Storm Drop Third Game to Ports Presented by The Valley News
The Lake Elsinore Storm were hoping for a clinch at home on Sunday afternoon, however, nights like these have made it more difficult to punch their ticket to the playoffs early. They would fall to the Stockton Ports by a final score of 2-1. A rare pitcher's duel began with
The Lake Elsinore Storm were hoping for a clinch at home on Sunday afternoon, however, nights like these have made it more difficult to punch their ticket to the playoffs early. They would fall to the Stockton Ports by a final score of 2-1. A rare pitcher's duel began with the Storm's starter.
Miguel Mendez was tonight's starting pitcher and although he went only four innings, he held the Ports to just one run while striking out seven batters. He did, however, have issues with control tonight. He would also walk three batters and hit two of them. One of these five free passes would be his only earned run as he would give up a double to the very next batter in the fourth inning.
Jackson Smeltz would be the pitcher to relieve Mendez, going two innings and also only allowing one earned run. Alejandro Lugo and Luis German would finish out the game without giving up any additional runs and only one hit.
At the plate, the Storm struggled for third time this homestand. The only run batted in came off the bat of Braedon Karpathios. His double came after Rosman Verdugo struck a stand-up triple in the fifth inning. The Storm would threaten to score again in the eighth inning when Wyatt Hoffman led off with a single and Oswaldo Linares followed with a walk but a pitching change from the Ports resulted in three consecutive strikeouts to all but end the afternoon.
The Lake Elsinore Storm's magic number remains at three with just four games remaining in the first half.