Quakes Hang On for One-Run Win in Game One

STOCKTON, Calif. — The Caballos de Stockton cut a five run deficit down to 5-4 in the ninth on Tuesday night, but the Quakes held on for the one-run victory in the series opener at Banner Island Ballpark.

Ross Stripling and Paul Blackburn each made rehab appearances for Stockton, but both showed signs of rust in their first outings since landing on the IL. Stripling hadn’t pitched since May 1 and Blackburn hadn’t pitched since May 10.

Stripling allowed a solo home run, a walk, and a single in the first, allowing one earned run and one unearned before leaving after 24 pitches. Blackburn uncharacteristically walked the first two batters he faced before allowing two singles that plated three runs before he left after 23 pitches.

Mark Adamiak threw 1.1 hitless innings with four strikeouts, Alejandro Manzano went 3.1 innings allowing just three hits with no runs and four punch outs, and Jackson Finley threw three perfect innings with seven strikeouts to keep the Ports afloat.

Myles Naylor brought the offense to life to lead off the bottom of the third with a 402-foot long ball to left (9) to get the Caballos on the board at 5-1. He led off the third with a rocket to left at 107 MPH off the wall to collect his ninth double of the season.

That Was followed by a Nick Schwartz single up the middle to move Naylor to third, before the third rehabbing Major Leaguer, Esteury Ruiz, lifted a sac fly into center to score Naylor and make it 5-2. Ryan Lasko dropped a base hit into right center to score Schwartz, and the Caballos cut it to a 5-3 deficit.

Stockton couldn’t bring a run across with the bases loaded in the eighth, as they had to deal with Reynaldo Yean and his 100 MPH fastball. It remained a two-run game going into the ninth, when Bjay Cooke singled to right and Nelson Beltran was hit by a pitch to start the inning. Lasko drove a fly ball to right to advance Cooke to third, but Beltran was caught in a run down between first and second for the second out of the inning. T.J. Schofield-Sam reached down to poke a low pitch into right for an RBI single to cut it to 5-4, but Nate Nankil grounded out to third to end the game.

Naylor and Lasko extended their on-base streaks to 14 and 15 games respectively, and Nankil’s hit streak now stands at 12-straight contests.

UP NEXT
Game two is scheduled for 7:05 PM and the Quakes will start Christian Zazueta (0-2, 11.49) versus Jose Dicochea (1-5, 5.95).

It will be a Wine Wednesday at the 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 or email at [email protected].