Ports Open Road Trip with 10-4 Victory
July 22, 2016 - California League (CalL1)
Stockton Ports News Release
VISALIA, Calif. - The Stockton Ports hit three home runs on Thursday night, providing a thunderous start to a seven-game road trip. The Ports defeated the Visalia Rawhide by a final of 10-4 and in doing so, earned back-to-back victories following their extra-inning win on Tuesday night.
Stockton scored three runs in the second to get the scoring started. With runners at second and third and one out, Argenis Raga hit a sacrifice fly to center to give the Ports a 1-0 lead. Jose Brizuela followed with a two-run homer to right-center to make it a 3-0 lead.
The Ports made it a 5-0 lead in the fourth. With two on and two out, James Harris hit a two-run double to right off Rawhide starter Alex Young (0-2.)
Stockton starter Michael Murray (1-0), making his California League debut, pitched around a hit and a walk in the first, a leadoff single in the second and set the side down in order in the third. With a runner at second and two outs in the third, Stockton's defense started to flounder. Murray walked Stryker Trahan and on ball four, Grant Heyman, the runner at second, took off for third. Raga threw down to third and the ball was missed by Birzuela, allowing Heyman to score. Trahan would go to second on a wild pitch and then score on a throwing error committed by second baseman Mikey White on a ball put in play by Michael Perez to cut the Ports lead to 5-2.
Murray retired Robelys Reyes to end the fourth inning and that started a stretch of 13 consecutive batters set down that took Stockton through the eighth inning. Murray would earn the win, going five strong innings in his debut and allowing two unearned runs on three hits while walking two and striking out three.
Stockton scored three more runs off Young in the fifth inning. B.J. Boyd led off with a home run to right. Two batters later, Sandber Pimentel singled and White followed with a triple to left-center. Seth Brown followed with a sac-fly to left to make it an 8-2 lead.
Young suffered the loss, going 4.2 innings and allowing eight runs on 10 hits while striking out three.
Drew Muren took over in the ninth and, with one on and two out, gave up a two-run homer to Pimentel to make it a 10-2 Stockton advantage.
After two perfect innings worked by Victor Veliz, Koby Gauna took over in the eighth and set the side down in order in his first frame. In the ninth, Gauna gave up a leadoff single to Marty Herum, who took second on defensive indifference and scored on an ensuing throwing error committed by Brizuela to make it a 10-3 game. Gauna gave up a two-out single to Trahan, who scored two batters later on a single by Reyes to make it 10-4. Guana, though, would get Galli Cribbs to ground out to end the ballgame.
Guana went two innings and allowed two runs (one earned) on three hits.
The Ports and Rawhide play the second game of their four-game set on Friday night at Recreation Ballpark. Brett Graves (4-8, 5.47 ERA) makes the start for Stockton, opposed by Visalia right-hander Joel Payamps (2-3, 4.36 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 July 22, 2016
- Giants Out-Slug Sixers 13-6 - Inland Empire 66ers
- High Desert Mavericks 2016 Playoff Tickets Go on Sale July 25 - High Desert Mavericks
- Ports Open Road Trip with 10-4 Victory - Stockton Ports
- Stockton Finds Port at Rawhide Ballpark in 10-4 Win - Visalia Rawhide
- Stockton Finds Port at Rawhide Ballpark with 10-4 Win - Visalia Rawhide
- Giants Power to 13-6 Victory over Sixers - San Jose Giants
- Lancaster 9, High Desert 8 - Lancaster JetHawks
- Storm Get Late Win over Rancho on Thursday - Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
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.
