Ports Rally in Ninth, Win 8-4 in 11
August 5, 2016 - California League (CalL1)
Stockton Ports News Release
SAN JOSE, Calif. - The Stockton Ports won their fourth game of the season when trailing after the eighth inning on Thursday to open a four-game set with the San Jose Giants. The Ports, down to their final strike, got a game-tying double from James Harris in the top of the ninth and went on to score four runs in the 11th to earn an 8-4 win over the Giants.
Stockton opened the scoring in the opening frame. With two on and two out in the top of the first, Sandber Pimentel hit a two-run double to left to give the Ports an early 2-0 lead. Stockton made it a 3-0 advantage in the second when Richie Martin tripled with one out and scored on an ensuing double by Seth Brown.
Ports starter Casey Meisner gave up a solo home run to Cristian Paulino with one out in the second that cut the Ports lead to 3-1. After Meisner gave up a two-out double and walked back-to-back hitters to load the bases with two outs, he got Dylan Davis to fly out to right to end the inning and escape the jam.
Meisner would end up retiring 10 of his final 11 batters to complete his outing and leave with a chance to earn his first win of the season. He'd be rendered a no-decision after going five strong innings and allowing one run on five hits while walking two and striking out two.
Giants starter Jose Reyes would go six innings and also be rendered a no-decision, allowing three runs on six hits while striking out four.
Matt Sergey took over for Stockton in the sixth and gave up a leadoff double to Mitch Delfino, followed by a game-tying two-run homer to T.J. Bennett that knotted the score at 3-3.
Sergey would pitch the seventh inning as well. After retiring back-to-back hitters to open the frame, Jonah Arenado extended the inning with a single and scored on an ensuing double by Delfino that gave the Giants their first lead at 4-3.
Sergey would be in line to suffer the loss but received a no-decision after allowing three runs on four hits in two innings of work.
After Austin Fleet pitched two scoreless frames for San Jose in relief of Reyes, Reyes Moronta took over in the ninth to try for the save. With one out, Brown reached on an infield single to put the tying run aboard. After Iolana Akau flew out to center, Harris came up and found himself in a 2-2 count. Harris would double off the wall in right field to score Brown and tie the game at 4-4.
Moronta would suffer his second blown save of the season after allowing one run on two hits in his lone inning of work.
Cody Stull (3-2) took over for Sergey in the eighth and would go on to pitch three perfect innings, his longest outing of the season. Stull went on to earn his third victory of the season.
Carlos Diaz (0-3) took over in the 10th and set the side down in order to begin his outing. In the 11th, Diaz gave up a one-out double to Jose Brizuela. Martin came up next and broke the tie on an RBI double to right to give the Ports a 5-4 advantage. Two batters later with two outs, Akau singled to drive in Martin to make it a 6-4 game. After Harris singled, Mikey White broke it open for Stockton with a two-run double to let that gave the Ports an 8-4 cushion.
Diaz suffered the loss, going an inning-and-two-thirds and allowing our runs on five hits.
Carlos Navas pitched a perfect bottom of the 11th inning to close out the game for Stockton. Navas' perfect frame completed a stretch of 13 consecutive batters retired by Ports pitching to close out the contest.
The win gives the Ports a 4-4 record on the season in extra innings.
Stockton and San Jose play the second game of their four-game set on Friday night at Municipal Stadium. Grant Holmes (8-4, 4.02 ERA) makes his debut as an Oakland A's farmhand after being acquired from the Los Angeles Dodgers via a trade. He'll be opposed by right-hander Dan Slania (0-0, 0.00 ERA) who comes down from Triple-A Sacramento to make a spot-start. 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 August 5, 2016
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- Rawhide Break Tie in Eighth, Hang on for 7-5 Win - Visalia Rawhide
- Ports Rally in Ninth, Win 8-4 in 11 - Stockton Ports
- Mistakes Doom Blaze in Lake Elsinore - Bakersfield Blaze
- Giants Suffer 11-Inning Loss to Ports - San Jose Giants
- Marlow Sinks Nuts With Late Blast, 'hawks Take Opener - Lancaster JetHawks
- Lancaster's Late Long Ball Languishes Nuts in 5-3 Loss - Modesto Nuts
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