Late Rally Falls Short, Ports' Streak Snapped at Three

Stockton, CA – The Ports scored three times in the bottom of the ninth inning but came up just short as Stockton had its three-game winning streak halted with a 6-4 loss to the Fresno Grizzlies on Friday night at Banner Island Ballpark.

The Grizzlies (12-13) opened the scoring in the top of the third inning. With EJ Andrews, Jr. at second base after a leadoff walk and stolen base, Jake Snider lined a single that was misplayed by Ports right fielder Henry Bolte allowing Andrews to score giving the Grizzlies a 1-0 lead.

With a pair of two-base hits, the Ports (6-19) came right back to tie the game in the bottom of half of the inning against Fresno starter Jordy Vargas. T.J. Schofield-Sam began the frame with a double to the gap in left center and scored with one out on a double by Jose Escorche to tie the game at one.

The Grizzlies, however, took the lead for good in the top of the fifth inning when Jake Snider hit a solo home run to right center field off Stockton reliever Yehizon Sanchez to make it 2-1. Fresno tallied three more runs in the eighth. Andy Perez reached with a one-out single and Ryan Ritter was hit by a pitch. Jesus Bugarin then drilled a double to left field to score Perez, and an error on the play by Clark Elliott allowed Ritter to score to increase the Grizzlies’ lead to 4-1. Two hitters later, Robby Martin lined a single to center field to drive in Bugarin to make it 5-1.

Ritter hit a two-out double in the top of the ninth to score Andy Perez, who walked, to give the Grizzlies a 6-1 lead.

The Ports put together a rally to bring the tying run to the pate in the bottom of the ninth. Brayan Buelvas led off with a single off Grizzlies reliever Braxton Hyde and moved up to second base on a one-out walk to Luis Marinez. After the runners moved up to second and third with two outs on a wild pitch, Bolte reached on a fielding error by first baseman Parker Kelly to score two runs cutting the Fresno lead to 6-3. Schofield-Sam followed with his second double of the day, a drive over the head of Bugarin in center field, to score Bolte making it 6-4 and bringing the tying run to the plate. However Jose Mujica grounded out to third base against new pitcher Zach Agnos to end the ballgame.

Fresno starter Jordy Vargas (2-1) got the win allowing just one run on two hits with seven strikeouts over five innings. Sanchez (0-4) took the loss for the Ports surrendering four runs on four hits while walking three and striking out three over 3.1 innings. Agnos got the final out for Fresno to notch his sixth save of the season.

With their three-game winning streak snapped, the Ports will look to get back into the win column with the penultimate game of their six-game set against the Grizzlies on Saturday night. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 pm and tickets are available at stocktonports.com.