Home Runs Help Rawhide Beat Ports 6-3

STOCKTON, Calif. - The Stockton Ports offense didn't find any rhythm until it was too late on Sunday afternoon at Banner Island Ballpark. The Ports scored two runs on four hits in the ninth inning, but only after the Visalia Rawhide hit three home runs in two of the final three innings on their way to a 6-3 win over the Ports to take a 2-1 lead in the four-game series.

Visalia's first run came in the second as Dawel Lugo worked a leadoff walk and scored on a two-out single by Victory Reyes to take a 1-0 lead. Stockton tied the score in the bottom of the second on a leadoff home run by Sandber Pimentel.

Pimentel's home run was the only tally allowed by Visalia starter Wei-Chieh Huang (1-0), who earned the win after going five innings and allowing four hits while walking three.

Ports starter Heath Fillmyer (3-3) allowed his final run in the top of the third. With runners at the corners and one out, catcher Argenis Raga was charged a passed ball that allowed Henry Castillo to score from third and give the Rawhide a 2-1 advantage. The run was unearned for Fillmyer but caused him to suffer the loss after going 5.1 innings and allowing eight hits while walking two and striking out six.

Matt Stalcup took over for Fillmyer and closed out the sixth inning. In the seventh, however, Stalcup allowed a one-out home run to Rudy Flores and a two-out homer to Lugo to stretch the Visalia lead to 4-1. Stalcup allowed a leadoff home run to Oscar Hernandez in the eighth to make it a 5-1 Rawhide lead. Stalcup was lifted after a one-out single by Chuck Taylor as Ryan Gorton came on in relief. Gorton gave up a two-out RBI single to Flores that made it a 6-1 contest. Both runs in the eighth were charged to Stalcup, who allowed four runs over two innings of work.

After two scoreless innings from Gabriel Moya in his California League debut, Nick Baker took over in the eighth and pitched a scoreless first frame. In the ninth, the Ports put two on with nobody out and got a two-run single by Iolana Akau, who was thrown out at second trying to take an extra base on the throw that came to the plate. Jared Miller (SV, 1) would enter the game to record the final two outs and pick up his first save of the season.

The Ports and Rawhide wrap up their four-game series on Monday night at Banner Island Ballpark. Casey Meisner (0-6, 4.54 ERA) makes the start for Stockton, opposed by Visalia right-hander Lucas Irvine (3-0, 2.96 ERA). First pitch is set for 7:10 p.m. PDT.