Ports Right the Ship in 6-5 Win over I.E.
May 8, 2025 - California League (CalL)
Stockton Ports News Release
SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. - The Ports held on for a 6-5 win over Inland Empire on Wednesday night, evening up the series at one game apiece and snapping a three-game skid with the nail-biting win.
Stockton (15-14) trailed 2-0 after a second inning in which starter Sam Stuhr stumbled off the mound and cut his middle finger. He walked a pair and allowed a two-RBI double and a single, but along with Stuhr striking out a batter looking, his defense picked him up by throwing the runner out at third on the double and when Jesus Fernandez snagged a line drive at short.
Jose Dicochea came in and righted the ship for the Ports with three perfect innings in relief, allowing Stockton to answer in the fifth. Myles Naylor and Davis Diaz walked to start the inning, and both got into scoring position on a wild pitch. That set up C.J. Pittaro's line drive up the middle to score them both and tie the game at 2-2.
Then the Ports hottest hitter, Carlos Franco, extended his hitting streak to seven games when he belted a two-run homer (1) to left field 391 feet to put Stockton ahead 4-2. It was Franco's second career home run, with the first one occurring in his Ports debut also at Inland Empire on June 9, 2023. Stockton would add another run in the sixth when Jared Sprague-Lott scored from third on a ground out from Fernandez even with the infield in to go up 5-2.
Inland Empire (9-20) cut it to a one-run game though in the seventh, with a walk and two singles scoring a run against Brayan Restituyo, who struck out the side in the sixth. Riley Huge would come in and allow a sac fly to make it a 5-4 game but got a ground out to short handled well by Fernandez to end the rally.
Much like the fifth run the Ports scored in the sixth inning, the run they would push across in the ninth would be critical as well. Naylor doubled to right center to start the ninth before Franco worked his magic again and singled through the right side to score Naylor from third and put Stockton ahead by two runs at 6-4.
The Ports would need that run as Huge allowed a pair of singles to start the ninth, and again the 66ers bunted from the ninth spot in their order to put two runners in scoring position.
Stockton called on Diego Barrera for his second appearance of the season, but after he got a pop up to short, he walked a batter to load the bases and walked in another to trim the lead to just 6-5. Barrera would get a ground ball to second though and Gunner Gouldsmith did well to deal with the runner cutting in front of him to scoop up the grounder and make the throw to first to end the ballgame.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS: The win was just the second for the Ports in one-run ballgames and their third when the opponent scores first. It moved them to 2-2 when they have the same number of hits as their opponent, 13-2 when leading after seven innings, and 14-2 when leading after eight. Naylor is now 11 for 35 (.367) versus left handers this season. Dicochea collected the win to improve to 2-2 and Barrera earned his first save of the season.
UP NEXT: Thursday's game will be a 5:15 start, with the 66ers starting RHP Andre Sanchez (0-2, 3.63) against the Ports RHP Donny Troconis (3-0, 0.00). Single game tickets, mini plans, and group outings are all on sale for the 2025 season. For more information, call the Ports front office at 209-644-1900 or email at [email protected].
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California League Stories from May 8, 2025
- Ports Right the Ship in 6-5 Win over I.E. - Stockton Ports
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