Ports Fall Behind Early, Drop Second Straight

Rancho Cucamonga, CA – The Ports fell in a 5-0 hole after the first inning and managed just four hits for the game as Stockton fell to the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes 11-1 on Friday night at LoanMart Field.

The Quakes (22-9) got started right away in the bottom of the first inning against Ports’ starter Yehizon Sanchez when Jose Izarra hit the second pitch of the frame over the wall in left center field for a solo home run to take a 1-0 lead. After a groundout, Sanchez issued back-to-back walks and uncorked a wild pitch to put runners on second and third. Nick Biddison then grounded out to shortstop Bjay Cooke to score Chris Newell from third base to make it 2-0. Jorge Puerta followed with a single to left center to drive in Thayron Liranzo to give the Quakes a 3-0 lead. Sanchez was lifted after issuing back-to-back walks for TJ Czyz who allowed a two-run single to Kenneth Betancourt to extend the lead to 5-0. Czyz struck out Izarra to end the frame.

In the top of the fourth inning, Brennan Milone got the Ports (7-24) on the board with a towering home run to left center to start the frame cutting the deficit to 5-1.

After getting an unearned run in the bottom of the fourth, Rancho Cucamonga blew the gamme open with a three-run sixth and two-run seventh. Newell and Liranzo led off the sixth with back-to-back singles off Stockton reliever Micah Dallas, and after a strikeout, both scored on a double down the left field line to give the Quakes an 8-1 lead. Two batters later, Dayton Dooney lined a single up the middle to score Puerta from second base making it 9-1.

With Charlie Cerny on in the seventh, the Quakes kept it going. Back-to-back walks started the inning and Nick Biddison tripled to right center field to score both runners giving Rancho Cucamonga a ten-run lead at 11-1.

After Milone’s longball in the fourth, the Ports managed just one hit the rest of the way.

The Ports will look to bounce back on Saturday night in Rancho Cucamonga when James Gonzalez takes the mound for Stockton in game five of the series at LoanMart Field. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 pm.