Perez's Big Day, Bullpen Lead Ports to Series Win
Box Score FRESNO, Ca.-- Junior Perez went 3-for-3 and drove in four runs and the Ports picked up their third straight win with a 10-8 victory over the Fresno Grizzlies in the series finale on Sunday evening at Chukchansi Park. With the game tied at one, the Ports (17-25) batted
FRESNO, Ca.-- Junior Perez went 3-for-3 and drove in four runs and the Ports picked up their third straight win with a 10-8 victory over the Fresno Grizzlies in the series finale on Sunday evening at Chukchansi Park.
With the game tied at one, the Ports (17-25) batted around and scored four times in the top of the third inning to take a 5-1 lead. Stockton loaded the bases with nobody out after a walk and two singles, and Tyler Soderstrom put the Ports on top 2-1 with an RBI single to center field. After a fly out, T.J. Schofield-Sam brought another run home with an infield single and Perez followed with base hit up the middle to score two and give the Ports a four run advantage.
After the Grizzlies (26-16) rallied for three runs in the top of the fourth inning to cut the Stockton lead to one, the Ports responded with a three run frame of their own in the top of the fifth. With Soderstrom on third base and two outs, Perez lined a triple to the gap in right center to drive home the Ports' sixth run of the day. Danny Bautista was then hit by a pitch, and Gavin Jones followed with a double to score two and put the Ports back up by four, 8-4.
After the Grizzlies cut the Ports' lead to 8-7 with a three-run bottom of the fifth, Perez gave the Ports a cushion with a 428-foot solo home run to left center field, giving the Ports a 9-7 lead.
In the top of the ninth the Ports added another insurance run. With the bases empty and two outs, Kevin Richards drove a double to the gap in right center and came around to score on a single to left field off the bat of T.J. Schofield-Sam to give the Ports a 10-7 lead.
The Grizzlies manufactured one run in the ninth off of Oscar Tovar, who picked up his first save of the year.
Edward Baram (2-2) got the win for the Ports, firing 2 2/3 innings of one-hit ball in relief of starter Kumar Nambiar. Grizzlies' starter Mike Ruff (4-2) took the loss, allowing eight runs (seven earned) in 4 2/3 innings pitched.
With the victory the Ports get their first series win of 2021, and take their three-game winning streak further south to San Bernardino to start a six-game series with the Inland Empire 66ers on Tuesday, with first pitch at 7:05 pm.