CalL1 Stockton Ports

Wild Pitch Costs Ports in 4-1 Loss

August 5, 2015 - California League (CalL1)
Stockton Ports News Release


VISALIA, Calif. - Following their 4-1 loss to the Visalia Rawhide on Tuesday night, the Stockton Ports have now dropped nine of their last 10 games. Tuesday's contest proved a tough loss as Stockton was overtaken by Visalia on a wild pitch with two outs in the sixth inning thrown by starter Matt Stalcup (1-3). The wild pitch led to a pair of runs because of an ensuing throwing error and the Ports fell to the Rawhide by a final of 4-1 at Recreation Ballpark.

Visalia wasted no time in getting in the run column as Mitch Haniger led off the first inning with a triple and scored on an ensuing groundout by Kevin Medrano to give the Rawhide a 1-0 lead.

Stockton tied the score in the top of the fourth. Melvin Mercedes led off with a single and advanced to second on an errant pick-off throw made by catcher Tyler Baker. Mercedes went on to score later in the inning on a sacrifice fly by Tyler Marincov to make it a 1-1 tie ballgame.

The run in the fourth was the only run allowed by Rawhide pitching and thus the only run allowed by starter Ryan Doran (7-1), who earned the win after going six innings and allowing an unearned run on three hits while striking out three.

Stalcup, meanwhile, retired nine batters in a row beginning with the final out of the third and taking him two outs deep into the sixth. The stretch was broken up when Medrano drew a walk with two down in the inning. Jamie Westbrook followed with a double and Gerson Montilla walked to load the bases. With Daniel Palka at the plate, Stalcup uncorked a wild pitch that allowed Medrano to score from third. Catcher Santiago Chavez attempted to throw home to try and cut down the run and Stalcup had not yet arrived at the plate, so the ball wound up in first base foul territory allowing Westbrook to score and make it a 3-1 game.

Stalcup completed the sixth inning and would suffer the loss, allowing three runs (two earned) on four hits while walking two and striking out three.

Jeff Urlaub came on to make his season debut with Stockton in the seventh and set the side down in order in his first inning of work. In the eighth, Visalia added an insurance run as Alex Glenn singled to right to lead off the inning and scored two batters later on a double by Medrano to make it a 4-1 lead. Urlaub went two innings and allowed one run on two hits while striking out two.

Steve Hathaway, Bud Jeter and Nick Sarianides (SV, 19) each combined to toss a scoreless inning to close out the game for the Rawhide. With two outs in the ninth, Sarianides hit Jake Nottingham and gave up a single to Marincov to get the possible-tying run to the plate in B.J. Boyd. Boyd, however, would ground out to first to end the ballgame.

The Ports and Rawhide wrap up their three-game set on Wednesday night at Recreation Ballpark. Daniel Mengden (3-2, 4.52 ERA) makes his third start with Stockton, opposed by Visalia right-hander Brandon Sinnery (3-0, 3.06 ERA). First pitch is set for 7 p.m. PDT.

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California League Stories from August 5, 2015


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