STOCKTON, Calif. - The Stockton Ports overcame a one-run deficit in the seventh inning and a three-run deficit in the 10th to improbably win their fifth straight contest on Thursday night at Banner Island Ballpark. Stockton got two home runs from Mikey White, including a two-run shot to tie it
STOCKTON, Calif. - The Stockton Ports overcame a one-run deficit in the seventh inning and a three-run deficit in the 10th to improbably win their fifth straight contest on Thursday night at Banner Island Ballpark. Stockton got two home runs from Mikey White, including a two-run shot to tie it down to their final out in the 10th, to defeat the Lancaster JetHawks 7-6 and earn their second extra-inning win in the last three games.
The home run ball was the story early as Skye Bolt led off the bottom of the first with a solo blast and White added his first homer of the night with two outs in the second to give the Ports an early 2-0 lead. Those were the only two runs allowed by JetHawks starter Jesus Tinoco, who retired the last seven batters he faced and went six innings, allowing five hits while striking out a season-high six.
Ports starter Dustin Hurlbutt spun a gem over the first six innings, allowing just two singles in that span. In the seventh, however, Hurlbutt gave up three straight singles to open the inning. Yonathan Daza, Brian Mundell and Roberto Ramos each singled, with Ramos' driving in Daza to make it a 2-1 ballgame. Hurlbutt was then lifted for Joey Wagman, who came on with runners at the corners and nobody out. While Wagman pitched to Sam Hilliard, a passed ball was charged to catcher Sean Murphy that allowed Mundell to score the tying run. Later in the inning, Wilson Soriano reached on a fielder's choice play to score Ramos and give the JetHawks a 3-2 advantage.
Hurlbutt was charged with all three runs. He did not factor into the decision after working six-plus innings and allowing five hits while striking out four.
Stockton evened the score and took advantage of the only JetHawks error of the night in the bottom of the seventh. With Helmis Rodriguez on in relief, White reached on an error committed by shortstop Brendan Rodgers to open the inning. After a walk and a bunt-single loaded the bases, bolt delivered a sac-fly to center to tie the game at 3-3. The run was unearned and the only run allowed by Rodriguez in his lone inning of relief.
Wagman worked into the eighth and would find himself in a jam with runners at second and third and one out. After Mundell was intentionally walked to load the bases, Jared Lyons was summoned from the bullpen and struck out Ramos and got Hilliard to ground out to escape the jam and preserve the tie. Wagman did not allow any runs over an inning-and-a-third.
Lyons worked into the 10th and fell victim to an error committed by shortstop Eli White to start the inning. Rodgers followed with a double to right-center to put runners at second and third with nobody out. Daza provided a sac-fly to right to give Lancaster a 4-3 lead. After Mundell was intentionally walked to load the bases, Ramos delivered a sac-fly to center and, two batters later, Mylz Jones singled to left to drive in a third run and give Lancaster a 6-3 edge.
All the runs in the top of the 10th were unearned for Lyons who was rendered a no-decision after working 2.1 innings.
Alexander Guillen, who'd worked a scoreless ninth, came on to try and finish for the JetHawks in the 10th. Guillen would give up three straight hits to start the inning, an infield single to Tyler Ramirez, an RBI single to James Harris and a single to Seth Brown. After a double-play left the Ports with a runner at third base with two outs, Mikey White stepped to the plate and delivered a two-run blast to left on the first pitch he saw to tie the game at 6-6.
Guillen went two innings and allowed three runs on four hits while striking out three.
After Andrew Tomasovich (1-1) recorded the final out of the 10th and worked a perfect 11th, Carlos Polanco (3-4) took over for the JetHawks in the bottom of the 11th and gave up a leadoff single to Josh Vidales. Bolt followed and drew a walk to put two aboard. After Polanco got Eli White to fly out, he walked Ramirez to load the bases and then walked James Harris to bring in the winning run, giving the Ports a 7-6 victory.
Polanco suffered the loss while Tomasovich earned his first California League victory.
The Ports and JetHawks play the third game of their four-game set on Friday night at Banner Island Ballpark. Boomer Biegalski (3-2, 6.83 ERA) makes the start for Stockton, opposed by Lancaster right-hander Craig Schlitter (7-1, 2.70 ERA). First pitch is set for 7:10 p.m. PDT.
