STOCKTON, Calif. - It took until late June, but the Stockton Ports got their first grand slam of the season on Saturday night at Banner Island Ballpark and it came in a key spot. With the game tied 2-2 in the bottom of the fifth, Tyler Ramirez gave Stockton a
STOCKTON, Calif. - It took until late June, but the Stockton Ports got their first grand slam of the season on Saturday night at Banner Island Ballpark and it came in a key spot. With the game tied 2-2 in the bottom of the fifth, Tyler Ramirez gave Stockton a 6-2 lead with a grand slam to left-center as the Ports went on to an 8-2 win behind another strong performance turned in by Casey Meisner (6-5).
Meisner stumbled out of the gate as he gave up a single to open the game to Rayder Ascanio, followed by a two-run homer to Eric Filia that gave Modesto a 2-0 lead before an out was even recorded. Meisner, though, would rebound and keep Modesto out of the run column for the next six frames. Meisner pitched around a single in the second, a hit batter and a single in the fourth and a two-out double in the seventh. He would go on to earn the win after seven strong innings as he allowed five hits while striking out six without issuing a walk. With the win, Meisner gets his win/loss record above the .500 mark for the first time since late 2015.
Stockton's first run came on the second home run in as many games for Sandber Pimentel who homered to open the second to cut the Nuts lead to 2-1. Modesto starter Reggie McClain (7-5) would go on to retire nine of the next 10 batters, including seven-in-a-row entering the fifth inning.
The Ports would enjoy their biggest inning of the night in the bottom of the fifth. Seth Brown opened the frame with an infield single and went to third on an ensuing throwing error by the shortstop Ascanio. With one out, McClain would issue back-to-back walks that loaded the bases for Major League rehabber Marcus Semien, who tied the game with an RBI single to left. Ramirez followed with the grand slam to left-center that opened up a 6-2 lead for the Ports. Later in the frame, Brown would come up for a second time and add an RBI double off reliever Joey Strain to make it a 7-2 lead.
McClain would suffer the loss, going 4.2 innings and allowing seven runs on eight hits while walking two and striking out one.
Semien, who went 3-for-5 and fell a triple shy of hitting for the cycle in his second game on rehab, would add a solo homer off strain in the sixth to make it an 8-2 Ports advantage. It was the only run allowed by Strain in 2.1 innings of work.
Armando Ruiz pitched the final two frames for Stockton and retired five of the six batters he faced as he punctuated the Stockton win by striking out the side in order in the ninth.
The Ports and Nuts play the final game of their four-game set on Sunday afternoon at Banner Island Ballpark. Dustin Hurlbutt (2-2, 3.65 ERA) makes the start for Stockton, opposed by Modesto right-hander Nathan Bannister (3-4, 6.44 ERA). First pitch is set for 2:09 p.m. PDT.
