Heartbreak Again: Quakes Walk Off on Ports

Rancho Cucamonga, CA – The Rancho Cucamonga Quakes scored twice in the bottom of the ninth on three straight hits to walk off on the Ports, who lost their fourth straight game with a 4-3 setback at LoanMart Field on Tuesday afternoon.

It marked the fifth walk-off loss for the Ports so far this season.

The Ports (6-22) took the early lead in the top of fourth inning when Tommy Stevenson led off with a no-doubt solo home run off Quakes starter Jerming Rosario to give Stockton a 1-0 lead.

Stockton’s 1-0 lead held until the eighth inning as each starting pitcher fared well. The Ports’ Wander Guante allowed just two hits over five shutout innings while Rosario surrendered just the one run on three hits over four innings.

The Ports, however, had plenty of chances to extend their lead but could not execute. Stockton put runners on first and second with one out in the third, loaded the bases with one out in the fifth and had a runner at third with nobody out in the seventh but failed to score in all three instances.

The Quakes (20-8) finally got on the board against the Stockton bullpen in the bottom of the eighth. Rancho Cucamonga shortstop Jose Izarra blooped a one-out single to right field off Pedro Santos and moved up to second base on a walk. Nick Biddison then hit a ground ball to third base where T.J. Schofield-Sam threw to second base for the force out but the relay to first base got away from Stevenson and into the stands allowing Izarra to score, tying the game at one. The next hitter, Jorge Puerta, doubled down the left field line to score Biddison and make it 2-1 Quakes.

Taking advantage of walks, the Ports came back to take the lead in the top of the ninth. Bjay Cooke walked on four pitches to start the frame and Clark Elliott drew a walk with two outs to put runners on first and second. Brayan Buelvas then lined a double to right center to score Cooke from third base, tying the game at three. Back-to-back walks to Colby Thomas and Stevenson forced home a run to make it 3-2.

Once again, however, the Quakes came back in the bottom of the inning against Dallas Woolfolk. Jesus Galiz and Kenneth Betancourt hit back-to-back singles to start the inning and both scored when Dayton Dooney doubled off the wall in left field to win it for the Quakes by the final score of 4-3.

Rancho Cucamonga reliever Jon Edwards (1-0) got the win despite walking in the go-ahead run. He notched a walk and a strikeout in a third of an inning of work. Woolfolk (0-1) took the loss for the Ports allowing two runs on three hits without recording an out.

The Ports and Quakes continue their six-game series with game two on Wednesday night at LoanMart Field in Rancho Cucamonga. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 pm.