Ports Edged 3-1, Swept By Rawhide

VISALIA, Calif. - For the first time in 2013, the Stockton Ports are riding a three-game losing streak. The Visalia Rawhide completed a series sweep of Stockton on Thursday night, sending the Ports to a 3-1 loss at Recreation Ballpark.

The Ports went 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position on the night and their first scoring opportunity fell by the wayside in the third. B.A. Vollmuth led off with a double and went to third on a groundout. With Vollmuth at third base and one out, Rawhide starter Andrew Chafin (3-1) struck out Addison Russell and got Antonio Lamas to ground out to end the inning.

Visalia got on the board in the bottom of the third. With the bases empty and two outs, Ports starter Drew Granier (2-2) walked Gerson Montilla and then allowed an RBI double to Raywilly Gomez. Two batters later, Michael Perez hit an RBI single to right that gave Visalia a 2-0 advantage.

Granier escaped a jam in the fifth with two on and nobody out, getting back-to-back strikeouts of Perez and Tom Belza to end the inning and his outing. He took the loss after going five innings and allowing two runs on five hits while striking out nine.

In the top of the fifth, Ryan Ortiz tripled to the right field corner with one out. Chafin, however, would strike out Vollmuth and get Bobby Crocker to ground out to end the frame.

Chafin earned the win, going six scoreless innings and allowing three hits while striking out five.

Stockton got on the board in the eighth when Vollmuth led off with a home run off Rawhide reliever Kaleb Fleck, cutting the Ports deficit to 2-1.

The Rawhide got the run back in the bottom of the inning off Ports reliever Jonathan Joseph. Belza led off with a double and scored two batters later on a Matt Helm double to left, increasing the Visalia lead to 3-1.

Jake Barrett (SV, 5) came on to pitch the ninth and after walking Max Muncy to open the inning, retired the next three batters to earn his fifth save of the season.

Stockton will try and end their three-game skid on Friday night as they begin a three game series with the High Desert Maverick in Adelanto. Blake Hassebrock (1-1, 6.88 ERA) will make the start for the Ports in the series opener, opposed by Mavericks right-hander Jordan Pries (1-0, 4.50 ERA). First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. PDT.