Shelton’s Two Homers Lift Tower Buzzers Over Stockton, 6-5

ONTARIO, Calif. — This series has been a rollercoaster, and Saturday night was no different. The Ontario Tower Buzzers had to dig deep, but they found just enough.

Easton Shelton played the hero with two home runs, and a couple of big swings late in the game helped Ontario come from behind to edge out the Stockton Ports, 6-5, at ONT Field. With the win, the Buzzers have now taken three out of five and guaranteed themselves at least a split in this six-game set.

Stockton jumped ahead right away thanks to a single from Breyson Guedez. But Ontario wasted no time answering back. In the bottom of the first, an error got Brendan Tunink aboard, and Chase Harlan legged it into scoring position. Ching-Hsien Ko then punched a single up the middle to bring one home. Right after that, Shelton saw one pitch and sent it flying. A three-run shot to right-center. That made it 4-1 Ontario, and Stockton’s Donny Troconis was struggling from the jump.

After, Troconis settled in. Runs got tougher to come by after that burst. Ontario only had seven hits all night, but they made them count, keeping the pressure on Stockton with some gritty at-bats, heads-up baserunning, and just enough hard contact.

Stockton chipped away, scoring twice in the fifth. They added on two more in the sixth, piecing together a comeback and grabbing a brief 5-4 lead after another Ontario error set the stage.

Ontario then responded. Mairo Martinus led off the sixth and ripped a solo homer to center, tying the game. He went 2-for-4, another clutch showing in a big spot.

Then, with two outs in the seventh, Shelton did it again. This time, he crushed a fastball to dead center, his second homer of the night. That shot broke the tie and gave the Buzzers the lead for good.

Shelton finished with four RBIs and drove in half of Ontario’s runs, attacking early in counts and making Stockton pay for it.

The pitching staff deserves its share of the credit. Brady Smith struck out eight in his 3.2 innings, and after him, the relief corps held Stockton scoreless through the end. Luis Carias pitched around danger in the sixth and picked up the win. The Buzzers’ staff stranded ten runners all night.

The game’s biggest jam came in the eighth. Stockton’s Max Durrington blasted a triple, and the Ports threatened with two on and two out, Guedez coming to the plate. Ontario got out of it, though, striking him out swinging to keep the lead.

In the ninth, Ontario finished the job quickly, and Stockton went down in order. The final out, a lazy fly to center, sealed it.

Even though Ontario committed three errors and got outhit 8-7, they made the key plays when it mattered most. Between Shelton’s fireworks, Martinus’ timely homer, and a bullpen that refused to crack, the Buzzers pulled out a hard-fought 6-5 win and moved one win closer to taking the series on Sunday, June 7th.