Big Innings Carry Ports to Victory Over Rawhide
VISALIA, Ca. – The Ports pounded out 13 hits had three different innings with multiple runs as Stockton defeated the Rawhide 10-5 on Thursday night at Valley Strong Ballpark in Visalia. The Ports (23-37) got off to a quick start in the top of the first inning. Singles by Mariano
VISALIA, Ca. – The Ports pounded out 13 hits had three different innings with multiple runs as Stockton defeated the Rawhide 10-5 on Thursday night at Valley Strong Ballpark in Visalia.
The Ports (23-37) got off to a quick start in the top of the first inning. Singles by Mariano Ricciardi, Kevin Richards and Shane McGuire loaded the bases with one out against Rawhide starter Peniel Otano. After a lineout, T.J. Schofield-Sam got the Ports on the board with an infield single to score Ricciardi to make it 1-0 Stockton. A wild pitch allowed Richards to score, and McGuire came in to score from second base on a throwing error by Rawhide catcher J.J. D’Orazio to give the Ports a 3-0 advantage.
After the Rawhide (17-43) got a run back in the bottom of the first, the Ports reclaimed a three-run lead by manufacturing a tally in the top of the fourth inning. Junior Perez led off with a double down the left field line and after moving up to third on a fly ball to deep center field off the bat of Jhoan Paulino, scored on an RBI groundout by Danny Bautista to make it 4-1 Ports.
Leading 4-2 after another Visalia run in the bottom of the fourth, the Ports tallied two more in the top of the sixth. Two walks and a hit-by-pitch with two outs and nobody on loaded the bases for McGuire who singled to center field off Rawhide reliever Eric Mendez to score two runs and increase the Ports’ lead to 6-2.
With a four-spot the Ports put the game away in the top of the eighth inning. Max Muncy got the rally started with a single up the middle and after two wild pitches and a walk put runners on the corners, McGuire to center to make it 7-2. CJ Rodriguez then walked to load the bases and after a strikeout, Schofield-Sam reached on an error by Visalia third baseman Deyvison De Los Santos allowing Richards to score from third base to make it 8-2. Paulino then followed with a line drive single up the middle give the Ports a 10-2 lead.
The Rawhide got three runs on three hits and an error in the bottom of the ninth, but Ports’ reliever Tyler Baum ended the game with runners on second and third by getting Junior Franco to ground out to first base.
Ports’ starter Luke Anderson (4-3) got the win for Stockton, allowing two runs on five hits in five innings while walking four and striking out seven. Otano (1-4) took the loss for Visalia giving up four runs (three earned) on eight hits in 4.0 IP.
After taking two of the first three games of the series the Ports will go for their second win in a row at Valley Strong Ballpark in Visalia in game four Friday night at 6:30 pm.