The Storm Rain on Ports' Return Home in 6-3 Loss
August 7, 2024 - California League (CalL)
Stockton Ports News Release
STOCKTON, Calif. - The Caballos de Stockton hung with the first half winners of the Cal League South, Lake Elsinore, on Tuesday night, but the Storm hung on for a 6-3 win in game one of the six-game series.
Lake Elsinore scored a run in the first on a sac fly, but it could have been much worse, as a hit by pitch and a single through the right side put runners at first and third with no one out. But Jose Dicochea kept it to just the one run by picking off the runner at first and striking out the final batter.
An odd fourth inning led to another run coming in for the Storm. It looked like a double plated a run all the way from first, but after the Caballos asked the umpires to confer if it should be a ground-rule double, they agreed and the runner had to go back to third. But a slowly hit ground ball to first forced Darlyn Montero to handle it and make a throw to the covering Dicochea. He reached up to field the ball and appeared to apply the tag to the runner before he touched the bag, but he was ruled safe and Stockton was not able to get the call overturned.
Montero cut the deficit to 2-1 when he belted his fifth home run of the season - and second in as many games - 351 feet into the back porch in right in the fifth. Lake Elsinore tacked on three runs in another strange inning in the eighth. The game featured six pitch clock violations, and the sixth drew the ire of manager Javier Godard. Mark Adamiak stepped off the rubber, and the umpire signaled to reset the pitch clock. Just seconds later, he assessed the timer violation to Adamiak, and Godard argued the call, eventually leading to his ejection.
Another walk followed by a double and a two-run single put the Storm up 5-1. Stockton loaded the bases for the second time on the night in the bottom of the eighth. They stranded the bases loaded in the third, but this time Mario Gomez drew a walk to make it 5-2. Bjay Cooke produced a run on an RBI groundout for a 5-3 game, but a strikeout and a fly out ended the inning with two runners in scoring position.
Lake Elsinore got a run in the top of the ninth and then turned a 3-6-3 double play in the bottom of the inning to erase a leadoff single by Dereck Salom and end the threat. Montero extended his on-base streak to 22 games and Salom's is now at 18.
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Game two will feature LHP Javier Chacon (4-2, 3.40) of Lake Elsinore versus RHP Tzu-Chen Sha (2-3, 6.03) of Stockton at 7:05 PM.
It will be a Silver Slugger and Wine Wednesday at Banner Island Ballpark, with $6 Chardonnay, Zinfandel and Merlot, presented by Consumnes River Farms.
Single game tickets, mini plans, and group outings are all on sale for the 2024 season. For more information, call the Ports front office at 209-644-1900.
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California League Stories from August 7, 2024
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- Gutierrez Dominates on Wednesday - Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
- The Storm Rain on Ports' Return Home in 6-3 Loss - Stockton Ports
- A 6-run 6th by Rancho Cucamonga stings Fresno in 9-3 setback - Fresno Grizzlies
- Visalia Rawhide Edge Out Modesto Nuts 13-11 in a High-Scoring Matchup - Modesto Nuts
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