RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif. - Following their longest nine-inning game of the season on Saturday night and a long travel day Sunday, the Stockton Ports looked like a tired group in the opener of a three-game series with the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes. Stockton mustered just four hits and struck out 14
RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif. - Following their longest nine-inning game of the season on Saturday night and a long travel day Sunday, the Stockton Ports looked like a tired group in the opener of a three-game series with the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes. Stockton mustered just four hits and struck out 14 times, nine times looking, as they dropped the opener of a three-game series by a final of 9-1.
Rancho Cucamonga opened the scoring in the second as Johan Mieses singled to lead off the inning and Keibert Ruiz doubled to the right field wall. Seth Brown bobbled the ball on the warning track, an error that allowed Mieses to score and give the Quakes a 1-0 advantage.
Stockton's lone run of the contest came in the fourth inning. Nate Mondou worked a one-out walk and scored on an ensuing double down the right field line by Brett Siddall that tie the game at 1-1. It was the only run allowed by Quakes starter Caleb Ferguson (6-4), who was otherwise impressive on the night. Ferguson would earn the win, tossing six innings and allowing two hits while matching a career-high with nine strikeouts for a second straight outing.
Ports starter Kyle Friedrichs (1-1) worked into the sixth inning and would have his outing end on a sour note. With one on and two outs, Friedrichs gave up a two-run homer to Luke Raley that broke the tie and gave the Quakes a 3-1 lead. Friedrichs would suffer the loss, going six innings and allowing three runs (two earned) on five hits while walking two and striking out three.
Armando Ruiz took over for Stockton to start the seventh. With one on and one out, Ibandel Isabel hit a two-run homer to left to stretch the Quakes lead to 5-1. Ruiz worked through the eighth and gave up a leadoff single in the eighth to Zack McKinstry. Two batters later, Ruiz hit DJ Peters to put two aboard. With two on and two out, Keibert Ruiz singled to center to score McKinstry. Drew Jackson followed with a three-run homer to left that ballooned the Quakes lead to 9-1.
Ruiz allowed six runs on five hits over two innings worked.
Dean Kremer (SV, 3) pitched the final three innings for the Quakes and did not allow a run as he picked up a three-inning save.
The Ports and Quakes play the middle game of their three-game series on Monday night at Loan Mart Field. Brandon Bailey (1-0, 6.55 ERA) makes the start for Stockton, opposed by Rancho Cucamonga right-hander Dennis Santana (5-6, 3.55 ERA). First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. PDT.
