High Desert Sinks Stockton 1-0

STOCKTON, Calif. - On a night where both teams were struggling to score, the High Desert Mavericks found the game's only run in the top of the ninth inning. A sacrifice fly from Pat Kivlehan off Stockton Ports reliever Ryan Dull (2-1) proved to be the difference as the Mavericks handed the Ports a 1-0 loss in the rubber match of their three-game set.

Ports starter Shaeffer Hall allowed just one hit, an infield single, through six innings. Hall gave up back-to-back singles with one out in the seventh, but induced a double-play off the bat of Jabari Blash to end the inning and his outing. Hall went a season-high seven shutout innings and allowed three hits while striking out five.

Meanwhile, High Desert starter Cam Hobson pitched around three singles allowed over the first four innings to keep the Ports out of the run column. Hobson surrendered a leadoff single to Josh Whitaker in the fourth inning and went on to strike out the next three batters to end the frame. Hobson went six shutout innings and allowed four hits while striking out a season-high nine.

Jeremy Dobbs (4-0) took over for Hobson in the seventh and tossed two scoreless innings, pitching around a single allowed to Dusty Robinson in the eighth as he struck out Bobby Crocker with Robinson at second base to end the threat.

Dobbs picked up the win as he tossed two scoreless innings of relief while striking out two.

Dull came on in relief of Hall to start the eighth and did not allow a run in his first inning of relief. Dull came back for the ninth and gave up a leadoff single to Nate Melendres and two batters later, a double to Kevin Rivers that put runners at second and third with one out. Kivlehan came up next and hit a sac-fly to right that scored the only run of the ballgame.

Dull suffered the loss, allowing one run on three hits while striking out three over two innings.

Mayckol Guaipe (SV, 1) came on to pitch the ninth in his first save situation of the season. Guaipe issued a one-out walk to Whitaker and then a two-out walk to B.A. Vollmuth. With two on and two out, Guaipe struck out Antonio Lamas to end the ballgame and notch the save.

Following a day off on Tuesday, the Ports return to Banner Island Ballpark on Wednesday to begin a three-game series with the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes. In the series opener, James Simmons (7-3, 3.61 ERA) makes the start for Stockton, opposed by Rancho Cucamonga right-hander Freddie Cabrera (2-1, 3.09 ERA). First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. PDT.