STOCKTON, CA - The Stockton Ports clubbed five home runs on Tuesday night in a 15-5 blowout of the San Jose Giants at Banner Island Ballpark. The 15 runs and five homers allowed by the Giants were both season-high totals. The loss was San Jose's (40-50 overall, 6-14 second half)
STOCKTON, CA - The Stockton Ports clubbed five home runs on Tuesday night in a 15-5 blowout of the San Jose Giants at Banner Island Ballpark. The 15 runs and five homers allowed by the Giants were both season-high totals. The loss was San Jose's (40-50 overall, 6-14 second half) ninth in their last ten games overall.
Jalen Miller (1-for-5, HR, 3 RBI) and Kelvin Beltre (1-for-2, HR, 2 RBI) each homered while Bryce Johnson (2-for-3, 2 SB) and Heath Quinn (2-for-5) knocked out two hits apiece to lead the Giants offensively in defeat.
Tuesday's contest was scoreless through 3 1/2 innings before Stockton broke through in the bottom of the fourth against San Jose starter Joey Marciano. With one out, Will Toffey stepped to the plate and blasted a solo home run off the right field foul pole to give the Ports a 1-0 lead. Chase Calabuig then singled before a walk to Sandber Pimentel put runners on first and second. Collin Theroux was up next and he launched a three-run home run over the Giants bullpen in deep left center to make the score 4-0.
San Jose would immediately trim the deficit in half with two runs of their own in the top of the fifth. Brandon Van Horn led off by drawing a walk before Beltre drilled a two-run home run to left. The homer, Beltre's first of the season, brought the Giants to within 4-2.
Stockton, however, answered with three more runs against Marciano in the bottom of the inning. Luis Barrera walked to start the inning before Nate Mondou hammered a two-run home run to right - the Ports' third round-tripper of the game. Luke Persico then doubled and Toffey was hit by a pitch. A Calabuig groundout advanced Persico to third before Pimentel's RBI groundout made it 7-2.
Stockton added another run in the bottom of the sixth as Trace Loehr led off with a double against Giants reliever Sandro Cabrera (1 2/3 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO). Loehr was eventually at third base with two outs when Mondou reached on a throwing error committed by Beltre at third that scored the Ports' eighth run of the night.
San Jose would again cut the Stockton lead in half with a home run in the top of the seventh. Back-to-back one-out walks to Beltre and Johnson put runners on first and second before Miller crushed a three-run homer down the left field line. The home run was Miller's 10th of the year and it trimmed the Ports advantage to 8-5. Following the home run, Quinn singled and Jacob Heyward was hit by a pitch to bring the potential tying run to the plate, however Gio Brusa lined into a double play to first to end the inning.
The Ports then took control of the game with a six-run bottom of the seventh. Rodolfo Martinez (2/3 IP, 3 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 3 BB, 0 SO), who entered out of the Giants bullpen to begin the inning, issued three straight one-out walks to Calabuig, Pimentel and Theroux to load the bases. Loehr followed with a sacrifice fly to center plating Calabuig to make the score 9-5. After Brallan Perez reached on an infield single to third, Luis Barrera grounded a single through the hole on the right side to score two more runs for an 11-5 margin. Mondou was up next and he connected for his second home run of the game - a three-run shot to right - extending the Stockton lead to 14-5.
The Ports' 15th and final run of the contest came in the bottom of the eighth when Pimentel ripped a solo home run down the right field line off of Franklin Van Gurp (1 1/3 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO).
Stockton starter Evan Manarino (2-2) earned the win after pitching six innings with two runs (both earned) allowed. Manarino gave up five hits, walked three and matched a season-high with eight strikeouts. Manarino managed to strand a runner in scoring position in three out of the first four innings when the game was still scoreless.
Marciano (0-1) was charged with seven runs (all earned) on eight hits over 4 1/3 innings to take the loss for San Jose. The left-hander walked two and struck out one.
Notes
* The teams have split the first two games of the series.
* San Jose has allowed 14 or more runs three times in their last 10 games.
* Marciano was making his California League debut after joining the Giants from Augusta (A) on Monday. He was 4-3 with a 2.58 ERA in 15 games (14 starts) for the GreenJackets.
* San Jose has hit 22 home runs in 20 second half games.
* Johnson stole his 17th and 18th bases of the season.
* The Ports out-hit the Giants 14-8. San Jose was 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position.
On Deck
The Giants and Ports continue their series on Wednesday evening with first pitch at Banner Island Ballpark scheduled for 7:10 PM. Carlos Sano (1-1, 4.66 ERA) is slated to start on the mound for San Jose while Stockton is expected to counter with Matt Milburn (5-2, 4.03 ERA). The game can be heard live on sjgiants.com with coverage beginning at 6:50 PM.
