Ports Prevail 8-5 in 12 Innings
August 2, 2015 - California League (CalL1)
Stockton Ports News Release
SAN JOSE, Calif. - It took 12 innings and over four hours, but the Stockton Ports snapped a six-game losing skid on Saturday night at Municipal Stadium. Tied 4-4, the Ports plated four runs in the top of the 12th inning and went on to an 8-5 win over the San Jose Giants, setting themselves up for a chance to earn a series split in the series finale on Sunday.
Stockton scored the game's first run in the first inning. Brett Vertigan drew a one-out walk and scored on a two-out RBI single by Matt Chapman to give the Ports a 1-0 lead. San Jose countered in the bottom of the second. With two outs, Seth Harrison reached on a fielding error committed by shortstop Yairo Munoz and scored on an ensuing double by Skyler Stromsmoe to tie the game at 1-1.
The Ports would take advantage of a San Jose error in the third. With two outs, Jake Nottingham had an at-bat continue after a dropped pop-fly in foul territory by Giants first baseman Angel Villalona. Nottingham went on to reach on an infield single and scored on an ensuing two-run homer by Matt Chapman, his 23rd of the season, to give the Ports a 3-1 lead.
San Jose tied the game in the ensuing half inning. With two on and one out, the Giants scored a pair of runs on back-to-back singles by Harrison and Brandon Bednar to tie the score at 3-3. The Giants took their first lead in the fourth and knocked Ports starter Casey Meisner from the game in the process. Meisner walked Jeff Kobernus with one out. Kobernus would steal second and score on a single by Christian Arroyo to give San Jose a 4-3 lead. After walking Brian Ragira, Meisner was lifted in favor of Lou Trivino who completed the inning without allowing an additional run.
Meisner, who made his Stockton debut after being traded from the New York Mets in exchange for Tyler Clippard, went 3.2 innings and allowed four runs (three earned) on six hits while walking four and striking out four.
Giants starter Chase Johnson did not allow a run over his final two innings and would not factor into the decision, allowing three runs (one earned) on five hits while striking out five in five innings pitched.
Tyler Rogers took over for the Giants in the sixth and gave up back-to-back singles to Tyler Marincov and B.J. Boyd. After a sacrifice bunt and a strikeout, Branden Cogswell came up with runners at second and third and two out and delivered a game-tying infield single over the pitcher's mound to knot the game at 4-4. It was the only run allowed by Rogers in his lone inning of work.
The game remained tied at 4-4 until the 12th inning. Ports reliever Ben Bracewell pitched around a jam in the eighth inning with two on and nobody out, inducing a double-play off the bat of Arroyo to help him out of the inning. Stockton saw a tremendous scoring chance fall by the wayside in the 11th. Giants reliever Christian Jones (5-1) saw the Ports load the bases with nobody out, but Jones recorded back-to-back strikeouts and a groundout to escape unscathed.
Stockton had the same situation arise in the top of the 12th as they loaded the bases with nobody out facing Jones. This time, the Ports broke through with the runs that would win the game. With the bases loaded, Boyd broke the 4-4 tie with a single to center field. Munoz followed with a two-run double down the left field line to make it a 7-4 game and knock Jones from the contest. Dan Slania entered the game with runners at second and third and nobody out and faced Santiago Chavez, who drove in another run with a suicide squeeze bunt up the third base line.
Jones suffered the loss, allowing four runs on five hits in an inning-plus of relief.
Sam Bragg (6-2), who became the sixth different Stockton pitcher when he entered eh game to pitch the 10th, did not allow a run over his first two innings. After the Ports took the lead, Bragg came out for the bottom of the 12th and gave up a one-out double to Bednar, who would score on a two-out single by Stromsmoe to cut the Ports lead to 8-5. Bragg, however, would get Ty Ross to ground out to second to end the ballgame.
Bragg earned the win, allowing one run on three hits while striking out three in three innings of work.
The Ports and Giants wrap up their four-game series on Sunday at Municipal Stadium as Stockton looks to earn a series split. Raul Alcantara (0-0, 3.56 ERA) makes the start for Stockton, opposed by San Jose right-hander Jose Reyes (1-4, 8.61 ERA). First pitch is set for 5:05 p.m. PDT.
California League Stories from August 2, 2015
- Ports Fall to Giants 6-2 in Series Finale - Stockton Ports
- Blaze Open August on Winning Note, 8-4 - Bakersfield Blaze
- Ports Prevail 8-5 in 12 Innings - Stockton Ports
- Giants Fall in 12 Innings, Home Win Streak Ends - San Jose Giants
- Mavs Walk off on Infield Grounder in Ninth - Lancaster JetHawks
- Streaks Snapped in 8-4 Win - Inland Empire 66ers
- Nuts Slam Rawhide in 8-5 Win - Modesto Nuts
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