Bats Go Quiet in 5-1 Loss to Storm

LAKE ELSINORE, Calif – The Ports offense bogged down in game four of their six-game series in Lake Elsinore, as the Storm took a 3-1 lead with a 5-1 win on Friday Night.

A pair of solo home runs for the Storm (22-27) and the Ports (24-25) first four-error game of the season – while getting stuck on one run offensively – were the difference in the game. Though starter Jefferson Jean only walked one batter on the night, he fell behind in counts and hit two batters in the contest.

Both home runs he allowed were on 2-0 counts to the Storm’s most powerful hitters. He allowed a solo shot to Kavares Tears 350 feet to the opposite field in left in the second inning, and 364-foot solo shot off the scoreboard in right center by Victor Figueroa in the fourth were the only two runs Jean would allow over four innings.

The lone run the Ports scored was via C.J. Pittaro’s RBI single up the middle in the third to score Davis Diaz, who hit his third triple of the season a batter before to the game at 1-1 at the time.

Aidan Layton had a tough-luck fifth inning where the Ports defense committed three errors, leading to three runs coming across for some Lake Elsinore insurance, with only one run being earned for Layton. Stockton went hit less over the final six innings. Jared Sprague-Lott did extend his on base streak to 14 games.

UP NEXT: The Ports will need to win the next two to earn a split in the series with the Storm. Game five will be a 3:45 first pitch with RHP Bryan Balzer (1-2, 6.98) on the hill for Lake Elsinore versus RHP Jose Dicochea (3-4, 6.28) for Stockton.