Armenteros, Ports Walk Off Giants

Box Score

STOCKTON, Ca. - Lazaro Armenteros grounded a walk-off single to center field with two outs in the bottom of the ninth to score Joshwan Wright, and the Ports beat the San Jose Giants 5-4 on Thursday night at Banner Island Ballpark. Armenteros' walk-off hit gave the Ports their first consecutive victories of the 2021 season.

For the second straight game, the Ports got off to a fast start against San Jose's starting pitcher. Right-hander Wil Jensen got the spot start for the Giants, who put scheduled starter Nick Swiney on the injured list before the game, and was greeted with a solo home run to right field by Armenteros to give the Ports a 1-0 lead right off the bat. The Ports then added on in the bottom of the second off of Jensen, when Gavin Jones hit a two-run home run to right field to score Danny Bautista, who doubled leading off the inning.

The Giants, though, would battle back to tie the game on three solo home runs in the seventh, eighth, and ninth innings. San Jose catcher Robert Emery led off the seventh inning with a solo blast to left field off of Diego Granado to make it 4-2, and after Ports reliever Jose Mora left with two outs in the eighth, Garrett Acton surrendered a solo home run to Alex Canario and another solo shot to Emery leading off the ninth to tie the game at four.

Giants reliever Clay Helvey came on for the ninth and retired the first two batters he faced before walking Wright. Sahid Valenzuela then doubled down the left field line to put runners on second and third and set the stage for Armenteros' heroics.

Jack Cushing took the no-decision, firing 4 2/3 innings of one-run ball in his second start of the year for the Ports. Acton (1-1) got the win for Stockton and Helvey (0-1) the loss for the Giants.

The Ports will try for their 3rd straight win on Friday evening when they send Jake Walkinshaw to the mound in game four of this six-game series. All games can be heard live on Fox Sports AM 1280.