Late-Inning Rally Nets Sixth Straight Win For Stockton
Starters Pedro Figueroa and Josh Collmenter were locked in a pitcher's duel for the duration of their outings. It was Figueroa, however, that had to work a bit harder to avoid trouble. The Rawhide loaded the bases with two down in the first, but Figueroa recorded a strikeout of Ryne White to end the inning. With two on and two out in the second, Figueroa got Taylor Harbin to ground into a fielder's choice to end the frame.
Collmenter, meanwhile, had a very easy time of it. He allowed just one hit over his seven innings-a single to Grant Desme with one out in the second. Desme would subsequently be picked off first to end the inning. Collmenter would go on to retire 15 of the next 16 batters taking him two outs into the seventh. At that point, the right-hander yielded back-to-back walks to Yusuf Carter and Desme. Collmenter was able to get a strikeout of Frank Martinez to end the inning and his night.
Collmenter would leave the game with a chance to pick up the win, but would receive a no-decision after seven scoreless innings, allowing just one hit while walking three and matching a season-high with nine strikeouts.
The Rawhide, who stranded eight baserunners over their first five innings, would finally brake the scoreless tie in the sixth. With Kyle Greene at first and two out, David Cooper lined a double into the left field corner, scoring Greene and putting the Rawhide up 1-0. Cooper would steal third, but be stranded there as Figueroa struck out Ollie Linton to end the inning.
Figueroa would also receive a no-decision, tossing six solid frames and allowing just the one run on six hits while striking out six.
Collmenter, after 103 pitches, was done after seven innings and the ball was handed to Dietz to start the eighth. Dietz first pitch to Kala Ka'aihue was hit high in the air down the left field line. Left fielder James Skelton kept drifting back toward the wall, and somehow the ball just cleared the fence tucked just inside the foul pole for a solo home run. The home run was Ka'aihue's second in his first week as a Port, and tied the game at one. Christian Vitters followed with a single before Dietz recorded two quick outs. With Vitters and first and one down, Dusty Coleman reached on an infield single and Steve Kleen drew a walk to load the bases. Carter came up next, and on a 3-2 pitch, hit a broken-bat bloop single to left-center, scoring a pair and giving the Ports a 3-1 lead.
Dietz would pitch just the one inning and would take the loss, allowing three runs on four hits.
The Ports bullpen took it down the home stretch and Jason Ray (2-1) and Mickey Storey (SV, 8) combined to retire nine of the last 10 Rawhide batters. Ray, who earned the win, retired all six he faced in two innings of work while striking out four. Storey yielded a leadoff walk to Greene in the ninth, but retired the next three batters-surviving a scare when Linton made a bit for his first home run of the year; a deep fly ball to right that was tracked down by Shane Keough for the second out. Storey is now eight of eight in save chances since being promoted from Kane County.
The Ports will shoot for their seventh straight win and their second straight series sweep on Thursday when they play their final game of the season at Recreation Park. Scott Hodsdon (6-7, 5.40 ERA) will take to the mound for Stockton, opposed by southpaw Pat McAnaney (9-6, 4.76 ERA) for Visalia. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. PDT.