Eight-Run Inning Anchors Ports Victory over Sixers

Stockton, CA- The Stockton Ports used an eight-run fourth inning to pace a 9-5 victory over the Inland Empire 66ers of San Bernardino on Wednesday. The win gave the Ports the three-game series two-games-to-one and the season series 7-6.
Inland Empire (51-59, 21-19) took a 2-0 lead in the second against Ports starter Logan Shore. Jake Yacinich opened the frame with a singled and moved to third on a pop-up base-hit for Keith Grieshaber putting runners at first and third. Grieshaber then stole second, his sixth in six attempts. Brandon Sandoval then singled up the middle to knock in two runs. After allowing a run on one hit (Sheldon Nueses' second inning solo homer) over three frames Inland Empire starter Jose Rodriguez (7-11) did not survive the fourth. With one out he allowed a three-run homer to Skye Bolt for a 4-2 Ports lead. After loading the bases Sixers reliever Blake Smith came in and Brett Siddall reached on a two-run RBI single for a 6-2 lead. Seth Brown, who had been a third inning defensive replacement at first base then launched a three-run homer to righty, his 16^th, to cap the scoring in the eight-run frame.
Inland Empire got back into the game in the eighth as Jack Kruger singled and eventually scored on Grieshaber's RBI double. The Sixers had two more runs come home when Ports (54-65, 18-22) outfielder Luis Barrera dropped a potential inning ending fly ball to make it 9-5. The Sixers got back-to-back one-out singles from Brennon Lund and Jordan Zimmerman in the ninth inning but Nolan Blackwood came out of the pen and locked down his 12^th save of the year for Stockton. Zimmerman finished the game with three hits. Jared Walsh's hitting streak ended at 14-games for Inland Empire.
The Sixers open four-game series at San Jose on Thursday. The contest can be heard live at 66ers.com.