Ports Spin Two-Hitter in 7-2 Victory
May 1, 2016 - California League (CalL1)
Stockton Ports News Release
MODESTO, Calif. - The Stockton Ports had their best pitching performance of the season on Saturday night at John Thurman Field, and it was a former Major League All-Star that got them off on the right foot. Henderson Alvarez, making his second start with the Ports on a Major League rehab assignment, pitched four strong innings and began an effort where Ports pitchers allowed just two hits as the Ports beat the Modesto Nuts by a final of 7-2.
Modesto opened the scoring in the bottom of the first. With runners at the corners and one out, Roberto Ramos grounded out to first to drive in Wes Rogers from third and give the Nuts a 1-0 lead. It was the lone tally allowed by Alvarez. Alvarez, beginning with the RBI groundout, retired the final 11 batters he faced. He did not factor into the decision, going four innings and allowing one hit while walking one and striking out four. He threw 48 pitches, 35 for strikes.
Stockton tied the game in the top of the third. Sandber Pimentel doubled to right to begin the inning and scored later in the inning on an RBI groundout by B.J. Boyd. It was the only run allowed by Nuts starter Parker French who was very sharp in his California League debut. The right-hander received a no-decision after going six innings and allowing one run on two hits while striking out seven.
Brett Graves (2-3) took over for Alvarez in the fifth and suffered a bit of misfortune to allow a run. With one out, Shane Hoelscher hit a line drive to center for a hit that skipped past center fielder James Harris as he tried to field it on a short hop. The play was scored a triple and Luis Jean followed with a suicide squeeze bunt to get the run in and give the Nuts a 2-1 lead.
The run in the fifth was the only run allowed by Graves, who picked up the win after going the final five innings and allowing just one hit while striking out four. Graves went on to retire the final 14 batters that he faced to complete his outing.
The Ports went on to score the final six runs of the ballgame beginning with a three-run seventh in which they took the lead for the first time. Troy Neiman (2-1) was the first reliever out of the bullpen for Modesto and was victimized by an error committed by shortstop Emerson Jimenez that started his outing. After the error, Mikey White singled and Argenis Raga laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance the runners to second and third. After a passed ball allowed Joe Bennie to score the tying run, Pimentel doubled to right to drive in White with the go-ahead run. Pimentel scored two batters later on an RBI single by James Harris to make it a 4-2 game.
Neiman suffered the loss after allowing three runs (one earned) on three hits in his lone inning of work.
Stockton added three more runs over the final two innings. Luis Niebla pitched the eighth for Modesto and surrendered a leadoff double to Tyler Marincov, who scored later in the inning on a sac-fly by White. Logan Cozart pitched the ninth for the Nuts and gave up a one-out triple to Melvin Mercedes followed by an RBI double by Harris, who scored on an ensuing single by Boyd to make it a 7-2 cushion.
The Ports and Nuts will complete their three-game series on Sunday afternoon when the series shifts to Banner Island Ballpark. Heath Fillmyer (2-1, 5.66 ERA) makes the start for Stockton, opposed by Modesto southpaw Sam Howard (1-0, 2.10 ERA). First pitch is set for 2:09 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 May 1, 2016
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- Blaze Overcome Late Rally, Sweep 66ers - Inland Empire 66ers
- 66ers Drop Extra Inning Affair 4-3 - Inland Empire 66ers
- Marincov's Blast Lifts Ports to Series Sweep - Stockton Ports
- Nuts Lose Pitcher's Duel 3-2 - Modesto Nuts
- Quakes Blanked Despite Bergjans' Gem - Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
- Comeback Falls Short In Rubber Game At Diamond - Lancaster JetHawks
- Late Rally Falls Short, Giants Swept in Visalia - San Jose Giants
- Ports Spin Two-Hitter in 7-2 Victory - Stockton Ports
- Quakes Rally in 9th for Win over Mavs - Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
- Rawhide Make It Six Straight with 3-1 Win over San Jose - Visalia Rawhide
- Mack Delivers Late with Blaze Thinking Sweep - Bakersfield Blaze
- Pitcher Zac Curtis Makes MLB Debut for Arizona - Visalia Rawhide
- Rawhide Make It Six Straight with 3-1 Win over San Jose - Visalia Rawhide
- Late Rally Dooms Nuts in Sixth Straight Loss - Modesto Nuts
- Giants Drop Second Straight to Rawhide, 3-1 - San Jose Giants
- Late Homer, Seventh Inning Rally Sink Jethawks - Lancaster JetHawks
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