Quakes Take Early Lead, Beat Ports 9-6
August 8, 2015 - California League (CalL1)
Stockton Ports News Release
STOCKTON, Calif. - The Stockton Ports came close, but could not overcome an early five-run deficit on Friday night. The Rancho Cucamonga Quakes scored five runs in the top of the first and kept the lead the entire night, defeating the Ports by a final of 9-6 at Banner Island Ballpark.
Ports starter Raul Alcantara (0-2) suffered his worst outing of the season. Tim Locastro opened the ballgame with a single and Johan Mieses drew a walk to follow. Brandon Dixon came up next and hit a three-run homer to right that gave the Quakes a 3-0 lead. Cody Bellinger followed with a home run to right-center to make it a 4-0 ballgame. After Jacob Scavuzzo doubled, Alcantara retired Paul Hoeneke on a groundout and then was lifted from the game in favor of Lou Trivino. Trivino would throw a wild pitch that allowed Scavuzzo to score and give the Quakes a 5-0 lead.
All five runs in the first inning were charged to Alcantara, who suffered the loss after allowing four hits while walking one in one-third of an inning pitched.
Stockton got two runs back in the bottom of the first. With two on and two out, Tyler Marincov doubled to the left field corner. The ball was mishandled by the left fielder Scavuzzo, allowing two runs to score and cutting the Stockton deficit to 5-2.
Rancho Cucamonga got a run back in the top of the second. Locastro reached to start the inning on a fielding error committed by shortstop Yairo Munoz and scored on a two-out RBI single by Bellinger to make it a 6-2 game. The run was unearned and the only run allowed by Trivino in two-and-two-thirds innings of relief.
The Ports would chip away at a four-run deficit over the third and fourth innings. In the third, Brett Vertigan reached on an infield single to open the frame and scored two batters later on an RBI single by Munoz to cut the Quakes lead to 6-3. In the fourth, B.J. Boyd singled with one out and Trent Gilbert followed with a two-run homer to right to make it a 6-5 contest.
The two runs in the fourth were the final two runs allowed by Quakes starter Pablo Fernandez, who picked up the win after going 5.1 innings and allowing five runs (four earned) on six hits while striking out five.
Sean Doolittle took over for Trivino in the fourth on a Major League rehab assignment and pitched a perfect frame, throwing nine pitches, seven for strikes. Doolittle did not record a strikeout.
The score remained 6-5 in favor of the Quakes until the top of the eighth. Ports reliever Jeff Urlaub issued a leadoff walk to Tyler Ogle and then, two batters later, gave up an RBI single to Webster Rivas that made it a 7-5 game. Rivas would score two batters later on an RBI double by Mieses to increase the Quakes lead to 8-5. Urlaub allowed two runs on two hits in an inning-and-two-thirds of relief.
Stockton got a run back in the bottom of the eighth on a leadoff home run by Munoz to cut the Quakes lead to 8-6. It was the lone run allowed by A.J. Vanegas in an inning-and-a-third of relief.
Rancho Cucamonga's final run came on a leadoff home run by Bellinger in the ninth off Ports reliever Trevor Bayless to make it a 9-6 game. It was the second of two homers for Bellinger, who went 3-for-5 with three RBI.
Karch Kowalczyk (SV, 1) came on to pitch the ninth and set the side down in order to record his first save of the season.
The Ports and Quakes play the third game of their four-game set on Saturday night at Banner Island Ballpark. Dylan Covey (6-7, 4.07 ERA) makes the start for Stockton, opposed by Rancho Cucamonga right-hander Chase De Jong (2-1, 3.38 ERA). First pitch is set for 7:10 p.m. PDT.
California League Stories from August 8, 2015
- Bats and Bullpen Help 66ers Bounce Back - Inland Empire 66ers
- Quakes Take Early Lead, Beat Ports 9-6 - Stockton Ports
- More Extra-Inning Heartbreak as Giants Fall in 13 - San Jose Giants
- Petty Finishes Nuts - Bakersfield Blaze
- Ninth-Inning Power Stings Nuts in 5-2 Loss - Modesto Nuts
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