Ports Open Road Trip with 5-1 Win
August 4, 2018 - California League (CalL1)
Stockton Ports News Release
VISALIA, Calif. - The Stockton Ports capitalized on tremendous California League debut turned in by starter Wyatt Marks (1-0) Friday night at Recreation Ballpark. Marks shut out the Visalia Rawhide through 6 2/3 innings and the offense supplied five runs as Stockton earned a 5-1 win to open a six-game road trip.
Stockton opened the scoring with the help of a Visalia fielding error in the third. With a runner at first and nobody out, Visalia second baseman Luis Alejandro-Basabe booted a potential double-play ball that allowed runners to be at first and second with nobody out. Two batters later, Luke Persico drove in the first run of the game with a sac-fly to right that gave Stockton a 1-0 lead.
The Ports enjoyed their biggest inning of the night in the fifth. With two on and one out, Persico delivered an RBI single to center field that made it 2-0. Two batters later with two outs, Eric Marinez lined a two-run double to right-center that doubled the Stockton lead to 4-0.
Rawhide starter Connor Grey (8-8) worked into the sixth and gave up a leadoff single to Cobie Vance. After recording a strikeout, Grey was lifted for Robby Sexton who gave up a two-out triple to Trace Loehr that ran the Ports lead to 5-0.
Grey would suffer the loss, going 5 1/3 innings and allowing five runs on nine hits while striking out four.
Marks, meanwhile, retired 11 of the first 12 batters he faced and pitched around back-to-back one-out walks in the sixth and worked into the seventh. Marks, with one on and two out, gave up a single to Adam Walton, at which point he was lifted for Will Gilbert who recorded a strikeout to end the inning.
Marks would earn the win in his California League debut, pitching around three hits and four walks allowed while striking out five.
Gilbert would close out the ballgame and be tagged for a run in the ninth inning as Visalia put runners at second and third with nobody out. Alejandro-Basabe drove in the lone Visalia run with a groundout to third, but Gilbert struck out Marcus Wilson to close out the ballgame.
Persico and Marinez both went 2-for-4 and both drove in two runs for Stockton in the victory.
The Ports and Rawhide play the second game of their three-game series on Saturday night at Recreation Ballpark. Left-hander Zack Erwin (8-8, 5.35 ERA) makes the start for Stockton, opposed by Visalia right-hander Cole Stapler (0-3, 4.98 ERA). First pitch is set for 7 p.m. PDT.
California League Stories from August 4, 2018
- JetHawks Hang on to Beat Rancho - Lancaster JetHawks
- JetHawks Edge Quakes on Saturday - Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
- Storm Edge Giants, 3-2 - San Jose Giants
- Ports Cruise Past Toros in Series Opener - Visalia Rawhide
- Ports Open Road Trip with 5-1 Win - Stockton Ports
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