Thompson, Ports Pound Storm 16-4
Published on May 21, 2013 under California League (CalL1)
Stockton Ports News Release
STOCKTON, Calif. - The struggling Stockton Ports offense has been in desperate need of someone to step up and have a breakout performance. On Monday night, they found their man. Tony Thompson hit two home runs and drove in seven total runs as part of an 11-run fifth inning as the Ports routed the Lake Elsinore Storm 16-4 at Banner Island Ballpark,
The contest was scoreless heading to the bottom of the fourth inning when Myrio Richard hit his second home run in as many nights and his third home run of the homestand, a two-run shot to left that gave the Ports a 2-0 lead.
Lake Elsinore had gone 16 straight innings without scoring a run as they entered the top of the fifth. Jace Peterson led off the inning with a triple and scored when Duanel Jones hit a grounder to third and the ball was bobbled by Thompson, an error that allowed Jones to reach first and cut the Ports lead to 2-1. Kyle Gaedele came up next and doubled, followed by a two-run single from Lee Orr that put Lake Elsinore in front 3-2.
Port starter Tanner Peters (4-3) went five innings and allowed three runs (two earned) on four hits while striking out four and went on to receive the win.
Stockton's offense enjoyed its biggest inning of the season in the bottom of the fifth. After retiring the first batter, Storm starter Brandon Alger (0-5) issued back-to-back walks to Max Muncy and Rashun Dixon. Thompson came up next and hit a three-run homer to left-center that shot Stockton back in front 5-3. Richard followed and reached on a throwing error committed by Jones, the Storm third baseman. Phil Pohl followed with a single that knocked Alger from the game as John Hussey was summoned from the bullpen.
Hussey started his outing by walking Dusty Robinson to load the bases. After Hussey got Wade Kirkland to fly to right for the second out. Bobby Crocker reached in an infield single, driving in a run and making it a 6-3 Stockton lead. Addison Russell came up next and looped a two-run single to right, followed by a Max Muncy RBI single to center. After Dixon drew his second walk of the frame, Thompson came up with the bases loaded and hit his second home run of the inning, a grand slam over the left field fence that gave the Ports a commanding 13-3 lead.
Alger took the loss after going 4.1 innings and allowing seven runs (five earned) on eight hits while striking out six. Hussey went two-thirds of an inning and allowed six runs on four hits.
Stockton added three more runs in the sixth as they greeted Storm reliever Dennis O'Grady with three straight hits, a single by Pohl and back-to-back RBI doubles from Robinson and Kirkland. Muncy added an RBI single later in the inning to make it a 16-3 lead. O'Grady allowed three runs on four hits over two innings pitched.
Blake Hassebrock came on to start the sixth and pitched two scoreless innings while allowing two hits. Jonathan Joseph started the eighth inning and finished the game, allowing a run in the ninth on a bases-loaded walk drawn by Luis Domoromo. Joseph recorded four strikeouts over his two innings pitched.
The seven RBI for Thompson is the second-most RBI for one player in an inning in California League history. Lance Junker of the Redwood Pioneers had two grand slams in an inning in 1983. It marked the 14th time in league history that a player has hit two home runs in an inning.
Muncy went 4-for-4 with two RBI in the contest while Pohl went 3-for-5. All nine Ports players scored at least once.
The Ports will try and complete a three-game sweep of the Storm in a matinee finale of their three-game series on Tuesday. Josh Bowman (0-0, 0.00 ERA) makes his first start for the Ports after coming down from Double-A Midland. He'll be opposed by Storm right-hander Trevor Holder (0-1, 10.80 ERA). First pitch is set for 11:05 a.m. PDT.
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