CalL1 Stockton Ports

Stockton Falls 5-2, Magic Number Down to Two

Published on September 3, 2015 under California League (CalL1)
Stockton Ports News Release


VISALIA, Calif. - The Stockton Ports lost 5-2 to the Visalia Rawhide on Wednesday, but the night wasn't a total loss. With the Modesto Nuts losing to the San Jose Giants, the Ports saw their magic number to clinch a playoff spot reduced to two, meaning any combination of Ports wins and Modesto losses equaling two secures the Ports the final playoff spot in the North Division.

On Tuesday night it was Visalia getting out to a 5-0 lead and Stockton scoring nine unanswered runs for the win. On Wednesday, it was the Ports scoring the first two runs and Visalia scoring five unanswered to even the series. Stockton's first run came in the third inning. Tyler Marincov and Branden Cogswell opened the frame with back-to-back singles. Brett Vertigan laid down a sacrifice bunt and Melvin Mercedes drove in a run with a groundout to second to make it a 1-0 ballgame. In the fourth, B.J. Boyd tripled with one out and John Nogowski followed with a sac-fly to give the Ports a 2-0 advantage.

Visalia scored its first run in the bottom of the fourth. Gerson Montilla doubled to right-center and scored two batters later on an RBI double by Daniel Palka to cut the Ports lead to 2-1. In the fifth, Breland Almadova led off with a double and scored on a two-out double by Kevin Medrano to tie the game at 2-2.

Ports starter Kyle Finnegan (9-9) came out to start the sixth and gave up three straight hits, a single to Jamie Westbrook, an RBI double to Palka that gave Visalia the lead and an RBI single to Kevin Cron that made it a 4-2 ballgame. Finnegan would be lifted for Sam Bragg, who went on to pitch two scoreless innings in relief.

Finnegan suffered the loss, going five-plus innings and allowing four runs on eight hits while striking out four.

Visalia starter Ryan Doran (8-3) went on to retire the final five batters he faced and would earn the win, going six innings and allowing two runs on six hits while striking out two.

Myles Smith came on in relief to begin the seventh and gave up a leadoff single to Nogowski. Two batters later, Cogswell reached on an error committed by shortstop Domingo Leyba to put runners at first and second. A passed ball would advance the possible-tying runs into scoring position, but Smith would get back-to-back strikeouts of Vertigan and Mercedes to escape the jam. Smith pitched two scoreless innings and allowed two hits while striking out three.

Visalia got an insurance run in the eighth off Ports reliever Carlos Navas. Palka walked to open the inning, stole second and scored on a two-out RBI single by Almadova to make it a 5-2 lead.

Nick Sarianides (SV, 27) pitched around a leadoff single in the ninth to notch his 27th save of the season.

Stockton still has an opportunity to clinch a playoff spot on Thursday night with a win coupled with a Modesto loss. Dylan Covey (7-9, 3.75 ERA) makes the start in the rubber match of the three-game set for Stockton, opposed by Visalia right-hander Markus Solbach (2-1, 3.96 ERA). First pitch is set for 7 p.m. PDT.

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California League Stories from September 3, 2015


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