Kurtz' Cameo Plus Troconis' and Dicochea's Dominance Leads to 5-1 Win
STOCKTON, Calif. – The Ports (27-29) took a three-games-to-two lead in their series against Fresno (25-31) with a little help from an old friend mixed with this season’s top pitcher in a 5-1 victory over the Grizzlies on Saturday night. The win sets up a chance for Stockton two win
STOCKTON, Calif. – The Ports (27-29) took a three-games-to-two lead in their series against Fresno (25-31) with a little help from an old friend mixed with this season’s top pitcher in a 5-1 victory over the Grizzlies on Saturday night. The win sets up a chance for Stockton two win the series tomorrow.
Slugger Nick Kurtz made a rehab appearance with the Ports, playing seven innings and picking up where he left off in his seven games with the Ports last year after being selected fourth overall in the 2024 MLB Draft.
Kurtz had four home runs in those seven games with Stockton last year, and now you can make it eight dingers as a Port for the big man out of Purdue. He got the home team on the board with a two-run blast (1) out to right center in the bottom of the third to almost the exact same spot of the Black Oak Casino Back Porch he hit his first home run as a Port, and at the exact same speed of 113 MPH off the bat. It gave Stockton a 2-1 advantage and they would never relinquish that lead.
The A’s first base baseman drove in another run with a base hit in the seventh inning in his last at bat of the game to score Myles Naylor and make it 3-1 Ports. Ali Camarillo singled to right to score Gunner Gouldsmith before Jared Sprague-Lott doubled (9) Kurtz home for a 5-1 lead.
Donny Troconis got the win to improve to 5-0 with five strong innings, allowing just one run on three hits and three walks with four punch outs. He already came into the game leading the league in ERA and dropped it even further to a 1.24 after tonight’s showing.
Jose Dicochea continued his dominant run in relief, as he threw four shutout innings on three hits with no walks and six strikeouts to collect his first save of the year. Dicochea has not allowed a run in 12-straight innings of relief covering his last four appearances out of the pen.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS: The Ports are now 23-7 when they score five or more runs in a game, 18-5 when they outhit their opponents, and 22-3 when they lead after seven innings. Cameron Leary stole his 25th base of the season in the sixth and is third in the Cal League in bases swiped.
UP NEXT: Stockton will aim to win the series tomorrow in the final 2:09 Sunday start time of the season, with RHP Bryan Mena (2-4, 6.75) going for Fresno versus Sam Stuhr (1-2, 7.16) for the Cheladas.
Single game tickets, mini plans, and group outings are all on sale for the 2025 season. For more information, call the Ports front office at 209-644-1900 or email at [email protected].