Ports Erase Early Four-Run Deficit to win 9-7

ONTARIO, Calif. – The Ports battled back from a 4-0 deficit in the fourth inning and pulled ahead in the fifth en route to a 9-7 win over the Tower Buzzers to take a 2-1 lead in the six-game series.

Stockton (23-31) didn’t have a baserunner in the first three innings but broke through in the fourth by batting around and scoring four times to tie the game. They trailed 2-0 after the second inning when Joendry Vargas hit a two-run home run out to deep left off Shotaro Morii, who completed two innings for the first time as a pitcher.

The Tower Buzzers (27-27) got two more in the third inning off Jackson Phipps via a double from Chase Harlan and an RBI single from Vargas to go up 4-0. But Daniel Bucciero walked on a full count with one out in the fourth for the Ports first base runner of the night before Breyson Guedez singled into center for Stockton’s first hit. That was followed by an RBI single through the left side for Jared Sprague-Lott to get the Ports on the board and the first of two sac flies on the night for Bryan Arendt cut it to a 4-2 deficit.

Back-to-back RBI singles for Edgar Montero and Tommy Takayoshi would tie the game up at four apiece to cap the big four-run fourth for the Ports. Bryan Andrade would deliver a two-RBI single up the middle in the fifth inning to score Bucciero and Sprague-Lott to put Stockton ahead 6-4.

A solo home run for Ontario in the fifth made it a one-run game at 6-5 before the Ports got a run back on another sac fly from Arendt to go up 7-5. Stockton got some much-needed insurance runs in the top of the ninth on a double from Arendt that again scored Bucciero and Sprague-Lott to go up 9-5.

After reliever Jackson Holmes struck out the first two batters in the bottom of the ninth, the top of the order strung three-straight hits together against him to score a pair of runs on another double for Harlan. But Jackson got the next batter to fly out to center and end the ballgame for a 9-7 win.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS: Arendt recorded his first four RBI game as a pro and Sprague-Lott had his first game with three stolen bases in his career. The Ports are now 13-13 against the South Division this season and 9-4 when they don’t commit an error.

UP NEXT: Game four is scheduled for a 6:35 PM first pitch with RHP Cam Leiter (0-0, 2.79) starting for Ontario versus RHP Cole Miller (1-5, 5.98) for Stockton.

Single game tickets, mini plans, and group outings are all on sale for the 2026 season. For more information, call the Ports front office at 209-644-1400 or email at [email protected].