Steady Offense Carries Ports to 11-3 Win
Published on April 29, 2018 under California League (CalL1)
Stockton Ports News Release
LAKE ELSINORE, Calif. - One night after pitching and defense helped them to a 2-0 win, the Stockton Ports offense did its part to put the team in the win column on Saturday night at The Diamond. The Ports scored in six of nine innings and matched their largest margin of victory on the season in an 11-3 win over the Lake Elsinore Storm to clinch a series victory as they improve to 4-1 on their six-game Southern California road trip.
The Ports opened the scoring in the first inning as Kevin Merrell drew a leadoff walk and advanced to third on an errant pick-off throw by Storm starter Lake Bachar (2-2). Nate Mondou supplied an RBI groundout to give the Ports a 1-0 lead.
Lake Elsinore grabbed its only lead of the game in the bottom of the first when, with two on and one out, Luis Torrens hit a two-run single to right to make it 2-1. Those were the only runs allowed by Ports starter Jake Bray (1-0), who earned his first California League victory as he went five innings and allowed five hits while striking out two. After allowing three hits in the first inning, Bray scattered just two hits over his final four frames.
Lake Elsinore's lead was short-lived as Skye Bolt led off the second inning with a home run to tie the game at 2-2. It would remain tied until the top of the fourth when the Ports enjoyed their biggest inning of the game and chased Bachar from the contest. After Bachar issued three straight walks to open the inning, he struck out Edwin Diaz for the first out of the frame. Melvin Mercedes followed with a two-run double to break the tie and give the Ports a 4-2 lead. Mercedes' hit knocked Bachar from the game as the Storm turned to Austin Smith, who gave up a two-run single to Luis Barrera on the first pitch he threw to make it 6-2.
Bachar would take the loss, going three-and-a-third innings and allowing six runs (five earned) on three hits while walking four and striking out two.
Ronald Bolanos came on in the fifth and retired the first four batters he faced. With one out in the sixth, he issued a walk to Mercedes and, two batters later, gave up an RBI single to Merrell that made it 7-2. The hit for Merrell snapped him out of a funk in which he'd been 0-for-his-last-22.
Bolanos stayed on into the seventh and, with one out, gave up a single to Jonah Heim and then walked Bolt. Eric Marinez came up next and delivered an RBI single to right that increased the Stockton lead to 8-2. Two batters later with two outs, Mercedes singled to center to drive in a run and Barrera followed with an RBI double to make it a 10-2 contest. Bolanos would leave with the bases loaded and Gerardo Reyes would be summoned to get Lake Elsinore out of the inning.
Bolanos allowed four runs on five hits in two-and-two-thirds innings of work.
Brendan Butler took over in the sixth and worked his first two frames scoreless. Butler gave up a leadoff double to Edward Olivares in the eighth and Olivares scored two batters later on an RBI groundout by Hudson Potts. It was the only run Butler allowed in three innings of work.
The Ports got the run back in the top of the ninth as Marinez led off with a triple to the right field corner and scored three batters later on a sac-fly by Barrera, his fourth RBI of the game, to balloon the lead to 11-3. It was the only run allowed by Storm reliever David Bednar in his lone inning of work.
Brandon Marsonek worked around two walks issued in the ninth inning to keep the Storm off the board in the game's final frame.
The Ports will try for a series sweep on Sunday afternoon in a matinee that wraps up their six-game road trip. Logan Shore (0-0, 0.00 ERA) makes his season debut for Stockton, opposed by Lake Elsinore right-hander Michel Baez (0-1, 0.00 ERA). First pitch is set for 1 p.m. PDT.
California League Stories from April 29, 2018
- Giants Escape with 5-4 Victory over Nuts - San Jose Giants
- Nuts' Three-Game Winning Streak Snapped - Modesto Nuts
- Quakes Drop Two of Three, Home Monday at LoanMart Field - Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
- JetHawks Take Series with Come from Behind Win - Lancaster JetHawks
- Early Start Sparks Ports to Series Sweep - Stockton Ports
- Offensive Explosion Leads to Sweep - Visalia Rawhide
- Nuts Rally Past Giants with Late Outburst - San Jose Giants
- Late Heroics Secure Third Straight Win - Modesto Nuts
- 5th Inning Comeback Spurs Rawhide - Visalia Rawhide
- Steady Offense Carries Ports to 11-3 Win - Stockton Ports
- Quakes Fall Saturday - Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
- Bullpen Closes Out Comeback Over Quakes - Lancaster JetHawks
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