Wild Seventh Yields Seventh Straight Stockton Win

STOCKTON, Calif. - The Stockton Ports saw a late lead slip away and then proceeded to get it back all in the seventh inning on Friday night at Banner Island Ballpark. When all was said and done, however, the Ports came away with their seventh consecutive victory as they downed the Bakersfield Blaze by a final of 7-4, using a Matt Chapman home run with two outs in the seventh to break a 4-4 tie.

The Ports grabbed an early 2-0 lead using a pair of leadoff home runs. Brett Vertigan led off the bottom of the first with his third home run of the season to right field. Tyler Marincov hit his seventh home run of the season to right to lead off the second.

The early home runs were the only runs allowed by Blaze starter Eddie Campbell, who received a no-decision after going five innings and allowing two runs on four hits while striking out five.

Ports starter Dylan Covey shut the Blaze down over the first six innings. In that span, Covey allowed just three infield singles and walked one batter. He went on to receive a no-decision, going six-plus innings and allowing one run on four hits while striking out six.

Bakersfield used a home run and three Ports errors to take the lead in the top of the seventh. Guillermo Pimentel led off the seventh with a home run to right field that knocked Covey from the ballgame and ended a 17-inning scoreless streak for Ports pitching. Sam Bragg entered from the bullpen and walked Tim Lopes to open his outing. Austin Wilson came up next and hit a ground ball to the backhand side of the first baseman John Nogowski. Nogowski fielded the ball and threw wide of Bragg who was going to cover the bag. The ball fell to the ground in the baseline and Wilson inadvertently kicked it down the right field line, allowing Lopes to score and Wilson to get to third. Justin Seager came up next and drew a walk to put runners at the corners. Bragg then threw a wild pitch that bounced to the right of catcher Nick Rickles. Rickles' throw to Bragg covering the plate sailed over the pitcher's head, allowing Wilson to score and Seager to get to third. Jay Baum then reached on a fielding error committed by shortstop Franklin Barreto. After Daniel Torres struck out, Bragg was lifted for Omar Duran. Duran faced Aaron Barbosa who bunted to the right side to score Seager from third and give the Blaze a 4-2 advantage.

Bragg went a third of an inning and allowed three unearned runs while walking two and not allowing a hit.

Stockton went on to score five runs with two outs off Blaze reliever Nick Valenza (1-3) in the seventh. With runners at the corners at two away, Melvin Mercedes tied the game with a two-run double to left. After Nogowski drew a walk, Valenza was lifted for Will Mathis. With two on and two out, Chapman broke a 4-4 tie with a towering three-run homer to left to give the Ports a 7-4 lead.

Four of the five runs in the inning were charged to Valenza, who suffered the loss after allowing four runs on three hits in an inning-and-two-thirds of relief. Mathis allowed one run in in inning-and-a-third.

Duran came back out to pitch the eighth and gave up a one out double to Pimentel. Two batters later, Wilson hit a two-out double to right that scored Pimentel and made it a 7-5 game, at which point Duran was lifted for Ben Bracewell (SV, 3). Bracewell ended the inning by getting Seager to ground out to second.

Bracewell would stay in the game to notch his third save of the season by setting the side down in order in the ninth. Duran picked up the win as he allowed one run on two hits while striking out two in an inning-and-a-third of relief.

The Ports and Blaze play the third game of their four-game set on Saturday night at Banner Island Ballpark. Kyle Finnegan (4-4, 5.29 ERA) makes the start for Stockton, opposed by Bakersfield right-hander Dan Altavilla (2-5, 3.59 ERA). First pitch is set for 7:10 p.m. PDT.