Ports Fall in 10-6 Home Run Derby
August 4, 2016 - California League (CalL1)
Stockton Ports News Release
STOCKTON, Calif. - The Stockton Ports and Rancho Cucamonga Quakes combined for seven home runs on Wednesday night at Banner Island Ballpark. Unfortunately for Stockton, it was the Quakes who prevailed in the rubber match of a three-game series. Rancho Cucamonga scored five runs in the sixth inning to double its run total as they went on to hand the Ports a 10-6 lost in Stockton's homestand finale.
The Quakes set the tone of the contest with an early home run in the first. With one on and one out, Noah Perio hit the first of two two-run homers on the night to give the Quakes a 2-0 lead. The Quakes added a run on a leadoff homer by Johan Mieses, his second in as many nights, to make it a 3-0 ballgame.
Stockton's first run of the night came on the first of two home runs hit by Joe Bennie, a leadoff homer in the second to cut the Quakes lead to 3-1. Rancho Cucamonga got the run back plus another in the top of the third when Perio hit his second two-run homer of the night to right-center to run the Quakes lead to 5-1. Those were the final runs allowed by Ports starter Kyle Friedrichs (3-5), who suffered his fourth straight loss after going five innings and allowing five runs on six hits while striking out three.
The Ports pulled to within two runs in the fourth on a two-out, two-run homer by Sandber Pimentel to make it a 5-3 game. Those were the final runs allowed by Quakes starter Felipe Gonzalez, who did not factor into the decision as he went 4.1 innings and allowed three runs on five hits while striking out six.
Victor Veliz came on to start the sixth inning and was ineffective. Veliz walked back-to-back hitters to open the frame and then gave up an RBI single to Mieses that ran the Quakes lead to 6-3. After walking Dian Toscano to load the bases, Veliz was lifted for Joey Wagman, who gave up a two-run double to Ariel Sandoval followed by RBI singles to Garret Kennedy and Erick Mejia to make it a 10-3 Quakes advantage.
Veliz did not record and out in the inning and allowed three runs on one hit while walking three. Wagman would pitch two innings and allow two runs (one earned) on four hits while striking out three.
David Reid-Foley (1-1) took over for Gonzalez with two on and one out in the fifth and induced an inning-ending double-play. Reid-Foley pitched through the sixth and gave up a solo home run to Bennie, his second of the night that cut the Stockton deficit to 10-4. Reid-Foley would pick up the win after allowing one run on one hit in an inning-and-two-thirds.
Stockton's final two runs came in the ninth off Corey Copping. After Pimentel reached on an error to begin the inning, John Nogowski hit a two-run homer to left to make it a 10-6 contest. Copping would retire the next three batters in succession, including a pair of strikeouts, to end the ballgame.
Koby Gauna pitched two scoreless innings to finish the game for Stockton.
Following a 3-4 homestand, the Ports travel to San Jose to begin a four-game set with the Giants on Thursday night at Municipal Stadium. Casey Meisner (0-12, 4.34 ERA) gets the nod in the series opener for Stockton, opposed by San Jose right-hander Jose Reyes (3-3, 4.14 ERA). First pitch is set for 7 p.m. PDT. This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.
California League Stories from August 4, 2016
- Blaze Stumble as Giants Pounce on Opportunities - Bakersfield Blaze
- Giants Hold off Blaze to Win Series - San Jose Giants
- Mavs Trounce 66ers, Avoid Sweep - Inland Empire 66ers
- Ports Fall in 10-6 Home Run Derby - Stockton Ports
- Hoelscher Walks the Walk in 5-4 Win - Modesto Nuts
- Offense Breaks out in Win over Stockton - Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
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