CalL1 Stockton Ports

Ports Snap Seven-Game Skid, Beat Storm 5-4

Published on July 4, 2016 under California League (CalL1)
Stockton Ports News Release


STOCKTON, Calif. - One night after they were unable to hold a one-run lead in the ninth inning, the Stockton Ports got a second chance and converted. Before a sellout crowd of 5,519 at Banner Island Ballpark, the Ports broke a 4-4 tie in the bottom of the eighth and were able to hold no for a 5-4 win over the Lake Elsinore Storm to snap a seven-game losing streak.

Each team scored a run in the first as the Storm got a two-out solo homer off the bat of Luis Urias. Stockton countered with three straight one-out singles by Richie Martin, B.J. Boyd and Joe Bennie, with Boyd's driving in Martin to tie the game at 1-1.

Stockton took its first lead in the third inning. With one out, Martin reached on a bunt single and scored on a two-out RBI single by John Nogowski to make it a 2-1 Ports advantage.

Ports starter Matt Sergey, making his debut in affiliated ball after working in the independent leagues since 2013, had set down seven straight hitters beginning with the final out of the first inning. The stretch was snapped with a leadoff walk in the fourth, but a double-play quickly erased the walk. With two outs and the bases empty, Fernando Perez hit a solo homer to center that tied the game at 2-2.

The fourth-inning run was the final run allowed by Sergey, who left eligible for the win but was rendered a no-decision in his California League debut, going five innings and allowing two runs on three hits while striking out six.

Storm starter Zech Lemond gave up a leadoff double in the fifth to James Harris, who scored later in the inning on a sac-fly by Bennie to make it a 3-2 Stockton lead.

Casey Meisner took over for Stockton in the sixth and gave up a leadoff single to Michael Gettys, who scored on a two-out single by Perez that tied the game at 3-3.

Lemond gave up his final run of the game in the sixth as he surrendered a leadoff triple to Sandber Pimentel, who scored two batters later on a sac-fly by Jose Brizuela to give Stockton a 4-3 lead. Lemond would receive a no-decision, going six innings and allowing four runs on nine hits while striking out six.

Meisner, after working a scoreless seventh, came out for the eighth and gave up a leadoff double to Javier Guerra, who scored two batters later on a one-out double by Josh VanMeter to tie the game at 4-4. After Urias was intentionally walked, Cody Stull (2-1) was summoned from the Stockton bullpen and got Perez to hit into the inning-ending 5-4-3 double-play to preserve the tie.

Stockton took the lead for good in the bottom of the eighth facing Storm reliever Ben Paullus (1-1). With one out, Nogowski singled and Pimentel followed with a ball hit into the right field corner. Nogowski would be sent around third to score but thrown out on a relay made by the second baseman Urias. Pimentel took third on the throw that came home. Mikey White came up next and delivered a clutch two-out RBI single that scored Pimentel and gave Stockton a 5-4 lead. It was the only run allowed by Paullus, who suffered the loss after allowing three hits in two innings of work.

Stull came on to try and finish the game in the ninth and issued a leadoff walk to Franmil Reyes. After a sacrifice bunt moved the possible-tying run into scoring position, Stull recorded back-to-back strikeouts of Edwin Moreno and Ty France to close out the ballgame and secure the victory for Stockton.

Stull would earn the win, pitching a scoreless inning-and-two-thirds without allowing a hit while striking out two.

The Ports and Storm play the second game of their four-game set on Tuesday night at Banner Island Ballpark. Brett Graves (3-7, 5.49 ERA) makes the start for Stockton, opposed by Lake Elsinore right-hander Enyel De Los Santos (1-1, 4.58 ERA). First pitch is set for 7:10 p.m. PDT.

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California League Stories from July 4, 2016


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