Ports Falter Late as Skid Reaches Five

STOCKTON, Ca. – The Fresno Grizzlies scored five times after the sixth inning to blow open a one-run game as the Ports dropped their fifth straight with a 9-3 loss to their North Division rival on Friday night at Banner Island Ballpark in downtown Stockton.

For the fourth straight game, the Grizzlies (11-8) took the lead in the top of the first inning. Adael Amador led off with a bloop double to left field off Ports’ starter Kyle Virbitsky and came home to score when Yanquiel Fernandez punched a groundball through the right side of the infield to give Fresno a 1-0 start.

The Ports (6-13) answered with a run of their own in the bottom of the first inning. Denzel Clarke led off with a single down the left field line and scored from second base on a two-out double off the left field wall by T.J. Schofield-Sam to tie the game at one.

With a run in the top of the second and two in the third, Fresno jumped out to a 4-1 lead. Juan Brito started the second inning with a walk and scored when Juan Guerrero drove a double of the wall in right center to put the Grizzlies on top again. In the third, Fernandez and Warming Bernabel hit back-to-back home runs with one out, Bernabel’s an inside-the-park round-tripper, to put Fresno up 4-1.

The Ports got back to within one again with single runs in the third and fifth. With two outs and nobody on in the bottom of the third inning, Max Muncy launched a solo home run to left field off Fresno starter Brayan Castillo to cut the Grizzly lead to 4-2. CJ Rodriguez drove home the Ports’ third run of the game when he lined a base hit to left center with runners on first and second in the fifth to bring the Ports to within one at 4-3.

Fresno made it 5-3 in the top of the seventh scoring a run without the benefit of a hit. Braiden Ward was hit by a pitch with one out, and after stealing second base, scored on an error by Danny Bautista in left field on a hard-hit ball by Amador.

With four runs in the top of the eighth, the Grizzlies put the ballgame out of reach. A walk and an error put runners on second and third with nobody out before a passed ball allowed Braxton Fulford to score to make it 6-3. After another walk put runners on the corners, Zach Kokoska singled through the left side to increase the Grizzly advantage to 7-3. With one out Braiden Ward drove in a run with a double to left center and a fielder’s choice allowed another run to score to make it 9-3 Grizzlies.

Virbitsky (1-1) took the loss for Stockton allowing four runs on eight hits over six innings while Sergio Sanchez (2-0) got the win for the Grizzlies with 2.1 scoreless innings of relief. The Fresno bullpen did not allow a hit in 4.1 innings in relief of Castillo.

The Ports will try to snap their losing streak in game five of the series against the Grizzlies on Saturday night at Banner Island Ballpark with first pitch at 7:05 pm and fireworks following the ballgame. Tickets are available at stocktonports.com or by calling (209) 644-1900.