STOCKTON, Calif. - It took more than four months, but the Stockton Ports earned their first series sweep of the season on Sunday night at Banner Island Ballpark. Stockton plated seven runs in the second inning en route to a 10-1 win over the Visalia Rawhide, tying them with Visalia
STOCKTON, Calif. - It took more than four months, but the Stockton Ports earned their first series sweep of the season on Sunday night at Banner Island Ballpark. Stockton plated seven runs in the second inning en route to a 10-1 win over the Visalia Rawhide, tying them with Visalia for the second-best overall record in the North Division.
The Ports opened the scoring and set the tone for the contest in the second. Mikey White led off with a home run off Rawhide starter Bo Takahashi (6-9), who would not make it out of the second. Later in the inning with the bases loaded and two outs, Skye Bolt lined a single to right to make it 2-0. Jake Smolinski, who played in his second game of MLB rehab and would go 5-for-5 in the contest, hit a two-run double off the center field wall to make it 4-0. Seth Brown followed with an RBI single and Sandber Pimentel walked, which chased Takahashi from the contest. Keegan Long took over and, after recording a strikeout, gave up a two-run double to Argenis Raga that gave Stockton a 7-0 advantage.
Takahashi would suffer the loss after allowing seven runs on eight hits over an inning-and-a-third. Long would pitch into the third and give up a leadoff triple to Richie Martin followed by a walk issued to Nate Mondou. Two batters later, Smolinski hit a three-run homer to left that expanded the Ports lead to 10-0. Long allowed those three runs on four hits over an inning-and-two-thirds.
Nick Baker, Austin Mason and Tommy Eveld would combine for five scoreless innings beginning in the fourth.
Ports starter Logan Shore (2-5) would pitch five scoreless frames for Stockton. The right-hander earned his first win since April 29, allowing three hits while matching a career-high with seven strikeouts.
Andrew Tomasovich took over in the sixth and gave up a one-out solo homer to Mark Karaviotis that stood as Visalia's only tally of the ballgame. Tomasovich pitched just the one inning in his return from the disabled list.
Brandon Marsonek (SV, 1) would pitch three perfect innings down the stretch to close out the game for Stockton, earning a three-inning save.
After winning five of six games on their homestand, the Ports embark on a seven-game road trip on Monday beginning with a four-game set with the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes. In the series opener, Brendan Butler (4-4, 5.23 ERA) will make the start for Stockton, opposed by Quakes left-hander Devin Smeltzer (4-4, 4.97 ERA). First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. PDT.
