Stockton Snaps Four-Game Skid With 8-4 Win

RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif. - Offense has been a problem at times this season for the Stockton Ports, but it was offense that helped the Ports snap a four-game losing streak on Thursday night at Loan Mart Field. The Ports clubbed nine extra-base hits en route to an 8-4 win over the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes and earned their first win on their seven-game road trip.

Rancho Cucamonga got off to a fast start as they plated two runs in the first inning on an RBI double from Scott Schebler and an RBI single by Jonathan Garcia to take a 2-0 lead.

Stockton tied the score in the second on one swing of the bat, a two-run homer by Rashun Dixon off Quakes starter Lindsey Coughel, knotting the score at 2-2.

The Ports grabbed their first lead in the top of the third. With one out, Addison Russell hit a home run to left to make it 3-2. Max Muncy followed with a double and scored two batters later when B.A. Vollmuth doubled to left to give the Ports a 4-2 edge.

Ports starter James Simmons (4-1) couldn't hold the lead, however, as the Quakes scored two runs in the bottom of the third on a two-run homer hit by Schebler to tie the game at 4-4.

Simmons would go on to allow a two-out single to Garcia with two outs in the third and then proceed to retire 13 of the final 14 batters he faced to finish his outing. Simmons earned the win, going seven innings and allowing four runs on five hits while striking out three.

Stockton took the lead back for good in the fourth inning. Dixon led off with a single and two batters later, Wade Kirkland doubled to left to give the Ports a 5-4 lead. Two batters later, Kirkland scored on a two-out RBI single by Russell to make it a 6-4 ballgame and chase Coughel from the contest.

Coughel took the loss, going 3.2 innings and allowing six runs on nine hits while striking out five.

After 2.1 scoreless innings from Raydel Sanchez, Dan Coulombe came out to pitch the seventh and gave up a leadoff double to Myrio Richard, who advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on a sac-fly by Muncy to make it 7-4.

The Ports added a run in the ninth as Kirkland led off with a double off Quakes reliever Matthwe Shelton and scored on a two-out single hit by Muncy to bring the lead to 8-4.

Seth Frankoff (SV, 2) took over for Simmons in the eighth inning and retired six of the seven batters he faced, going on to earn his second save of the season while striking out four.

The Ports and Quakes play the second game of their four-game series on Friday night at Loan Mart Field. In a battle of southpaws, Shaeffer Hall (1-0, 2.65 ERA) heads to the bump for Stockton, opposed by Jarret Martin (4-6, 4.43 ERA) for Rancho Cucamonga. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. PDT.