VISALIA, Calif. - The Stockton Ports continue to be the best road team in the California League in 2018. Stockton opened a seven-game road trip with a 6-2 win over the Visalia Rawhide on Tuesday night at Recreation Ballpark and in doing so, took first place back to themselves in
VISALIA, Calif. - The Stockton Ports continue to be the best road team in the California League in 2018. Stockton opened a seven-game road trip with a 6-2 win over the Visalia Rawhide on Tuesday night at Recreation Ballpark and in doing so, took first place back to themselves in the North Division standings.
The Ports opened the scoring and took advantage of a Visalia fielding error in the top of the first. After Kevin Merrell opened the game with a single, Melvin Mercedes hit a ground ball to first baseman Pavin Smith and his throw to second skipped off Merrell, an error that allowed runners to be at second and third with nobody out. Jonah Heim, who had a huge night and extended his league-best hit streak to 15 games, hit his first of two doubles in the contest out to left field to drive in both runs and give the Ports an early 2-0 lead.
Stockton would extend the lead over the next three innings facing Rawhide starter Bo Takahashi (3-2). Luis Barrera and Nate Mondou hit back-to-back one-out doubles in the second to drive in a third run. In the third, Mercedes led off with a single and Heim followed with a towering two-run homer to right to extend the lead to 5-0.
Visalia got on the board in the bottom of the third when Ramon Hernandez hit a sac-fly to right, but the Ports got the run back in the top of the fourth when they loaded the bases with nobody out and Merrell hit into a fielder's choice force play to drive in a run to make it 6-1.
Takahashi would suffer the loss, going five innings and allowing six runs (five earned) on a season-high nine hits while walking two and striking out two.
Ports starter Brian Howard (3-2) allowed his final run of the night in the fifth when he surrendered back-to-back one-out doubles to Camden Duzenak and Dominic Miroglio to make it 6-2. Howard, though, would retire the final five batters he faced and pitch through the sixth to earn the win, allowing two runs on six hits while striking out six without issuing a walk.
Will Gilbert and Miguel Romero combined for three scoreless innings to close out the game for the Ports.
Heim finished his night 3-for-5 with two doubles, a home run and four RBI.
The Ports and Rawhide play a matinee on Wednesday afternoon at Recreation Ballpark. Matt Milburn (1-2, 5.81 ERA) makes the start for Stockton, opposed by Visalia right-hander Emilio Vargas (2-0, 1.23 ERA). First pitch is set for 1 p.m. PDT.
