VISALIA, Calif. - The Stockton Ports allowed a season-high 18 hits in what turned out to be a one-sided affair on Friday night at Recreation Ballpark. The Visalia Rawhide built an 11-1 lead on their way to an 11-5 win over Stockton as the Rawhide took the second game of
VISALIA, Calif. - The Stockton Ports allowed a season-high 18 hits in what turned out to be a one-sided affair on Friday night at Recreation Ballpark. The Visalia Rawhide built an 11-1 lead on their way to an 11-5 win over Stockton as the Rawhide took the second game of the four-game series.
Visalia opened the scoring in the bottom of the first on back-to-back two-out hits; a double by Jason Morozowski and a single by Austin Byler to take a 1-0 lead. The Ports tied it in the third when Sheldon Neuse came up with two on and two out and hit an RBI single to left-center.
Both starting pitchers would allow just one run as Rawhide starter Sam Lewis (1-1) earned his first California League victory, going five innings and allowing four hits while striking out five. Stockton starter Norge Ruiz would not factor into the decision as he went four innings and allowed five hits while striking out three.
Evan Manarino (5-8) took over for the Ports in the fifth and gave up three straight one out hits; back-to-back singles to Galli Cribbs Jr. and Ben Deluzio followed by a three-run homer to Tyler Baker that put Visalia in front 4-1.
Manarino worked into the sixth and gave up a leadoff home run to Grant Heyman that made it 5-1. Two batters later, Henry Castillo singled, Jorge Flores hit an RBI double that knocked Manarino from the game and Cribbs hit an RBI single off new pitcher Joey Wagman to center that got the Rawhide lead to 7-1. Two batters later, Baker walked and then Morozowski and Byler hit back-to-back RBI singles that ran the Rawhide lead to 9-1.
Manarino would suffer the loss as he allowed six runs on six hits over an inning-and-a-third.
Wagman would pitch into the seventh inning and give up a leadoff single to Fernery Ozuna. Two batters later, Flores singled, Cribbs singled and Deluzio hit a two-run single to center to balloon the Visalia lead to 11-1. Wagman allowed four runs on seven hits in one inning of work. Armando Ruiz would pitch the final inning-and-two-thirds scoreless for Stockton.
After three scoreless innings in relief worked by Wei-Chieh Huang, Nick Baker took over for the Rawhide in the ninth and would allow four runs on five hits. Nate Mondou reached on an infield single to start the inning and scored two batters later on a double by Luis Barrera. Skye Bolt followed with a two-run homer to right to make it 11-4. Richie Martin followed with a single and scored two batters later on a two-out double by Neuse to cut the deficit to 11-5, but Seth Brown struck out swinging to end the ballgame.
The Ports and Rawhide play the third game of their four-game set on Saturday night at Recreation Ballpark. Angel Duno (8-7, 4.82 ERA) makes the start for Stockton, opposed by Visalia right-hander Jose Almonte (8-8, 3.79 ERA). First pitch is set for 7 p.m. PDT.
