Ports Take Series Opener, Run Away Late with 16-8 Win Over Tower Buzzers

ONTARIO, Calif. — For most of Tuesday night, the Ontario Tower Buzzers looked like they might steal the opener of their six-game set against the Stockton Ports. But things went sideways fast. Stockton exploded for 10 runs in the last two innings and turned a close game into a 16-8 blowout at Ontario.

The Tower Buzzers kept fighting back all night, clawing out of deficits and even grabbing a 7-6 lead in the seventh. But then the wheels fell off. Walks, wild pitches, hit batters, and Stockton took full advantage, driving the knife in every time they got a chance.

Stockton struck first. A wild pitch from Hyun-Seok Jang in the opening inning scored Daniel Bucciero. Ontario answered right away: Kellon Lindsey got on, swiped third, and came home on Chase Harlan’s double play.

The Ports grabbed momentum in the second. Edgar Montero ripped an RBI double, and then Jared Sprague-Lott crushed a two-run homer to left. Sprague-Lott just couldn’t miss; he hit another solo shot in the fourth, ended up reaching base four times, and drove in five runs for the night.

Ontario kept coming back. Mairo Martinus singled home a run in the second, then doubled in the fourth. Lindsey followed up, lacing a two-run single that brought Ontario within one. They kept things tense, swiping three bags in the first two innings and forcing Stockton to make plays in pressure spots all game.

Conner O’Neal was a big bright spot. The catcher finished with three hits, including a solo homer in the sixth and a clutch RBI single in the seventh. He reached base all night and kept Ontario’s offense alive. Lindsey stayed hot too, two hits and three RBIs. Martinus also racked up three hits and two RBIs. Those three combined for eight of Ontario’s 11 hits.

Everything really fell apart in the eighth. Ontario was up 7-6 and handed the ball to Jecsua Liborius. Stockton immediately jumped: two hit batters, a single, a balk, a sac fly, and a wild pitch. Those four runs came with just two hits. Ontario couldn’t plug the leaks once runners got on.

The ninth inning was more or less the same. Three walks, another wild pitch, and a barrage of well-timed hits. Stockton dropped six more runs, blowing the game wide open. In total, Ontario allowed 10 unanswered runs in just two innings, with a mess of free passes and mistakes making Stockton’s job way too easy.

Ontario’s offense did its part. 11 hits, plenty of walks, stolen bases, and chances all night. But it was a night where the pitching faltered. Stockton scored 16 runs on only 13 hits, which pretty much says it all. Ontario just kept giving Stockton extra chances, and the Ports ran wild.

For most of the night, Ontario played tough and balanced at the plate. But the Ports scored in six separate innings, and every little opening snowballed into big numbers.

Ontario gets another shot in Game Two on Wednesday, June 3rd. If they keep the bats going and actually shut the door with pitchers, they might even up the series and land on the winning side next time.