Ports Drop 11-10 Final After Nearly Completing 8-Run Comeback

Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.- Stockton waged one of the largest comebacks of the season but couldn't quite get over the hump and lost a wild one on Friday night in Rancho Cucamonga, 11-10.

The Ports plated an unearned run in the top of the 1st on a Denzel Clarke base hit, two wild pitches and a fielding error, but the lead did not last. In the home half of the frame, the Quakes sent 10 batters to the plate and scored five times off Ports starter Kyle Virbitsky. The big knock in the frame was a Luis Rodriguez 3-run homer.

The Ports grabbed one run back in the top of the 3rd on a Max Muncy double and a pair of put-outs, but just like in the 1st, the Quakes countered with a crooked number, and after three innings, Stockton was down 8-2.

Rancho tacked on two more in the 4th to push their lead to 10-2, but the Ports didn't roll over.

In the top of the 6th, Stockton mounted a 5-run rally capped by Junior Perez slugging a 3-run shot, and suddenly the ballgame was within reach at 10-7.

After a scoreless 7th inning on both sides, the Ports took advantage of one of the wildest rallies in recent memory in the 8th. Quakes reliever Martin Santana hit 2 batters, uncorked 3 wild pitches, and allowed a hit and a sacrifice fly in a 3-run frame that knotted the game at 10 runs apiece.

Meanwhile, Stockton's bullpen stepped up in a big way. After Virbitsky exited, Robin Vasquez and Jack Owen (L, 1-3) combined to work four scoreless frames, and the game went to the 9th inning still deadlocked.

But that's where the push ran out of steam. Carlos de los Santos (W, 2-0) retired the Ports in order in the top half and with 1 out in the bottom of the 9th Austin Gauthier launched a towering shot just over the wall in deepest rightcenter, and the Quakes sent their home fans out of the ballpark happy with an 11-10 win.

The Ports and Quakes resume their series Saturday night with first pitch scheduled for 6:30 PM at LoanMart Field in Rancho Cucamonga.