Rawhide Rally in Ninth, Sink Ports 6-5
June 5, 2016 - California League (CalL1)
Stockton Ports News Release
STOCKTON, Calif. - In the blink of an eye, the Stockton Ports went from being one-out away from snapping a five-game losing streak to being on the wrong end of a 6-5 score on Sunday afternoon. Down to their last strike, the Visalia Rawhide scored three runs on four hits all with two outs in the ninth inning to come away with an improbable 6-5 win at Banner Island Ballpark.
Stockton built an early 4-0 lead over the first two innings. Melvin Mercedes and B.J. Boyd hit back-to-back one-out doubles in the first to make it 1-0. Boyd would be thrown out at the plate on an ensuing single by Joe Bennie. Stockton, however, would get three runs on five hits in the second off Rawhide starter Ethan Elias. With two on and nobody out, Mikey White lined an RBI single to center to score Seth Brown. Richie Martin hit into a fielder's choice groundout, but a throwing error by shortstop Robelys Reyes allowed Argenis Raga to score from third. Martin would go on to steal second and score on an RBI single by Mercedes to make it a 4-0 Ports advantage.
Elias would keep Stockton out of the run column over his final three innings and complete five full frames, allowing four runs on nine hits while striking out three.
Meanwhile, Stockton starter Kyle Friedrichs bounced back in impressive fashion from his tough California League debut on Monday in Lake Elsinore. Friedrichs recorded seven strikeouts over the first three innings. In the fourth, he surrendered a leadoff home run to Rudy Flores. Henry Castillo followed by striking out, but he reached on a wild pitch. It proved costly as he would score later in the inning on a fielder's choice groundout by Colin Bray that cut the Stockton lead to 4-2.
Friedrichs pitched through the sixth and allowed one more run in his final inning of work. With runners at first and second and one out, a wild pitch-one of four on the afternoon for Stockton-allowed both runners to advance into scoring positon. Tyler Baker took advantage with an RBI groundout to second to make it a 4-3 game.
Friredrichs, who was in line for the win, would be rendered a no-decision by game's end. He went six innings and allowed three runs on seven hits while striking out a career-high 11, a season-high strikeout total for a Ports pitcher on the season.
Nick Baker took over on the mound for Visalia in the sixth and got into a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the inning. Martin would come up and hit a sac-fly to center to score Brown and increase the Stockton lead to 5-3. It was the lone run allowed by Baker in two innings of work.
Lou Trivino pitched two scoreless innings of relief beginning in the seventh. Stockton failed to add to its lead in the eighth as they got a two-out single from White with Brown at second. Brown, however, was thrown out at the plate to end the inning.
Carlos Navas (1-2) came on to pitch the ninth to try for the save. Navas recorded two quick outs to open the frame. Visalia, though, would rally for four straight hits. Bray singled to left, Victor Reyes singled to right to put runners at the corners. A wild pitch then scored Bray and advanced Reyes to second. Robelys Reyes then singled to right to tie the game, with a throwing error by the right fielder Brown allowing Reyes to get all the way to third. Reyes then scored on an ensuing RBI single by Marty Herum, his first hit of the afternoon, to give Visalia a 6-5 lead.
Navas suffered the blown save and the loss as he allowed three runs on four hits all with two outs in the ninth.
Bud Jeter (7-0), who pitched the eighth, came back for the ninth and set the side down in order on three groundouts to notch the victory.
Stockton has now dropped a season-high six straight games overall, eight straight games at home and 16 of 19 since the last time they won back-to-back games (May 15-16).
The Ports and Rawhide play the third game of their four-game set on Monday night at Banner Island Ballpark. Brett Graves (2-5, 5.31 ERA) makes the start for Stockton, opposed by Visalia right-hander Emilio Vargas (0-0, 4.50 ERA). First pitch is set for 7:10 p.m. PDT.
California League Stories from June 5, 2016
- Quakes Hold off Sixers for Sunday Win - Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
- Rawhide Rally in Ninth, Sink Ports 6-5 - Stockton Ports
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- San Jose Giants Celebrate 7 Million Fans Through Municipal Stadium Gates - San Jose Giants
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- 66ers Open Series with 5-4 Win over Quakes - Inland Empire 66ers
- Ports Drop Fifth Straight, Lose 8-3 - Stockton Ports
- Quakes Fall to Sixers in Series-Opener - Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
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