Stockton Blanked By Storm 5-0

STOCKTON, Calif. - The Stockton Ports had three of their five hits go as doubles on Monday night, yet failed to have a runner reach third base. The Lake Elsinore Storm hit a pair of home runs and their starter Colin Rea (2-0) struck out nine over six shutout innings as they coasted to a 5-0 victory over the Ports in the opener of a four-game series at Banner Island Ballpark.

Lake Elsinore wasted no time in scoring the game's first run as Alberth Martinez doubled to open the ballgame and scored two batters later on a sac-fly to right hit by Hunter Renfroe to give the Storm a quick 1-0 lead. Diego Goris extended the lead with a solo homer in the second to make it 2-0.

Stockton, meanwhile, got hits in each of the first three innings including doubles from Dusty Robinson in the second and Daniel Robertson in the third, but were unable to advance the runners past second.

The Storm plated a third run in the fourth inning. With one on and two out, Stephen Carman doubled to left-center to score Casey McElroy and make it a 3-0 advantage. McElroy would go on to homer off Ports starter Manny Correa (1-2) to lead off the sixth inning and make it a 4-0 lead.

Correa suffered the loss, going six innings and allowing four runs on six hits while striking out five.

Rea, meanwhile, would go on to earn the win and toss six shutout innings for the Storm, allowing four hits while striking out nine.

Jeremy Barfield came on to pitch the seventh and found himself in a bases-loaded, one-out jam after issuing two walks and hitting a batter. Barfield would walk McElroy with the bases loaded to bring in a fifth Storm run and stretch the Lake Elsinore lead to 5-0.

Cody Hebner came on to start the seventh for Lake Elsinore and, after allowing a leadoff single to Billy McKinney, retired the next six batters he faced as he tossed two scoreless frames. Bryce Morrow set the side down in order in the ninth to close out the game for the Storm.

The Ports and Storm will play the second game of their four-game series on Tuesday night at Banner Island Ballpark. Seth Streich (1-1, 2.25 ERA) will make the start for Stockton, opposed by Lake Elsinore right-hander Bryan Verbitsky (0-0, 0.00 ERA). First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. PDT.