Ports Roll Rawhide 15-2

VISALIA, Calif. - The Stockton Ports had an easy time in a ballpark that often gives them fits on Tuesday night. The Boys of Banner Island plated seven runs in the third on their way to running away with a 15-2 win over the Visalia Rawhide.

The teams exchanged blows in the first as the Ports scored the first run of the game on an RBI double by Joe Bennie. Visalia countered with a bases-loaded two-out single by Grant Heyman that drove in two runs to give the Rawhide a 2-1 lead.

Stockton broke the game open in the third. With the bases loaded and one out, Argenis Raga drew a walk to tie the game at 2-2. Jose Brizuela gave Stockton the lead with a two-run double to right. After a Sandber Pimentel single, Melvin Mercedes executed a squeeze bunt for a single that drove in another run to make it a 6-2 lead. James Harris followed with a two-run double that gave the Ports an 8-2 advantage and knocked Rawhide starter Miller Diaz (0-1) from the contest. Diaz suffered the loss, going 2.1 innings and allowing eight runs (seven earned) on nine hits while walking three.

Myles Smith took over and recorded back-to-back strikeouts to end the third but gave up a run in the fourth on a two-out RBI single by Brizuela to make it 9-2. The Ports added a run in the fifth on an RBI groundout by Tyler Marincov to make it a 10-2 score.

Ports starter Brett Graves (1-2), after allowing two runs in the first, settled in and did not allow another run over his final five innings. Graves picked up his first California League victory, going six innings and allowing two runs on eight hits while striking out five.

The Ports salted the game away with a five-run sixth facing Rawhide reliever Zac Curtis. With the bases loaded and one out, Harris delivered his fourth hit of the night, an RBI single to right. Two batters later, Bennie drove a two-run single to right to make it a 13-2 contest. Marincov came up next and reached on a throwing error committed by shortstop Domingo Leyba that brought in two more runs to make it 15-2.

Curtis went two-thirds of an inning for the Rawhide and allowed five runs (three earned) on three hits.

Rob Huber pitched two scoreless innings for the Ports in relief of Graves while inducing double-plays in both frames. Kyle Finnegan pitched around a leadoff walk in the ninth and retired the next three batters in order to close out the ballgame.

The Ports and Rawhide play the rubber match of their three-game set on Wednesday at Recreation Ballpark. Henderson Alvarez (0-0, 0.00 ERA) makes the start on a Major League rehab assignment for Stockton, opposed by Rawhide right-hander Brad Keller (0-0, 4.09 ERA). First pitch is set for 6 p.m. PDT.