CalL1 Stockton Ports

Rawhide Take Rubber Match of Series 7-4

Published on May 4, 2017 under California League (CalL1)
Stockton Ports News Release


Stockton Ports News List

Ports Headlines

Rawhide Take Rubber Match Of Series 7-4 May 3rd 2017, 23:52

VISALIA, Calif. - For the second time in three games, the Stockton Ports were the first team to score but suffered the loss on Wednesday night at Recreation Park. The Visalia Rawhide hit a pair of two-run homers that helped lift them to a 7-4 victory over Stockton, giving them the win in the rubber match of a three-game series.

After getting back-to-back walks and failing to score in the top of the first, the Ports got on the board in the second as Skye Bolt doubled to open the frame and scored three batters later on a two-out RBI single by Chris Iriart .

Visalia's bats came alive in the third facing Ports starter Logan Shore (1-2). Grant Heyman led off with a single to right and the ball was mishandled by right fielder Seth Brown . The ball rolled to the wall and Heyman wound up at third base. Two batters later, Matt McPhearson lined an RBI single past the shallow-playing infield to tie the game at 1-1. Two batters later with two outs in the inning, Jason Morozowski hit a two-run homer to left, his first of the season, to give the Rawhide a 3-1 lead that they would not relinquish.

Shore suffered the loss, going three innings and allowing three runs on four hits.

Visalia starter Ryan Atkinson (1-0) would keep Stockton out of the run column in the third and fourth innings. In the fifth, Atkinson gave up a leadoff single to Branden Cogswell . Eli White followed with a single to put two aboard. Three batters later with runners at second and third and two outs, Bolt hit a sharp ground ball to first. Austin Byler made a diving stop and the ball trickled away. Cogswell scored from third, but then Byler threw out White trying to score from second at home plate to end the inning.

Atkinson went on to pick up the win in his California League debut, going five innings and allowing two runs on five hits while walking four and striking out four.

After a perfect inning worked by Andrew Tomasovach in his California League debut, Angel Duno took over for Stockton in the fifth. With one out, Duno hit McPhearson and then gave up back-to-back singles, the second one coming from Morozowski and scoring McPhearson to make it a 4-2 Rawhide lead.

In the sixth, Byler led off with a single and Matt Jones followed with a two-run homer to left that stretched the Rawhide lead to 6-2. Those were the final runs allowed by Duno who gave up three runs on six hits in three innings of work.

After two perfect innings worked by Kirby Bellow, Visalia turned to Major League rehabber Jake Barrett in the eighth. Tyler Ramirez led off and reached on a fielding error committed by shortstop Galli Cribbs . After back-to-back strikeouts were recorded, Barrett gave up an RBI double to Trent Gilbert and an RBI triple to Mikey White that brought the Ports to within two at 6-4. Barrett allowed two unearned runs on two hits while striking out three in his lone inning of work.

Will Gilbert took over for Stockton in the ninth and made his California League debut. He gave up an infield single to Jones that started the inning. After back-to-back outs were recorded, Cribbs lined an RBI double to left to score Jones and make it a 7-4 game.

Bud Jeter (SV, 8) set the side down in order in the ninth to notch his eighth save in as many chances.

The Ports return home on Thursday night to begin a four-game series with the San Jose Giants. Chris Bassitt (0-0, 0.00 ERA) will make his second start on a Major League rehab assignment with Stockton, opposed by San Jose right-hander Mike Connolly (2-2, 1.61 ERA). First pitch is set for 7:10 p.m. PDT.

Check out the Stockton Ports Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



California League Stories from May 4, 2017


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central