Ports Suffer Second Straight Walk-Off Loss, Fall 5-4
April 19, 2016 - California League (CalL1)
Stockton Ports News Release
VISALIA, Calif. - For a second straight game, the Stockton Ports bullpen couldn't hold a late lead. This time, the beneficiaries were the Visalia Rawhide. Stockton saw a 4-2 lead fall by the wayside in the eighth and Visalia score the winning run in the ninth as they dropped the first of a three-game series by a final of 5-4.
Each team traded a run in the first as the Ports got an RBI groundout from Tyler Marincov and Visalia a sac-fly from Rudy Flores. After the first inning, both starting pitchers took control. Rawhide starter Bo Takahashi, making his California League debut in a spot-start, gave up a single and a walk to open the seventh and then proceeded to retire the next 12 batters in-a-row to finish his outing. He allowed just the one run on three hits while striking out four.
Ports starter Daniel Gossett retired his final seven batters of the contest and allowed just the one run on three hits as well while striking out a career-high nine.
Joey Wagman took over for Stockton in the bottom of the sixth and gave up a two-out walk to Flores followed by an RBI double to Henry Castillo that gave the Rawhide a 2-1 lead. It was the only run allowed by Wagman in two innings of work.
Bud Jeter took over for Visalia in the sixth and pitched around a hit and a walk. In the seventh, Luis Ramirez was summoned and got into early trouble after a double and a single put runners at the corners with nobody out. After back-to-back strikeouts, Ramirez walked B.J. Boyd to load the bases and bring up Joe Bennie, who doubled to the right field wall to bring in all three runners and give Stockton a 4-2 lead. Those were the first runs allowed by Ramirez on the season.
Lou Trivino (0-1) took over in the eighth and gave up a leadoff single to Domingo Leyba. With one out, Castillo lined a single to center. Ports center fielder James Harris had the ball kick off his glove and get behind him enabling Leyba to round third and score. Seth Brown picked the ball up and threw it back to an open area of the infield and the ball bounced into foul territory, allowing Castillo to take third. With the infield in, Grant Heyman singled to left to score Castillo and tie the game at 4-4.
Trivino came back out for the ninth and hit Ericson Leonora to open the frame. After an infield single by Cody Regis and a bunt single by Colin Bray loaded the bases, Leyba came up and, with the infield in, hit a sharp grounder to first baseman John Nogowski. Nogowski made a diving stop and then had the ball slip out of his hands when he came to his feet to attempt a throw to home plate. The play was ruled an infield RBI single for Leyba as Visalia escaped with the victory.
Trivino, who allowed three runs (two earned) in an inning-plus, suffered his first loss of the season. Austin Wright (1-0), who pitched a scoreless eighth and ninth for the Rawhide, picked up the victory.
Harris, who was ejected after arguing a third strike call in the ninth, extended his hit streak to 11 games with a first inning single while Boyd extended his hit streak to 15 games dating back to August 30th of last season with a single in the first. Marincov went 0-for-4 and saw his hit streak end at eight games.
The Ports and Rawhide play the middle game of their three-game set on Tuesday night at Recreation Ballpark. Brett Graves (0-2, 9.35 ERA) gets the start for Stockton, opposed by Visalia right-hander Miller Diaz (0-0, 6.00 ERA). First pitch is set for 6 p.m. PDT.
California League Stories from April 19, 2016
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- Wild Pitch Ends a Wild 15-Inning Nuts Victory - Modesto Nuts
- Ports Suffer Second Straight Walk-Off Loss, Fall 5-4 - Stockton Ports
- Garlick with Monster Night in Quakes' Win - Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
- Leyba Wins It with Bases Loaded Single in the Ninth - Visalia Rawhide
- JetHawks Yield Five Homers, Drop Series Opener - Lancaster JetHawks
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