Grizzlies Walk-Off on Ports to Take Game Four of the Series

FRESNO, Calif. — All things were lining up for the Stockton Ports (16-27) to earn their second win as many nights against the Fresno Grizzlies (28-15), but Hunter Goodman had other ideas. The slugging first baseman for the Grizzlies sent a line drive over the wall in right field for a two-run home run in the ninth inning off of Ports closer Hunter Breault, ending the game in walk-off fashion and giving the Grizzlies a 6-5 win on Friday night.

The Ports were clinging tight to a one-run lead after the Grizzlies cut what was a 5-3 Stockton lead to 5-4 in the bottom of the seventh off of Ports starter Kyle Virbitsky. He allowed a run on a sacrifice fly from Braiden Ward, but the Grizzlies left the tying run on second base after Jack Owen came into a two-on, two-out situation and retired Yanquiel Fernandez on two pitches to end the threat.

In the eighth, Robin Vazquez allowed a pair of hits to pose another threat to the lead, but he got a fly out and a ground out to end the inning and keep the game in favor of Stockton at 5-4. It was the second night in a row for Vazquez pitching a scoreless eighth inning, throwing just 15 pitches in total across those two clean frames.

Breault came on for the ninth after allowing two runs in the ninth last night but picking up his sixth save. He retired Ward on a first-pitch flyout to left, but then Robert Puason misplayed a ball at short that put Warming Bernabel on first base in front of Goodman, who swung at the second pitch he saw and lined it over the wall in right field for the game-ender. His tenth home run of the season marked the seventh time this season the Ports have lost a game in the final at-bat.

For the third night in a row, the Ports jumped out in front over the Grizzlies, doing so in the second inning. CJ Rodriguez singled to open the frame and Junior Perez walked, and both were moved into scoring position after a sacrifice bunt. Grizzlies starter Brayan Castillo then balked during an at bat to Puason, allowing Rodriguez to score. With Perez now on third, Puason hit a sacrifice fly to left field to make it 2-0 Stockton.

After allowing three runs in the bottom of the second, the Ports came back in the fourth and added three runs, taking advantage of sloppy play from the Grizzlies. The tying run was scored again by Rodriguez, and again on a balk from Castillo, making the game 3-3. Then Jalen Greer singled up the middle to drive in the go-ahead and give Stockton a 4-3 lead. Pedro Pineda extended the lead on a grounder to third that was booted by the Grizzlies, their third error of the inning. Combining the balk with three errors, and all three runs in the inning for the Ports were unearned, and suddenly they led 5-3.

Despite allowing three runs in the second, Virbitsky was great the rest of the evening. He went 6.2 innings for the first time in his professional career, and threw 101 pitches in his performance. He allowed nine hits and four runs, but three of those runs and five of those hits came in the second inning.

The series continues on Saturday with Mitch Meyers (1-2, 3.82 ERA) getting the start for the Ports, opposed by Victor Juarez (3-0, 2.80 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 6:50 pm PT at Chukchansi Park.