Offense Sputters as Ports Drop Sixth Straight

Stockton, CA – The Ports managed just four hits and went 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position while the Lake Elsinore Storm scored all of their runs with two outs as Stockton dropped its sixth straight game with a 5-1 loss on Thursday night at Banner Island Ballpark.

The Ports (33-60) scored their only run in the bottom of the first inning. Lake Elsinore starter Henry Baez walked Ports leadoff man Pedro Pineda to start the frame and Brayan Buelvas followed with a single up the middle to put runners on first and second. After a double steal, Pineda came in to score on a passed ball to give the Ports a 1-0 lead.

After keeping the Storm (46-44) off the board with the help of a pair of double-play balls over his first four innings, Eduardo Rivera succumbed to a two-out rally by Lake Elsinore in the top of the fifth. With runners on first and second, Samuel Zavala hit a sharp ground ball off the glove of a diving Yeniel Laboy at first base that allowed Braedon Karpathios to score from second base tying the game at 1-1. Ethan Salas then lined a 1-2 pitch to the gap in left center for a double to drive in Tyler Robertson from third and Zavala from first to give the Storm their first lead of the game at 3-1. The next hitter, Devin Ortiz, drove in Salas with a single to left field off new Stockton pitcher Carlos Guarate to extend the Lake Elsinore lead to 4-1.

The Storm got another unearned run in the top of the seventh. With Oswaldo Linares on first base and two outs, Zavala reached on a fielding error by Stockton second baseman Elvis Rijo. When the throw to third base was cut off, the Ports had Zavala in a rundown between first and second but Linares scored on the play to give Lake Elsinore a 5-1 lead.

The Ports had a chance to get back into the game in the bottom of the seventh inning against Lake Elsinore reliever Emmanuel Pinales. A Carlos Franco double, walk to Bjay Cooke and Robert Puason single loaded the bases with nobody out, but Rijo flew out to shallow left, Pineda struck out and Buelvas popped out to third to end the inning denying the Ports a tally.

Stockton managed just two baserunners the rest of the way as David Morgan struck out the side for the Storm in the bottom of the ninth inning to end the ballgame.

Storm starter Henry Baez (6-2) got the win allowing just one run on one hit in five innings while walking four and striking out seven. Rivera (0-3) took the loss for the Ports surrendering four runs on five hits in 4.2 innings with four strikeouts.

The Ports will look to get back on track in game four of the series on Friday night at Banner Island Ballpark with first pitch at 7:05 pm. Tickets are available at stocktonports.com.