Rawhide Offense Rumbles to Win

STOCKTON, CA - For the second straight night, the Rawhide took a lead in the top of the first inning. Visalia added on over the course of the game and held on to beat Stockton 7-3.

Marcus Wilson led the way for the Rawhide with a three-hit night while scoring three runs and stealing a base. Wilson fell a home run shy of hitting for the cycle.
Ramon Hernandez added three RBIs for Visalia with a run scoring double in the first and a two-run single in the sixth. Adam Walton hit a bases-loaded double in the third inning to drive home his first three RBIs of the year.
Eight Rawhide batters collected a hit tonight, and Wilson, Hernandez, and Drew Ellis put up multi-hit efforts. Visalia (10-7) scored more runs tonight than they did in the first two games of this series with Stockton combined.
The win pulls the Rawhide into a three-way tie with Stockton (10-7) and San Jose for first place in the California League North Division standings.
Bo Takahashi (W, 2-0) delivered five quality innings for Visalia. He ran into trouble with the bases loaded and two outs in the fourth but escaped unscathed by striking out Jason Goldstein. Takahashi again loaded the bases with nobody out in the fifth and this time couldn't wiggle out of the jam, but limited the Ports to two runs and ended his night by striking out Edwin Diaz to conclude the fifth.
Visalia chased Ports starter Zack Erwin (L, 1-1) after four innings and tagged him for five runs. Erwin had allowed only one run in his previous two starts this year.
Robby Sexton delivered two scoreless innings of relief and Tyler Mark struck out six batters in his two innings from the bullpen to finish the game.
The series in Stockton concludes tomorrow when the Rawhide send RHP Emilio Vargas (0-0, 1.98) to the bump against Stockton RHP Jake Bray (0-0, 1.17). First pitch is at 2:09 PM and the live radio broadcast will be available on rawhidebaseball.com.