Ports Outlast Storm And Win 14-9 Slugfest
Published on June 29, 2008 under California League (CalL1)
Stockton Ports News Release
STOCKTON, Calif. - If the Stockton Ports learned anything from Saturday night's game, it was that no lead--no matter how large--is ever safe. The Lake Elsinore Storm fell behind 11-0 after four innings, and came all the way back to within three runs. In the end, however, the Ports held on and secured a 14-9 win in front of 4,092 fans on a Saturday night at Banner Island Ballpark.
For the third straight game, the Ports got on the board first. Raul Padron led off the bottom of the second with a solo home run off Storm starter Corey Kluber (2-5), giving the Ports a 1-0 lead. Jermaine Mitchell and Archie Gilbert would add RBI singles in the inning to make it 3-0 Stockton after two frames.
The Ports exploded for their biggest inning in the third. With Sean Doolittle at second after a leadoff single and stolen base, Padron came through again--this time with an RBI single--to make it 4-0. Mike Massaro added an RBI single two batters later, and two batters down from Massaro, Matt Sulentic knocked a three-run homer to right to give the Ports an 8-0 lead.
Kluber was lifted after the third. He would wind up taking the loss, going three innings and allowing eight runs on nine hits while walking two and striking out two.
Stockton kept the runs coming in the fourth with reliever Dylan Axelrod on the hill. Axelrod gave up an RBI single to Frank Martinez and a two-run single to Massaro to give the Ports a commanding 11-0 lead.
The Storm, however, didn't roll over. In the fifth, Ports starter Jason Fernandez (8-4) ran into a brick wall. Javis Diaz and Eric Sogard led off with back-to-back singles. Rayner Contreras followed and hit a pop foul on the first base side near the Ports dugout. Doolittle ran over and called for the ball, but dropped it as he tried to make a basket catch. The play was ruled an error, and the at-bat continued. Contreras hit a comebacker to the mound and Fernandez threw to second, but shortstop Josh Horton was in front of the bag and not on it, making everybody safe on a fielder's choice. Following a double play ball off the bat of Cedric Hunter, Sam Carter hit an RBI single, Mitch Canham walked and Kellen Kulbacki--who homered twice on Friday night--hit a three-run blast to right, cutting the deficit to 11-5. On the very next pitch, Jeremy Hunt homered to left-center, making it 11-6.
The fifth inning would be Fernandez's last. He would end up with the win, going five innings and allowing six runs--all unearned--on nine hits while walking two and striking out two.
The Storm kept scoring in the sixth. Branden Dewing began the inning and yielded a leadoff walk to Diaz, followed by three straight singles to Sogard, Contreras and Hunter, with Contreras' bringing in a run which made it 11-7. With the bases loaded and nobody out, Jared Lansford came on and controlled the damage, allowing just one more run to score on an RBI groundout from Canham, making it 11-8. Both runs were charged to Dewing. Lansford would pitch two scoreless frames.
The two teams would remain quiet until the Ports got three insurance runs in the eighth. With two on and one out, Chris Carter knocked a two-run triple to right. Three batters later, Massaro knocked in a run on an infield single, giving the Ports a 14-8 lead after eight.
Sam Demel (SV, 11) allowed an unearned run in the ninth, but the Ports held on for a 14-9 win. Demel earned his 11th save of the season, and is now third in the league in that category.
The Ports and Storm will play for the final time in 2008 on Sunday at Banner Island Ballpark. Graham Godfrey (2-1, 5.74 ERA) will take the hill for the Ports, opposed by right-hander Drew Miller (5-4, 6.08 ERA) for the Storm. First pitch is set for 6:05 p.m. PDT.
California League Stories from June 29, 2008
- Jon Still Helps Slam JetHawks to 16-9 Win - Lancaster JetHawks
- Quakes Take Three of Four From Mavericks - Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
- Current And Former Ports Headed To MLB Futures Game - Stockton Ports
- Former Major League Pitcher Jack McDowell at the Epicenter Today - Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
- Giants Unable To Hold Late Lead In 7-4 Loss At Modesto - San Jose Giants
- Ports Outlast Storm And Win 14-9 Slugfest - Stockton Ports
- Quakes Fall To Mavs 6-4 in 10 Innings - Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
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