Ports Right the Ship With 5-3 Win Over Rawhide

STOCKTON, Calif. – The Ports answered the bell on Friday night, responding to last night’s loss with a 5-3 victory over Visalia to tie up the series and the top of the standings in the California League North.

Major Leaguer Jeffrey Springs made a rehab start with Stockton (25-21, 52-60) as he returns from a hip injury and knocked off the rust as his outing went on. The setting sun in the sights of Edgar Montero led to an error starting the game that was followed by a single to right to put two Rawhide aboard with no one out. An RBI double for Weber Neels and a sac fly from Pedro Blanco made it 2-0 Visalia (18-28, 47-65) before Springs got a strikeout and a fly out to end the top of the first.

The Ports answered with an RBI double (17) from Bobby Blandford to score Drew Burress and get Stockton on the board at 2-1 in the bottom of the inning. An error at third led to another run scoring against Springs in the second inning, but he got around a two-out single in the third for a scoreless frame and only one of his three runs allowed was earned on the night.

Max Durrington led off the bottom of the third with a walk and stole second and third. Blandford drew a walk with two away and stole second before a wild pitch scored Durrington to cut it to a 3-2 deficit. Roman Martin ripped a double (2) down the third base line to plate Blandford and tie the game at 3-3. That was followed by a double into the right field corner for Alex Sosa (2) to give Stockton the lead at 4-3.

Edgar Montero blasted his 11th home run of the season 430 feet to straight-away center to give the Ports a two-run cushion at 5-3, and the Stockton bullpen did the rest.

Tyler August delivered two scoreless innings on just one hit with two walks and two strikeouts to collect his first win as a pro. Donny Troconis provided 3.1 scoreless frames of his own on one hit with four walks and five punchouts, preserving the two-run lead into the ninth. From there Jackson Holmes got a strikeout and a pop out to third to end the ballgame and earn his fourth save of the season.

Stockton’s win along with a Fresno loss in San Jose put the three clubs back into a tie for first place in the second half standings.

UP NEXT: Saturday’s contest will also be a 7:05 PM first pitch with Visalia starting RHP Neiker Palacios (0-0, 0.00) versus LHP Jackson Phipps (4-4, 7.35) for the Ports.

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].