Six-Run Sixth Lifts Ports to 9-4 Win
Published on June 2, 2018 under California League (CalL1)
Stockton Ports News Release
VISALIA, Calif. - The Stockton Ports continued their road dominance on Friday night at Recreation Ballpark. The Boys of Banner Island put up a six-run sixth inning on their way to a 9-4 win over the Visalia Rawhide to open a three-game series and a six-game road trip, bringing their record on the road this season to a league-best 18-9.
Both teams scored twice in their half of the first inning as the Ports had five consecutive batters reach with two outs, getting an RBI double from Dairon Blanco and an RBI single from Will Toffey. Visalia countered in the bottom of the first with a two-run homer from Dominic Miroglio to tie the game at 2-2.
Visalia pulled ahead in the bottom of the third. With one on and two out, Mirglio singled to left to score Luis Alejandro Basabe and make it 3-2. Miroglio scored two batters later on an RBI groundout by Drew Ellis to run the Rawhide lead to 4-2.
The Ports shaved a run off their deficit in the fifth on back-to-back two-out hits, a double by Nate Mondou and an RBI single by Skye Bolt, to make it a 4-3 contest.
Rawhide starter Riley Smith worked into the sixth inning and gave up a leadoff home run to Jonah Heim that tied the game at 4-4. At that point Smith was lifted for Austin Mason (1-4) who walked Toffey and then gave up back-to-back singles to Luis Barrera and Luke Persico as Persico's hit scored Toffey and gave the Ports a 5-4 lead. Two batters later, Kevin Merrell singled to right to score Barrera and chase Mason from the game. Junior Garcia was summoned from the bullpen and greeted by a two-run triple by Nate Mondou to make it 8-4. Mondou would score on a wild pitch to balloon the Stockton lead to 9-4.
Smith would be rendered a no-decision in the contest after going five-plus innings and allowing four runs on seven hits. Mason would suffer the loss, going a third of an inning and allowing four runs on three hits. Garcia worked two-and-two-thirds innings and allowed one run on one hit while striking out seven.
Ports starter Matt Milburn (2-2) would earn the win in his return from Triple-A Nashville, going 5.1 innings and allowing four runs on seven hits while striking out a season-high eight.
Angel Duno and Andrew Tomasovich would combine for 3.2 innings of scoreless relief down the stretch for Stockton. Duno and Tomasivich combined for eight strikeouts in that span. The Ports, who struck out 16, fell one strikeout shy of matching their season-high for strikeouts in a game.
The Ports and Rawhide play the middle game of their three-game series on Saturday night at Recreation Ballpark. Left-hander Zack Erwin (4-3, 4.25 ERA) makes the start for Stockton, opposed by Visalia right-hander Connor Grey (4-2, 4.72 ERA). First pitch is set for 7 p.m. PDT.
California League Stories from June 2, 2018
- Six-Run Sixth Lifts Ports to 9-4 Win - Stockton Ports
- Newcomers Pitch Giants to Shutout Win - San Jose Giants
- Kremer Continues to Dominate as Quakes Shut out JetHawks - Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
- Six-Run Sixth Sinks Rawhide - Visalia Rawhide
- Bats Silenced in 4-0 Loss - Modesto Nuts
- JetHawks Shut Out in Series Opener - Lancaster JetHawks
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