Stockton Slugs 13 Hits, Drops Game Three to San Jose
STOCKTON, Calif.- The ball was flying out of Banner Island Ballpark on Thursday night, as the Stockton Ports and San Jose Giants got together in game three of their three-game series. Despite a better night from the Ports offense, they could not contain the bats of the Giants, who mashed
STOCKTON, Calif.- The ball was flying out of Banner Island Ballpark on Thursday night, as the Stockton Ports and San Jose Giants got together in game three of their three-game series. Despite a better night from the Ports offense, they could not contain the bats of the Giants, who mashed four home runs en route to an 8-5 victory.
The Ports (7-17) got on the board in the first inning, putting their slow offensive night from the previous game behind them as they scored twice. Kevin Richards singled home the first run of the game with a ground ball to left, and then Pedro Pineda was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and two outs, giving the Gaels a quick two-spot on the board.
The Giants (14-10) had a very quick answer, scoring three times in the second inning off of Stockton starter Luke Anderson. Abdiel Layer launched a 467-foot home run to right center field to open up the inning, and that was just the start of the home run ball for San Jose. They waited until the seventh inning to break it out again, driving three out of the ballpark in that frame. Victor Bericoto smashed one to left field off of Aaron Cohn to break what was a 3-3 tie, putting San Jose in front. Just three batters later, Alexander Suarez blasted a home run to right center to plate a pair and put San Jose up 6-3. Just three pitches later, Rayner Santana homered to left field for the Giants fourth long ball of the night, making it 7-3.
Kevin Richards had a quick answer for the Ports as they tried to make a comeback, homering to right field to open up the bottom of the seventh inning. It was the continuation of an excellent series for Richards, who went 3-4 with a home run and two RBIs on Thursday, making him 8-13 with three home runs and five runs batted in.
Richards was one of four Ports to record multiple hits on the night, joining Denzel Clarke (2-3, 3B, RBI), T.J. Schofield-Sam (2-5), and Robert Puason (2-4, 2B). The Ports recorded 13 hits on the night to match the total put up by the Giants, but despite a late comeback effort in the bottom of the seventh, which was capped off by a sacrifice fly from Pedro Pineda, the effort came up short.
The Ports left 10 runners on base Thursday night and had plenty of chances with men in scoring position, going 5-16 for the game. San Jose left some meat on the bone in that department as well, going just 3-14 with runners in scoring position.
Neither starting pitcher factored into the decision, as Anderson went 4.2 innings for the Ports, allowing three runs on six hits, six walks, and seven strikeouts in an up-and-down performance. Matt Mikulski was his opposition, and he went just the first three innings after allowing a season-high seven hits, and two runs to go with it.
Game four of the six-game series takes place on Friday night at 7:05 pm inside Banner Island Ballpark. Kyle Virbitsky will get the ball for the Ports, and he will be opposed by fellow right-hander Eric Silva for the Giants.