Ports Fall Behind Early in 13-9 Loss to Ontario

Stockton, Calif - Ontario's offense erupted for 11 hits and 13 runs, overcoming a Stockton club that battled back inning after inning and brought the tying run to the plate in the ninth. But the Tower Buzzers (33-23, 66-56) hung on for a 13-9 win over the Ports (30-26, 57-65).

Ontario needed just one swing to get on the board first. With two runners aboard and two out, Caleb Johnson crushed his third homer of the season to left-center off Ports’ starter Corey Braun, immediately staking Ontario to a 3-0 lead and setting up what would become a 4-for-5, four-RBI night for the third baseman.

Ontario blew the game open come the third. Caleb Johnson drove in a run with a two-out single, Bryan Gonzalez followed with a two-run double, and Abel Lorenzo capped it with a two-run single, turning a 3-0 game into an 8-0 rout in the span of a few batters.

In the bottom half of the third, Roman Martin lined a two-run double down the right-field line to score Edgar Montero and Drew Burress, and Gavin Turley immediately followed with a bloop double to left-center to bring Martin home, cutting the deficit to 8-3.

The defense took over in the fourth frame. Roman Martin snuffed out two separate scoring threats with sparkling groundout plays at third, and Bobby Blandford made a diving catch in the outfield to cool off Caleb Johnson’s hot start at the plate.

In the fifth inning, Bryan Gonzalez scored on a throwing error by catcher Alex Sosa, and Javier Herrera (2-for-6, 2 stolen bases) added an RBI single to push Ontario's lead to 10-3. Stockton's Gavin Turley kept swinging a hot bat in the bottom half, driving in Michael Brooks and Roman Martin on a two-run double to right field to make it 10-5.

Oswaldo Osorio launched his 11th homer of the year in the sixth inning— a solo shot off reliever Blake Hammond — to make it 11-5. Stockton answered immediately in the bottom half as Michael Brooks singled home two runs, trimming the margin to 11-7 and keeping the Ports within striking distance.

Ching-Hsien Ko (2-for-5, 2 RBI, triple) ripped a two-run triple in the top half of the seventh to push the lead back to six runs at 13-7. Stockton's Alex Sosa answered with a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Turley to make it 13-8 at the end of the 7th inning.

Ports’ reliever Cole Miller was perfect, striking out two in a three-up, three-down inning to retire the heart of Ontario's order in the eighth. The Ports kept chipping in the bottom half — Bobby Blandford's sac fly scored Drew Burress to make it 13-9 — but Alex Sosa flew out with the bases loaded as the tying run at the plate, extinguishing the rally.

Dominic Mauro who produced three groundball outs coming out the chute in the ninth inning to give the Ports a fighting chance. Stockton loaded the bases in the bottom of the ninth for one last push with Jose Ramos, Michael Brooks, and Roman Martin reaching base respectively, but Gavin Turley — who finished a productive 2-for-4 with three RBI on the night — struck out looking to end the game.

The Ports now find themselves in a tie for the Cal League North second half playoff spot with Fresno.

UP NEXT: The Ports will look to bounce back in game three of the series tomorrow against the Tower Buzzers at 7:05PM PT with Colin Fitzgerald (0-1, 18.00 ERA) getting the nod for Stockton while Marlon Nieves (3-3, 5.88 ERA) will toe the bump for Ontario.

Single game tickets, mini plans, and group outings are all on sale for the 2026 season. For more information, call the Ports front office at 209-644-1400 or email at [email protected].