Ports Ride Early Cushion to Third Straight Win

Fresno, CA – The Ports got a solid pitching performance for the second day in a row and never looked back after a three-run second as Stockton defeated the Fresno Grizzlies 6-2 on Wednesday night at Chukchansi Park.

The win was the third straight for the Ports who have taken the first two games of the series.

The Ports (14-27) opened the scoring against Fresno starter Blake Adams in the top of the second inning. With two outs and nobody on Jose Escorche lined a single to left center and advanced to second base when Pedro Pineda drew a walk. Cooper Uhl then singled to center to drive in Escorche, and Pineda scored when the ball was bobbled by center fielder Jesus Bugarin to give Stockton a 2-0 lead. With Uhl at second base, Colby Thomas hit a drive to right center that was dropped by Bugarin allowing Uhl to score to make it 3-0.

Stockton added two more runs in the fourth. Bjay Cooke walked to start the inning and stole second base with one out. Pineda followed with a triple down the right field line to score Cooke from second base giving the Ports a 4-0 lead. The next batter was Uhl who lifted a sacrifice fly to deep center driving in Pineda extending the Stockton advantage to 5-0.

Brennan Milone led off the fifth with a no-doubt solo home run to left field to give the Ports a 6-0 lead.

The Grizzlies (21-20) got on the board in the bottom of the sixth inning. With runners on second and third and one out, Andy Perez bounced out to second base to score Jake Snider making it 6-1. Fresno tallied another in the ninth when Kody Huff scored on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Skyler Messinger.

Three Ports pitchers combined to hold down the Fresno offense on Wednesday night as Jose Dicochea, Yehizon Sanchez and Dallas Woolfolk allowed just six hits and walked two in the victory. Sanchez limited the damage to one run despite the Grizzlies putting runners on second and third with nobody out in the sixth, and Woolfolk wiggled out of a jam in the eighth with runners on the corners and just one out and didn’t allow the Grizzlies to score.

Dicochea (2-0) got the win for the Ports allowing just two hits over five shutout innings picking up two strikeouts, lowering his ERA to 1.74 on the season. Adams (1-3) took the loss surrendering five runs (three earned) on four hits over four innings.

The Ports will go for their fourth straight win in game three with the Grizzlies this week on Thursday night at Chukchansi Park in Downtown Fresno. First pitch is scheduled for 6:50 pm.