STOCKTON, Calif. - The Stockton Ports finished the 2017 regular season on a high note Monday night at Banner Island Ballpark. Stockton dispatched the San Jose Giants 7-3 and, in doing so, clinched the Second Half title in the North Division, their first Second Half crown since 2014. The Ports
STOCKTON, Calif. - The Stockton Ports finished the 2017 regular season on a high note Monday night at Banner Island Ballpark. Stockton dispatched the San Jose Giants 7-3 and, in doing so, clinched the Second Half title in the North Division, their first Second Half crown since 2014. The Ports now turn their attention to the California League playoffs which open on Wednesday night as they take on the Modesto Nuts in the best-of-five North Division Finals with the first and second games of that series taking place at John Thurman Field.
All of Stockton's seven runs were the product of three homers, the first of which came in the second inning. Sandber Pimentel led off with a single and Brett Siddall hit his 21st home run of the season out to right field to give the Ports an early 2-0 lead. Stockton added to the lead two innings later as Siddall led off with a single and Chris Iriart followed with a two-run homer to center to double the Ports lead to 4-0.
The first four Stockton runs came at the expense of Giants starter Garrett Williams (2-2), who suffered the loss after going four innings and allowing eight hits while striking out four.
Michael Cederoth took over in the fifth inning and gave up a leadoff double to Branden Cogswell, walked Mikey White and then surrendered a three-run homer to Pimentel that ballooned the Stockton lead to 7-0. Those were the only three runs allowed by Cederoth in his lone inning of work.
Port starter Boomer Biegalski would pitch three perfect innings to get the ballgame starter. Joey Wagman (4-2) took over in the fourth and, after setting down his first seven batters, issued a one-out walk to John Polonius who became San Jose's first baserunner. The Giants were held without a hit until Wagman surrendered a one-out double to Jonah Arenado that broke up the combined no-hit bid. Wagman would be lifted with two on and two out in the inning for Andrew Tomasovich, who stranded both inherited baserunners.
Wagman would earn the win in the contest, going 3.2 scoreless innings while allowing one hit and walking two while striking out four.
San Jose would spoil Stockton's shutout bid facing Tomasovich in the top of the eighth. With one out, Polonius drew a walk and Jalen Miller followed with a single to right. Cristian Paulino would get San Jose's first run across with an RBI single to left-center that scored Polonius. Miller would score later in the inning on a two-out wild pitch that gave San Jose a second run.
Tomasovich would go an inning-and-a-third and allow two runs on two hits while striking out three.
Rodolfo Martinez, Dylan Rheault and Caleb Simpson combined for three scoreless innings down the stretch for the Giants.
John Gorman came on to pitch the ninth inning and allowed one run on a two-out sac-fly by Bryan Reynolds that cut the Stockton lead to 7-3. Gorman would end the ballgame with a strikeout of Polonius to send the Ports into the win column for the 71st time on the season.
With the victory, Stockton finishes the regular season with a record of 71-69.
Following a day off on Tuesday, the Ports and Nuts begin the best-of-five North Division Finals on Wednesday night at John Thurman Field. Logan Shore takes the mound in Game 1 for Stockton, opposed by Modesto right-hander Nathan Bannister. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. PDT.
