Stockton Snaps Skid With 4-3 Win

VISALIA, Calif. - After nearly a week on the losing side of the ledger, the Stockton Ports found a way to push across a late run and earn a win on Wednesday night at Recreation Ballpark. Tied 3-3 in the ninth, Ryon Healy drove in the go-ahead run with a sacrifice fly to left field as the Ports beat the Visalia Rawhide by a final of 4-3.

Stockton opened the scoring in the fourth inning. Renato Nunez and Healy hit back-to-back one out singles. With two outs, Dusty Robinson was hit by a pitch to load the bases and Wade Kirkland drove in the first run with an infield single to give the Ports a 1-0 lead. Aaron Shipman followed with an RBI single to left field to make it a 2-0 game.

The two runs allowed in the fourth were the only runs given up by Rawhide starter John Omahen, who received a no-decision after allowing four hits and striking out one.

Daniel Robertson led off the fifth inning with a homer off Rawhide reliever Henry Garcia to make it a 3-0 ballgame. Garcia would go on to retire his next six batters to complete two innings of work.

Ports starter Seth Streich pitched around five hits scattered over each of the first five innings as he kept Visalia out of the run column. Streich received a no-decision after going five scoreless frames and allowing five hits while striking out two.

Jeremy Barfield (2-0) came on to pitch the sixth inning and gave up a leadoff home run to Rudy Flores that put Visalia on the board. Two batters later, Fidel Pena homered to left to cut the Ports lead to 3-2.

Barfield would be victimized by the home run ball again as Evan Marzilli led off the seventh with a homer to center field that tied the game at 3-3. It was Marzilli's second home run of the series.

Kyle Winkler (1-1) pitched a scoreless seventh for Visalia and worked into the eighth. Nunez hit a one-out double off Winkler in the eighth and as Healy was batting next, Nunez advanced to third on a passed ball. Healy came through with a sac-fly to left field that allowed Nunez to score the go-ahead run. It was an unearned run for Winkler but it made him the losing pitcher as he went two innings and allowed two hits while striking out two.

Barfield picked up the win despite allowing the three home runs over two innings. Barfield didn't walk a batter and struck out three.

Tucker Healy (SV, 3) came on to start the eighth and would go on to retire six of the seven batters he faced as all six outs he recorded were strikeouts. Healy notched his third save in as many attempts.

After earning a win on Wednesday night, the Ports will look to salvage a series split on Thursday night as they take on Visalia in the final game of the series. Josh Bowman (0-4, 8.05 ERA) will make the start in search of his first win for Stockton, opposed by Rawhide right-hander Aaron Blair (0-0, 0.00 ERA). First pitch is set for 7 p.m. PDT.