Simmons Shines as Ports Beat JetHawks 4-2
Published on June 4, 2013 under California League (CalL1)
Stockton Ports News Release
STOCKTON, Calif. - Stockton Ports starting pitcher James Simmons (2-1) tossed seven scoreless innings on Monday night and Max Muncy drove in three runs as the Ports defeated the Lancaster JetHawks 4-2 in the first of a three-game series. Simmons has not allowed a run in three of his four outings for Stockton since coming to the Ports from Triple-A Sacramento, while Muncy has driven in seven runs over the last two games.
Bobby Crocker led off the bottom of the first and was hit by a pitch, advancing to second on a balk committed by JetHawks starter Luis Cruz (2-4). With one out, Muncy drove him in with an RBI single to center to give the Ports an early 1-0 lead. After the single, Cruz retired the next 12 batters to take him one out deep into the fifth inning.
Simmons, meanwhile, pitched around a pair of singles in the second and third innings, a single in the fifth and a leadoff double in the sixth to keep the JetHawks out of the run column.
Cruz, after retiring his 12th straight hitter to open the fifth inning, gave up a single to B.A. Vollmuth and walked Phil Pohl. After striking out Myrio Richard, Cruz hit Crocker for a second time to load the bases. With the sacks full and two outs, Addison Russell hit a ball up the middle that went off Cruz' foot for an infield single. Muncy followed with the biggest hit of the contest, a two-run single to right that gave the Ports a 4-0 advantage and knocked Cruz from the game. Jonas Dufek recorded the final out of the inning.
Cruz suffered the loss after allowing four runs on four hits while striking out seven.
Kyle Hallock came on to start the sixth inning for Lancaster and did not allow a hit over the final three innings.
Simmons picked up the win after tossing seven shutout innings, allowing six hits while striking out four.
T.J. Walz took over in the eighth and gave up a leadoff double to Matt Duffy, who advanced to third on a wild pitch. Two batters later, Delino DeShields doubled to center to score Duffy and get the JetHawks on the board. DeShields scored two batters later on an RBI groundout by Andrew Aplin to make it a 4-2 game, at which point Blake Hassebrock (SV, 1) was brought in to face Brandon Meredith, who grounded to short to end the inning.
Hassebrock went on to set the side down in order to record his first save of the season.
Stockton and Lancaster play the second game of their three-game set on Tuesday morning at Banner Island Ballpark. Left-hander Shaeffer Hall (0-0, 0.00 ERA) makes the start for the Ports, opposed by JetHawks right-hander Aaron West (2-1, 4.81 ERA). First pitch is set for 11:05 a.m. PDT.
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