Ports Let Lead Slip, Drop to Giants

STOCKTON, Calif. – STOCKTON, Ca.-The Ports played a very entertaining game with the San Jose Giants on Wednesday night, but fell 5-4 in game two of the final home series of 2022.

The Giants jumped out to a 2-0 lead against Ports starter Yehizon Sanchez after allowing a two-run homer, but Sanchez settled in from there as he lasted six innings and allowing four runs on the night. Even the two runs Sanchez allowed in the fifth came on productive outs to give the Giants a 4-3 lead.

The Ports got their first run in the bottom of the second Dereck Salom poked and RBI single through the right side to plate Brennan Milone to make it a 2-1 game, before a strike-em-out-throw-em out ended the threat.

Stockton tied the game in the third when hot-hitting Daniel Susac traded places with Danny Bautista as they both doubled to make it a 2-2 game.

The craziest play of the night briefly gave the Ports the lead when Jhoan Paulino dropped a bloop double into right outside of the reach of a diving attempt by the Giants right fielder. Paulino went into second standing up when the throw from right was wild and went all the way into the corner in left. The Ports waved Paulino home from second and a bobble of the ball in left ensured the Stockton third baseman came in safely to make it a 3-2 Ports lead.

But the Giants answered instantly in the fifth with a single and a double that put runners at second and third with no one out. A sac fly to foul territory in left plated a run to tie it and an RBI ground out gave the Giants a 4-3 lead.

San Jose went up 5-3 in the seventh when an insurance run scored, but the Ports did cut it to one in the bottom of the inning when Bautista drove in Salom after he walked to start the inning.

That would be as close as the Ports would get though, as they stranded Brennan Milone in the eighth and went down in order in the ninth.

The Ports will roll out Stevie Emanuels as they aim to take the series lead on Thursday night at 7:00 p.m

Tickets can still be purchased at stocktonports.com or by calling 209-644-1900. .