Ports Bats Silent in Loss to Storm

Box Score

STOCKTON, Ca.- Starting pitcher Noel Vela struck out 11 Ports in six innings and Lake Elsinore scored three times in the top of the ninth, and the Storm beat Stockton 6-2 in game five of this six-game series at Banner Island Ballpark on Saturday night.

The Storm (13-16) took an early 2-0 lead in the third inning against Ports' starter Grant Judkins when Jordy Barley followed a leadoff single by Angel Solarte with a two-run home run to left field.

The Ports (12-17) got on the board in the bottom of the fourth. Junior Perez and Tyler Soderstrom drew back-to-back walks to start the frame and after advancing to third base on a wild pitch, Perez came home to score when Kevin Richards grounded into a double play.

After Lake Elsinore struck for a single run to make it 3-1, Stockton again cut the lead to one run in the bottom of the eighth when Danny Bautista hit his first home run of the year, a solo shot to left field with two outs.

But the Storm put the game away with a three-run top of the ninth. Lake Elsinore loaded the bases with nobody out on a walk, an error and a single, and scored a run on an error by Perez in right. With two outs and the bases still loaded, Jarryd Dale lined a single to right field to score two, making it 6-2.

The Ports, who recorded only two hits, went 1-2-3 in the ninth.

Vela (1-2) got the win, allowing just one hit and one run while striking out 11. Judkins took the loss for Stockton, giving up just two runs in five innings while striking out five.

The Ports will try for the series win on Sunday afternoon at Banner Island Ballpark, first pitch at 2:09 pm.