The Electric Esteury Ruiz Powers Ports to 5-3 Win

STOCKTON, Calif. — Esteury Ruiz came through with a bases clearing double in the seventh to give the Ports the lead, and Ryan Lasko tacked on an insurance run with a double of his own to score Ruiz in Stockton’s 5-3 over Rancho Cucamonga on Friday night.

Though it was the Ports first win in the series versus the Quakes, every game has come down to the final inning, and the final score has been within two runs in a tightly played series all week. It was Stockton’s turn to come out on top on Friday, with the Quakes committing the lone error of the game and each team scoring all of their runs in the fourth and seventh innings.

The Quakes struck first in the top of the fourth, getting bloop doubles down the left and right field lines along with a seeing-eye single through the right side to scratch across a pair of runs for a 2-0 lead. Those would be the only runs starter Corey Avant would allow in a tough-luck inning of soft contact.

The Ports answered in the bottom of the frame when Nate Nankil reach on a hit by pitch, and Darlyn Montero singled into right field. The throw from right back into the infield was wild, and it allowed Nankil to score for just a 2-1 deficit.

It would stay that way until the seventh inning when Quakes speedy centerfielder Kendall George hit his first home run of the season onto the roof of the Back Porch in right field to go up 3-1. But the Ports built a rally in the bottom of the seventh with patience against reliever Callum Wallace’s wildness.

Three-straight walks loaded the bases with one out, before the rehabbing Ruiz’ two-out double past the diving attempt from Rancho’s third baseman to clear the bases and put Stockton ahead 4-3. Lasko would then double into left center to score Ruiz for a 5-3 lead, and extend his streak with an RBI out to eight games.

T.J. Czyz got around a lead-off single to retire three-straight batters in the eighth, but issued three-straight walks with one out in the ninth to load the bases. The Ports went to Mark Adamiak out of the pen, and he induced a pop up and recorded a strikeout to end the game and collect his second save of the season. Tom Reisinger got the win to move to 1-1 by allowing just one run over three innings of relief.

Nankil’s on-base streak now sits at 15 games, while Lasko and Naylor’s are now at 18 and 17 games respectively.

UP NEXT
Saturday’s game will start at 7:05 PM and feature a matchup of RHP Roque Gutierrez (1-2, 6.75) versus 18-year-old RHP Steven Echavarria (0-3, 6.00) who has not allowed an earned un in his last three starts.

It will be a Pink Night Jersey Auction for the 17th Annual Pink Night at Banner Island Ballpark to benefit Dignity Health St. Joseph's Medical Center. For every ticket sold, the Ports are donating $1 to St. Joseph's Medical Center, presented By Dignity Health. It’s also a fireworks and Splash for Cash Night.

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].