CalL Stockton Ports

Ports Use Big Inning in Win over 66ers

Published on June 10, 2023 under California League (CalL)
Stockton Ports News Release


SAN BERNADINO, Calif. - The Stockton Ports offense erupted for six runs in the sixth inning on Friday night for a 10-4 win over Inland Empire in game four of the six game series.

The newest Stockton Port had the biggest night, as Carlos Franco had a four-RBI debut with a solo home run and two singles. His solo shot (1) in the fifth got the Ports on the board, and his two-run single in the sixth gave Stockton a 6-4 lead.

A balk by starting pitcher James Gonzalez put Inland Empire up 1-0 in the bottom of the first, and a ball hit out to left that dropped rapidly couldn't be hung on to by left fielder Nathan Beltran to score a second run, as Beltran had to run a long way to try and make the play after being positioned deep against the 66ers leading home run hitter, Matt Coutney.

It would be a pair of wild pitches that would put Gonzalez in a bind in the fourth inning as a pair of them advanced runners and led to two runs scoring. The second wild pitch produced two runs for Inland Empire, as a runner scored from third and one scored from second when catcher Jose Mujica assumed only one run would come in, but Christian Sepulveda took advantage of Mujica's jog to the ball near the Sixers dugout and hustled in to score for a 4-0 Inland Empire lead.

The Ports (20-36) wouldn't allow any more runs to score though as Blaze Pontes and Pedro Santos each pitched two scoreless innings after Stockton took the lead.

Stockton's big rally started with a leadoff walk from Henry Bolte to start the sixth, and T.J. Schofield-Sam doubled into left center to bring Bolte in to cut it to a 4-2 deficit. The 66ers (26-26) went to their bullpen at that point and the Ports took advantage.

Mujica and Bjay Cooke each drew a walk to load the bases, before Nelson Beltran doubled into right center to score Schofield-Sam and Mujica to tie the game at 4-4. Franco would single into right center as well to score Beltran and Cooke to put the Ports ahead, and Colby Thomas doubled in Franco to make it 7-4 Stockton after the dust had settled in the top of the sixth, where the Ports sent 11 batters to the plate.

The Ports would tack on a run in the eighth when Thomas singled in Beltran who reached on an error by Sepulveda, and another run in the ninth when Franco delivered again to score Cooke who singled and stole second.

Gonzalez pitched well enough to get the win to improve to 2-4 and 66ers reliever Sadrac Franco took the loss allowing after four runs while recording just one out.

Game five is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. with the Ports right hander Dheygler Gimenez (3-0, 4.65 ERA) squaring off against the 66er's lefty Mason Albright (4-3, 3.43 ERA).

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California League Stories from June 10, 2023


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