Eight-Run Sixth Lifts Ports Over Giants 8-6

SAN JOSE, Calif. - As has often been the case this season, the Stockton Ports offense thrived off one very big inning on Friday night at Municipal Stadium. Stockton plated eight runs on six hits in the top of the sixth inning, enough to earn them an 8-6 victory over the San Jose Giants.

Scoreless in the last of the fourth, the Giants plated the first run of the game off Ports starter Raul Alcantara (2-0). With runners at second and third and one out, Jeff Arnold reached on an infield single that drove in a run and gave San Jose a 1-0 lead. The Giants built on their lead in the fifth when, with one on and one out, Kelby Tomlinson doubled to left to score Chris Lofton and make it 2-0. Tomlinson would score on a two-out single by Mac Williamson that stretched the Giants lead to 3-0.

Stockton, after coming up with just two hits through five innings, had a tremendous offensive outburst in the sixth. With one out, Giants starter Adalberto Mejia walked Bobby Crocker, gave up a single to Addison Russell an then yielded a two-run double to Max Muncy that made it a 3-2 game, at which point Mejia was lifted for Luis Rojas (6-4). Rojas walked B.A. Vollmuth and then gave up an RBI double to Myrio Richard that tied the game at 3-3. Antonio Lamas came up next and connected on a three-run homer that put Stockton in front 6-3. After Tony Thompson walked and Bruce Maxwell popped out, Rojas was lifted for Jason Forjet, who gave up a single to Dusty Robinson that put runners at the corners. After a wild pitch allowed Thompson to score, Crocker doubled to left to score Robinson and run the Ports lead to 8-3.

Mejia allowed three of the eight runs that scored in the inning and received a no-decision. Rojas gave up four runs in one third of an inning and took the loss as he allowed two hits and walked two. Forjet allowed the final run that scored in the eighth and then went on to toss three additional innings of scoreless relief.

The Giants countered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth. Jeff Arnold led off the inning and reached on an error committed by Russell. After a fielder's choice force out and a single by Myles Shroder, Alcantara was lifted for Jake Brown, who got Lofton to hit into a fielder's choice force, but then gave up a two-run double to Brock Bond that made it an 8-5 game.

Alcantara went on to earn the win after pitching 5.1 innings and allowing five runs (three earned) on six hits while striking out five.

Pedro Vidal came on to start the seventh and with one out, gave up a single to Williamson and then an RBI double to Devin Harris to bring the Giants to within two runs at 8-6. Vidal, though, would finish the seventh without any further damage.

Tucker Healy pitched a scoreless eighth as he worked around a two-out single hit by Bond. Ryan Dull (SV, 2), who suffered the loss in Thursday night's ballgame, pitched a perfect ninth to record his second save of the season with Stockton.

The Ports and Giants play the third game of their four-game series on Saturday night at Municipal Stadium. Josh Bowman (2-1, 8.31 ERA) will make the start for Stockton, opposed by San Jose right-hander Clayton Blackburn (3-4, 4.80 ERA). First pitch is set for 6 p.m. PDT.