STOCKTON, Calif. - In the past week the Stockton Ports have suffered three walk-off losses. They turned the tables on Friday night at Banner Island Ballpark. Down 2-0 and having not scored a run in 19 straight innings, the Boys of Banner Island scored two runs in the ninth and
STOCKTON, Calif. - In the past week the Stockton Ports have suffered three walk-off losses. They turned the tables on Friday night at Banner Island Ballpark. Down 2-0 and having not scored a run in 19 straight innings, the Boys of Banner Island scored two runs in the ninth and the game-winning run in the 10th to upend the Visalia Rawhide by a final of 3-2 and even the four-game series at a game apiece.
Both of Visalia's runs came on solo homers, the first coming on the first pitch of the game thrown by Ports starter Matt Milburn. Camden Duzenack homered to the Jackson Rancheria Back Porch to open the ballgame and give the Rawhide a 1-0 lead, which is where it stayed until the ninth. Milburn would go on to work 6.2 scoreless innings and allow seven hits while walking one and striking out four.
Visalia starter Sam McWilliams pitched around a one-out single and a walk in the first inning, a two-out walk in the second and leadoff singles in the third and fourth innings, inducing double plays to escape those jams. McWilliams would go five scoreless innings and allow three hits while walking two and striking out six.
Miguel Romero took over for Milburn in the seventh with two in scoring position and two out and got a strikeout to escape trouble. After working a perfect eighth, Romero gave up a home run on the first pitch of the ninth to Pavin Smith that extended the Rawhide lead to 2-0. It was the only run Romero allowed in his 2.1 innings of work. He struck out four and did not issue a walk in that span.
After Austin Mason worked two scoreless frames and Tommy Eveld worked a scoreless eighth for Visalia, Josh Taylor came on for the save in the ninth and gave up back-to-back singles to Dairon Blanco and Eric Mariñez to open the inning. An errant throw by right fielder Stephen Smith allowed Marinez to reach second base and put two in scoring position. After Edwin Diaz struck out, Luke Persico doubled down the left field line to score Blanco and Marinez and tie the game at 2-2. After Jonah Heim singled to put runners at the corners, Luis Barrera popped a bunt back to the pitcher and Brallan Perez lined out to end the inning.
Taylor allowed two runs on four hits while suffering his first blown save of the season.
After Boomer Biegalski (1-0) pitched around the given runner at second base to keep the Rawhide off the board in the top of the 10th, Miguel Aguilar (0-1) took over for Visalia and inherited Perez at second base to open the inning. Kevin Merrell led off and delivered a game-winning single down the right field line that gave Stockton the 3-2 victory.
Biegalski picked up the win while Aguilar suffered the loss for the Rawhide.
The Ports and Rawhide play the third game of their four-game set on Saturday night at Banner Island Ballpark. Left-hander Zack Erwin (1-0, 0.69 ERA) makes the start for Stockton, opposed by Visalia right-hander Bo Takahashi (1-0, 1.20 ERA). First pitch is set for 7:10 p.m. PDT.
