Storm Surge Early, Beat Ports 10-5
May 30, 2016 - California League (CalL1)
Stockton Ports News Release
LAKE ELSINORE, Calif. - The Stockton Ports suffered a disappointing, yet fitting end to their road trip on Monday afternoon at The Diamond. Stockton scored two early runs but then saw the Lake Elsinore Storm score nine runs over the first two innings on their way to a 10-5 win over Stockton to take three of four games from the Ports in the series.
Stockton got off to a good start in the top of the first. With runners at second and third and nobody out, B.J. Boyd grounded out to bring in the first run of the ballgame. Two batters later with two outs, Joe Bennie singled to left to score a second run and give the Ports a 2-0 lead.
Ports starter Kyle Friedrichs (0-1) got a rude welcome to the California League in his Stockton debut. Lake Elsinore loaded the bases with one out on two singles and a walk in the bottom of the first. Edwin Moreno came up and hit a grand slam to right that gave the Storm a 4-2 lead. The Storm added to the lead in the second. After Friedrichs retired the first two batters, the Storm rattled off six straight hits, the first five off of Friedrichs. Luis Urias and Josh VanMeter hit back-to-back doubles to make it 5-2. Francho Cordero followed with a triple and Franmil Reyes an RBI double to make it a 7-2 Storm lead. After an RBI single by Moreno, Friedrichs was lifted from the game for Matt Stalcup, who gave up an RBI double to Trae Santos to make it a 9-2 Storm lead.
Friedrichs suffered the loss in his Stockton debut, going an inning-and-two-thirds and allowing nine runs on eight hits while striking out three. Stalcup would turn in a nice effort to save the Ports bullpen as he pitched four-and-a-third innings scoreless while allowing just two hits in that span.
The Ports would chip away at the deficit in the middle innings beginning in the fourth. Mikey White led off with a double and scored on an ensuing single by Argenis Raga to make it a 9-3 game. In the fifth, Melvin Mercedes drew a leadoff walk and would score later in the inning on a double-play hit into by Seth Brown.
Storm starter Dinelson Lamet (7-1) would go five innings and pick up the win, allowing four runs on seven hits while walking three and striking out two.
Jose Torres took over in the seventh and gave up a leadoff single to Boyd and, two batters later, an RBI double to Bennie that cut the Storm lead to 9-5. It was the only run allowed by Torres in his lone inning of relief.
Cody Stull came on in relief of Stalcup to pitch the seventh and gave up a leadoff single to Cordero. After retiring back-to-back hitters, Stull surrendered an RBI double to Santos to make it a 10-5 Lake Elsinore lead. It was the lone run allowed by Stull in his lone inning of relief. Victor Veliz pitched a scoreless bottom of the eighth for Stockton.
For the Storm, Martires Arias pitched a scoreless eighth and Ben Paullus set the side down in order in the ninth to close out the ballgame.
After going 2-5 on their seven-game road trip, the Ports return home following the day off on Tuesday to begin a seven-game homestand, starting with a three-game series versus the Bakersfield Blaze. Brett Graves (2-5, 5.33 ERA) makes the start for the Ports in the series opener, opposed by Blaze right-hander Tyler Herb (5-2, 2.83 ERA). First pitch is set for 7:10 p.m. PDT.
California League Stories from May 30, 2016
- Giants Shutout Nuts Behind Coonrod's Masterpiece - San Jose Giants
- Six-Run Sixth Lifts 'Hawks to Series Win - Lancaster JetHawks
- Storm Surge Early, Beat Ports 10-5 - Stockton Ports
- Defense Struggles, Castellani Doesn't in 3-0 Loss - Modesto Nuts
- Blaze Mount Monster Memorial Day Comeback, Win 8-7 - Bakersfield Blaze
- Sergio Romo Scheduled to Rehab Tuesday with San Jose - San Jose Giants
- Sixers Set Season-Highs in Runs, Hits in Win - Inland Empire 66ers
- Longest 9-Inning Game of the Year Goes to Visitors, 10-7 - Bakersfield Blaze
- Rawhide, Quakes Split Double Header, Series - Visalia Rawhide
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