CalL Stockton Ports

Ports Fall in Back-And-Forth Affair 9-8

August 6, 2023 - California League (CalL)
Stockton Ports News Release


Visalia, CA - The Visalia Rawhide pounded out 14 hits and scored in five different innings as the Ports battled came up short, stranding the tying run at third base to end the game in a 9-7 loss in game five of a six-game series at Valley Strong Ballpark on Saturday night. Stockton has now dropped four straight games.

The Ports (36-65) took an early lead in the top of the first inning against Visalia starter Landon Sims. Dereck Salom reached on an infield single and advanced to second base on a wild base with nobody out for Myles Naylor who lined a single to right center to drive in Salom giving the Ports a 1-0 lead.

After a two-run bottom of the first gave the Rawhide (38-63) a 2-1 lead, the Ports stormed back with a four-run third to reclaim the advantage. Visalia reliever Luis Tejeda issued back-to-back walks to Salom and Naylor to start the inning putting runners on first and second with nobody out. Henry Bolte then lined a single to right field advancing the runners but Rawhide right fielder Danyer Sanabria's throw to the infield went into the Visalia dugout allowing Salom and Naylor to score by rule to give the Ports a 3-2 lead. Yeniel Laboy then drilled a double off the wall in right to score Bolte and make it 4-2, and Carlos Franco followed with a single through the left side to drive in Laboy and give the Ports a 5-2 lead.

The Rawhide, however, would strike back for three runs in the third to tie the game. With runners on first and third and one out Kevin Sim lined a single to right to score Cristofer Torin and after a flyout to right, Jose Fernandez roped a two-run double down the left field line to tie the game at 5-5.

With two runs in the fourth the Rawhide reclaimed the lead. Riquelman Cabral hit a bloop triple to right center and scored from third base on a wild pitch to make it 6-5, and with two outs and nobody on Torin singled, stole second and scored on a double down the left field like to give Visalia a two-run cushion at 7-5.

In the bottom of the fifth Gavin Logan homered to lead off the inning to extend the Rawhide lead to 8-5.

The Ports stormed back to cut the Rawhide lead to one in the top of the sixth. Cooper Uhl walked with one out and scored when Pedro Pineda grounded a double just inside the third base bag into the left field corner to cut the Stockton deficit to 8-6. Robert Puason then reached on an infield single that allowed Pineda to score to make it 8-7.

After the Rawhide got a run back in the bottom of the seventh to make it 9-7, the Ports brought the go-ahead run to the plate in the top of the ninth. Naylor reached on an error to start the inning and advanced to second base when Bolte drew a walk. After a Laboy sacrifice bunt moved the runners up to second and third, Franco drove in Naylor with a ground ball to short to make it 9-8. With Bolte representing the tying run 90 feet away at third base, however, Armando Vasquez struck out Bjay Cooke with a 3-2 slider to end the ballgame.

Visalia reliever Gunnar Groen (1-1) got the win allowing two runs on one hit in 2.1 inning with four strikeouts. James Gonzalez (4-8) took the loss for the Ports allowing three runs on five hits in 2.2 innings in relief of Gunnar Hoglund. Vasquez pitched the final two innings for the Rawhide to notch his third save of the season.

The Ports will look to end their trip to Visalia on a winning note when they conclude their week-long and season series with the Rawhide on Sunday afternoon at Valley Strong Ballpark. First pitch is scheduled for 12:05.

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California League Stories from August 6, 2023


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