CalL1 Stockton Ports

Ports Hang on for 9-8 Win to Snap Skid

Published on April 30, 2016 under California League (CalL1)
Stockton Ports News Release


MODESTO, Calif. - Nothing has come easy for the Stockton Ports when they play the Modesto Nuts in 2016 and Friday night was no exception. Stockton nearly blew a five-run lead in the bottom of the ninth but hung on for a 9-8 victory at John Thurman Field that ended a five-game losing streak.

The Ports were quick to score in the first inning as James Harris doubled to open the game and scored two batters later on a fielder's choice play where he beat the tag of catcher Dom Nunez at home plate. Modesto countered with a three-run bottom of the first. Max White tripled to greet Ports starter Joey Wagman and Forrest Wall came up next and reached on a fielding error by first baseman John Nogowski on which White scored. After Wes Rogers walked, Drew Weeks hit a two-run triple to left to give Modesto a 3-1 advantage.

The three runs in the first were the only runs allowed by Wagman who settled down and did not allow a hit in his final two innings of work. Wagman went three innings in his spot-start and allowed three runs (two earned) on three hits while striking out three.

Stockton got a run back in the top of the second as Nogowski led off with a double and scored three batters later on a sac-fly by Iolana Akau. Stockton's biggest inning of the night came in the third. Marincov doubled to open the frame, Seth Brown singled, and Joe Bennie brought them both home with a two-run double that gave the Ports the lead for good at 4-3. Bennie scored three batters later on a two-out double by Jose Brizuela to make it a 5-3 contest.

Modesto starter Yency Almonte (2-1) worked into the fifth and gave up a leadoff single to Brown. With one out, Almonte gave up back-to-back singles to Nogowski and Mikey White that loaded the bases. After Almonte struck out Brizuela for the second out, he was lifted for Logan Sawyer. Sawyer, facing Akau, would throw a pitch that was missed by the catcher Nunez and hit home plate umpire Jacob Metz in the mask and ricochet away. The wild pitch would allow Brown to score and Metz would be unable to continue in the game, leaving his partner Patrick Sharshel to be the lone umpire the remainder of the game.

Almonte suffered the loss, going 4.2 innings and allowing six runs on 10 hits while striking out five.

The Ports plated a run in the sixth as Harris led off with a single and scored on a two-out RBI single by Brown to make it a 7-3 game. It was the lone run allowed by Sawyer in an inning-and-a-third of work.

Modesto got a run back in the bottom of the sixth as Wes Rogers hit his first home run of the season out to left field to make it a 7-4 contest. The home run was one of two hits allowed by Ports reliever Brendan Butler (1-0) and it snapped a stretch of four straight strikeouts notched by the right-hander. Butler earned the win in his California League debut, going three innings and allowing the lone run on two hits while striking out four.

Stockton plated a pair of insurance runs in the eighth that would end up being key in the victory. B.J. Boyd led off and reached on a dropped by ball by left fielder Omar Carrizales. Marincov followed with his second double of the game to drive in Boyd. Marincov would then attempt to steal third and the throw down by Nunez was missed by third baseman Shane Hoelscher, an error on Hoelscher that allowed Marincov to take home after the steal and give Stockton a 9-4 cushion. The two eighth inning runs were charged to the ledger of Nuts reliever Craig Schlitter, with one of the runs being unearned.

After Koby Gauna pitched two scoreless innings beginning in the seventh, Rob Huber took over in the ninth. Huber walked Weeks to open the inning. After striking out Nunez, Hoescher singled to put runners at the corners and Carrizales came up next and hit a weak tapper to the right side of the infield. White, playing the overshift, charged the ball and attempted to tag Hoelscher between first and second, missed the tag, and threw late to first. Emerson Jimenez followed with an RBI double to right to make it a 9-6 game. After Huber got White to fly out to right field, Kyle Finnegan (SV, 1) was summoned for his first-ever save opportunity. With runners at second and third, Finnegan gave up a two-run single to Wall to make it a one-run game at 9-8. Finnegan, though, would get Rogers to fly out to right field to end the ballgame and notch the first save of his career.

Huber allowed four runs on two hits in two-thirds of an inning.

After snapping their five-game skid on Friday, the Ports will look to make it back-to-back wins as they return to Modesto on Saturday. Brett Graves (1-3, 7.71 ERA) makes the start for Stockton. Modesto's starter is still to be determined. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. PDT.

Check out the Stockton Ports Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



California League Stories from April 30, 2016


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.

OurSports Central