Delgado's Blast Gives Ports 4-3 Win In 13
STOCKTON, Calif. - Ryan Delgado wasn't in the starting lineup on Wednesday night, but he wound up with the final say in a 13-inning marathon that saw the Stockton Ports top the San Jose Giants 4-3. With the win, the Ports salvage the final game of their set with the Giants and head out on their first road trip after a 5-2 start at home.
The Giants opened the scoring in the top of the first on a two-out RBI single from Ryan Cavan off Ports starter Blake Hassebrock. Hassebrock found himself in a jam in the fourth inning, but escaped with minimal damage. With the bases loaded and nobody out, Hassebrock walked Elliott Blair to bring in a run and make it a 2-0 lead for San Jose. Hassebrock, however, would get Jeff Arnold to ground to third on which the Ports got a force out at home, then strike out Ydwin Villegas and get Chris Lofton to fly to left to end the inning.
Hassebrock received a no-decision, going 4.1 innings and allowing two runs on five hits while striking out seven.
Stockton had a tough time getting its offense started against Giants starter Clayton Blackburn. Blackburn allowed just three hits over six innings of work, with one of those three hits being a solo home run off the bat of Max Muncy to make it a 2-1 game.
The Giants got the run back in the sixth inning off Ports reliever Jake Brown. With two outs, Arnold tripled to right-center and scored on an ensuing single from Villegas to make it a 3-1 contest. It was the only run allowed by Brown over 1.2 innings of relief.
Trailing 3-1 in the bottom of the ninth, Muncy led off with a double off Giants closer Cody Hall. Two batters later with one out, Ryan Ortiz singled to right to score Muncy and make it 3-2. Ortiz was then lifted for a pinch runner, Wade Kirkland, who advanced to second when B.A. Vollmuth drew a two-out walk. With the tying run in scoring position, Antonio Lamas, in his Ports debut, hit a 3-1 pitch into center field to score Kirkland with the game-tying run.
Hall was charged with his first blown save of the season as he allowed two runs on three hits in the ninth inning.
In the 12th inning, the Giants tabbed their backup catcher, Eliezer Zambrano (0-1), to enter the game as a pitcher. Zambrano pitched around a leadoff single in the 12th to send the game into the 13th inning.
In the bottom of the 13th, Zambrano recorded two quick outs to start the frame. Delgado, who'd entered the game to catch in the 10th after Ortiz had been lifted for a pinch-runner in the ninth, hit a towering home run to left to win the ballgame for the Ports.
Jonathan Joseph (1-0), who'd pitched a scoreless 12th and 13th innings for Stockton, picked up his first win of the season. Prior to Joseph entering the game, Pedro Vidal and Jose Macias combined for five scoreless innings of relief.
The Ports hit the road for the first time on Thursday for a seven-game road trip, beginning with a four-game set in Bakersfield. Sean Murphy (1-0, 1.80 ERA) will head to the mound for the Ports, opposed by Blaze right-hander Jonathan Moscot (0-1, 9.82 ERA). First pitch is set for 7:15 p.m. PDT.