Ports Start Final Home Stand With Thriller Over Ontario

STOCKTON, Calif. – The Ports (30-25, 57-64) bounced back on Tuesday night after their heartbreaking loss in Fresno on Sunday, showing their mettle in a gutsy 5-4 win over Ontario (32-23, 65-56) to reclaim a one-game lead for the Cal League North second half playoff spot.

After three scoreless innings from Alex Barr, the Tower Buzzers got a run across in the fourth against Josnier Parra. Conner O’Neal ripped a hard-hit ball off the glove of Bryan Andrade at first base to score a run, but Andrade recovered to make a perfect throw home and get the second runner that was trying to score to keep it to just a 1-0 game.

Stockton answered quickly in the bottom of the inning when Drew Burress belted his sixth home run in 17 games as a Port 387 feet to left to tie the game at 1-1. That was followed by a full count walk for Roman Martin and a two-out single from Alex Sosa to put the Ports in front 2-1.

The first Cal League home run for Aidan West briefly tied the game at 2-2, but an RBI triple (2) for Michael Brooks put Stockton back in front 3-2 and a wild pitch scored Brooks for a 4-2 advantage. Reliever Yohandri Contreras made his Ports debut and surrendered a solo home run (18) to Ching-Hsien Ko to make it 4-3. After a walk, a groundout, and a wild pitch, Ontario got a sac fly to left to tie the game at 4-4.

Mason Patel delivered two shutout innings to keep the game knotted up before the Ports untied it in the bottom of the eighth. Burress would lead off the inning with a triple (1) to right and came into score on a sac fly from Gavin Turley on a 108 MPH line drive to left field that Ko had to make a running grab on for a 5-4 advantage.

Kade Brown came in for the ninth, and after issuing a leadoff walk, he gave up a hit to left that looked like it might score the tying run. But Bobby Blandford made the defensive play of the night by firing a strike to home to nab the runner at the plate and preserve the lead. Brown would then strike out Kellon Lindsey on a 1-2 count to end the ballgame and collect his seventh save of the season.

UP NEXT: Game two is set for a 7:05 PM first pitch with RHP Jack O’Connor (0-3, 10.13) starting for Ontario versus LHP Corey Braun (5-7, 5.66) for Stockton.

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].