Pittaro drew a full-count walk. But reliever Johan Moreno got Carlos Franco to fly out to right to end the ballgame and record his first save of the season. The 1-0 loss was the seventh time the Ports have been shutout in 2025.
UP NEXT: Saturday's game is scheduled for a 7:05 PM first pitch, with RHP Bryan Balzer (1-3, 7.31) on the mound for Lake Elsinore versus Stockton's RHP Sam Stuhr (3-4, 6.53). It will be a fireworks night at Banner Island Ballpark, and the first 2,000 fans will receive and Aaron Judge sailor uniform bobblehead presented By the All Rise Foundation.
Single game tickets, mini plans, and group outings are all on sale for the 2025 season. For more information, call the Ports front office at 209-644-1900 or email at info@stocktonports.com.
With a 3-1 win over the San Jose Giants on June 6, 2018, the Ports became the first team in California League history to reach the 5,000-win plateau.
1990, 1992, 2002, and 2008.
The current era in Stockton's professional baseball history began in 1941 with the Stockton Fliers, a charter member of the California League. After a four-season hiatus during World War II from 1942-45, the franchise returned in 1946 with a new nickname: the Stockton Ports, a nod to the city's massive seaport -
the biggest inland port in the state of California and the hub of transport and commerce in the San Joaquin Valley.
Upon its return in 1946, the California League also re-established itself with teams in Stockton, Bakersfield, Fresno, Modesto, Santa Barbara and Visalia. Today, the Ports are a part of an eight-team league with teams in Modesto, San Jose, Visalia, Fresno, San Bernardino (Inland Empire), Lake Elsinore and Rancho Cucamonga.
The Ports disbanded after the 1972 season, but returned in 1978 as the Stockton Mariners, only to change their name back to the Ports in 1979. The franchise underwent two more temporary name changes, as the Stockton Mudville Nine from 1982-84 and the Mudville Nine in 2000 and 2001 but have remained the Ports since 2002.
Despite the name changes, the Ports have enjoyed plenty of success since the franchise's inception in 1941. The Ports have made the postseason 42 times in 70 seasons and their 11 California League Championships are tied for the most by any club (with Fresno as the Cardinals & Giants). The Ports also own the longest winning streak in league history, prevailing in 26 straight games in 1947.
During the 1980's and early 90's, Stockton enjoyed a particularly dominant stretch. In the 13 -year stretch from 1980-92, the Ports captured four California League titles, and their 977 wins were most by any team in Minor League Baseball.
The Ports' California League Championships have come in 1946, 1947, 1963, 1965, 1969, 1980, 1986, About the Ports The City of Stockton has a long, rich baseball history. Professional baseball first came to the city in 1888, when the Stockton ballclub won the independent California League's inaugural championship. That same summer, Ernest Thayer reportedly drew the inspiration for his famous poem "Casey at the Bat" at a Stockton home game, which were played on the same site as present-day Banner Island Ballpark.
California League Stories from July 25, 2025
- Ports Drop Pitcher's Duel, 1-0, to Storm - Stockton Ports
- Ports Drop Pitcher's Duel, 1-0, to Storm - Stockton Ports
- Nuts Rally Late to Snap Skid, Beat Grizzlies, 10-3 - Modesto Nuts
- Walks Plague Grizzlies, Five-Game Win Streak Snapped in Modesto - Fresno Grizzlies
- Grizzlies Hold off Nuts Rally for 6-5 Win in Modesto - Modesto Nuts
- Deja Vu as Storm Win 6-4 to Take Season Series - Stockton Ports
- Grizzlies Grab 5th Straight Win, Obertop Drives Another Game-Winner - Fresno Grizzlies
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
