Early Hole Costly as Ports Fall to 66ers 6-3

Stockton, CA – The Ports outscored the Inland Empire 66ers from the bottom of the third inning on but could not climb out of an early four-run hole in a 6-3 loss on Saturday night at Banner Island Ballpark.

The Ports have now dropped three in a row and are just 1-7 against the 66ers this season.

Inland Empire (44-36) took an early lead in the top of the first inning against Ports’ starter Gunnar Hoglund. Back-to-back singles by Nelson Rada and Johan Macias to start the inning put runners on first and third for Kevin Watson, Jr. who doubled off the wall in right field to score Rada making it 1-0. Jadiel Sanchez followed with a ground ball to second base to score Macias to give the 66ers a 2-0 advantage.

After Mike Peabody hit a solo home in the top of the second to make it 3-0, the Ports (32-51) got on the board in the bottom half of the inning. Cam Masterman led off with a single and stole second base. After moving to third base on a ground out, Masterman came in to score when Bjay Cooke lifted a sacrifice fly to center field to make it 3-1.

The 66ers immediately got two runs back in the top of the third. Back-to-back two out singles by Sanchez and Ben Gobbel put runners on the corners for Denzer Guzman who lined a double down the left field line to score two runs to increase the 66ers advantage to 5-1.

In the bottom of the inning, the Ports got a run back when Henry Bolte bounced into a fielders’ choice with the bases loaded and one out to score Cooper Uhl from third base making it 5-2.

With the relief duo of Wander Guante and Micah Dallas giving the Ports three shutout innings, the Ports crept to within two runs with a tally in the bottom of the seventh. Three straight singles to start the frame by Carlos Franco, Uhl and Pedro Pineda loaded the bases with nobody out for Dereck Salom who lifted a sacrifice fly to center field to score Franco making it 5-3. On the play, however, Uhl was thrown out at third base by Rada for the second out of the inning. With Pineda still at first base, Brayan Buelvas grounded out to short to end the inning.

After the 66ers got a run in the eighth inning to make it 6-3, Inland Empire reliever Quinton Martinez allowed just one walk in two shutout innings to end the ballgame.

Inland Empire starter Walbert Urena (2-3) got the win allowing two runs on three hits in five innings. Hoglund (0-3) took the loss for Stockton surrendering five runs on seven hits in five innings with five strikeouts. Martinez got the final six outs for the 66ers to pick up his second save of the season.The Ports will look to salvage a win in the series finale with the 66ers on Sunday evening at Banner Island Ballpark with first pitch at 6:05 pm. Tickets are available at stocktonports.com.