Storm Strike Early to Split Series With Ports
LAKE ELSINORE, Calif. — The Ports had to settle for a series split on Sunday afternoon, as the Storm took control early in a 7-2 win over Stockton. It was still a productive trip for the Ports in earning the split with a Lake Elsinore team that should wrap up
LAKE ELSINORE, Calif. — The Ports had to settle for a series split on Sunday afternoon, as the Storm took control early in a 7-2 win over Stockton. It was still a productive trip for the Ports in earning the split with a Lake Elsinore team that should wrap up a first half championship in the Cal League South within the next few days.
The Storm put on a power display in the series finale, hitting four home runs and distributing them among all three Ports pitchers. A three-run home run in the first would stand as the winning runs, when outfielder Jason Campbell hit a fly ball off the top of the foul pole an estimated 372 feet down the left field line off starter Jose Dicochea.
Stockton would threaten in the bottom of the second when Nate Nakil singled through the left side and Carlos Amaya drew a four-pitch walk to start the inning. That was followed by Myles Naylor belting a ball to deep left center that bounced off the wall. It ended being a long single however, as Nankil and Amaya held up to wait and see if the ball would be caught in order to tag up.
The hit would load the bases and prompt a mound visit, and San Diego’s No. 15 prospect according to Baseball America, Isiah Lowe, would settle in from there. Lowe would proceed to strike out the next two batters and get a ground out to end the inning on his way to six shutout innings.
Storm center fielder Nick Vogt hit a solo home run off Alejandro Manzano to start the bottom of the third, while Tzu-Chen Sha allowed a two-run homer to Chase Valentine and a solo shot from Wyatt Hoffman in the sixth to extend the lead to 7-0.
The Ports would manage to get a couple of runs across in the bottom of the eighth, when Nankil doubled home Nelson Beltran, and an error at short scored Lasko to make it 7-2.
UP NEXT
Stockton will play their first series in Fresno, Calif. this season to close out the first half from Tuesday to Sunday. The first three games will close out the first half and the next three will start the second half.