Ports Return Home With Another Extra-Inning Win

STOCKTON, Calif. — The Stockton Ports returned from a two-week road trip and picked up right where they left off after their last game at Banner Island Ballpark, with an extra-inning, walk-off win, this time in a 9-8 victory over Modesto.

The Ports moved to 2-2 in the second half and dropped Modesto to 1-3 win the win. Starter Steven Echavarria matched his best line of the season, going four shutout innings and allowing just one hit and one walk with five strikeouts, just as he did against San Jose on June 6.

Corey Avant had his first rough outing in the month of June, as he came into the game allowing just two earned runs this month over 12 innings pitched. In an inning and four batters in tonight’s game, he walked six hitters and allowed three runs, before Mark Adamiak came in and stopped the bleeding.

COMEBACK NUMBER ONE
Stockton found themselves down 3-0 going into the bottom of the sixth, but put together a rally to tie the game. Myles Naylor and Clark Elliott walked to start the frame, before Elvis Rijo doubled to left center to score Naylor. That got the Ports on the board and moved Elliott to third. With two outs Ryan Lasko came through with a base hit to center that scored Elliott and Rico to tie the game at 3-3, though Lasko was thrown out at second to end the inning.

Modesto would reclaim the lead in the top of the seventh, when centerfielder Carlos Jimenez tripled into the right field corner, after Nate Nankil slid down to one knee to try and cut it off, but it rolled into the corner anyway. A base hit just out of the reach of Naylor with the infield in by Aidan Smith would score the run to make it 4-3.

Diego Barrera was magnificent out of the bullpen again, but with two outs in his second inning of work, a change up got a little too much plate to left hander Charlie Pagliarini on a 1-2 count, and he hit a solo home run to right center to make it 5-3 Modesto in the top of the ninth.

But the Ports did not give up and fought back in the bottom of the ninth. Lasko was hit by a pitch to start the inning, and Bjay Cooke reached on a single to right. That was followed by T.J. Schofield-Sam doubling to right center to score Lasko for a 5-4 game and Cooke moved over to third. Elliott would lift a fly ball out to right, and Cooke would get in just ahead of the throw home to tie the game at five apiece.

EXTRA, EXTRA
That would lead to Stockton’s fifth extra-inning game of the season, where they had gone 2-2 on the year so far. Barrera recorded the first two outs of the inning, and got to a 1-2 count to catcher Connor Charping, but he would single into left to put Modesto ahead 6-5. Things seemed bleak for the home team when a ball got by Rijo at third to score a runner who reached on a catcher’s interference, and another run scored on an errant throw from Elliott in left to put the Ports behind 8-5 going into the bottom of the 10th.

The bottom of the inning started with walk by Rijo that was followed by a Nelson Beltran single to score the automatic runner and make it an 8-6 game. Lasko was hit by a pitch for a second time to load the bases, and with one out, Schofield-Sam drove a ball to deep right, that allowed Rijo to score and cut the deficit to 8-7. Nankil came to the plate with the tying run at third and the go-ahead run at first in the form of the Ports centerfielder, Lasko.

Nankil drove a ball towards the line out to deep left where Nuts left fielder Carson Jones made a diving attempt but could not come up with it. Beltran scored to tie it, and Lasko raced home and beat the throw at the plate to score the game-winning run, giving the Ports the 9-8 defeat of Modesto.

Bjay Cooke had his first four-hit game as a member of the A’s organization. Barrera collected the win to move to 6-2, giving him the decision in the Ports last three extra-inning games. Scofield-Sam and Nankil each had two hits and two RBIs.

UP NEXT
Game two of the series is set for 7:05 PM at Banner Island Ballpark. RHP Ashton Izzy (5-3, 2.69) will start for Modesto against hard-throwing, 19-year-old, RHP Jefferson Jean (0-5, 8.88).

It will be a Wine Wednesday at the ballpark, with $6 Chardonnay, Zinfandel and Merlot, presented By Consumnes River Farms. Single game tickets, mini plans, and group outings are all on sale for the 2024 season. For more information, call the Ports front office at 209-644-1900 or email at [email protected].