Quakes Blank Ports 8-0, Even Series

May 23, 2018

RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif. - The Stockton Ports were shut out for the sixth time this season on Wednesday night. The Ports saw the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes score three runs before an out was made in the first inning and score four runs in the seventh to put the game away as the Quakes rolled to an 8-0 victory at Loan Mart Field, setting up a rubber game of the three-game series on Thursday night.
Ports starter Jake Bray (1-2) had only allowed one home run on the season heading into Wednesday's contest, but Bray gave up a leadoff home run to Gavin Lux on the first pitch he threw in the bottom of the first. After Bray walked Rylan Bannon, Omar Estevez hit a two-run homer to left to make it a 3-0 Quakes lead.
Bray would escape a bases-loaded jam unscathed in the third and set the side down in order in the fourth before pitching into the fifth. With two outs and the bases empty in the fifth, he gave up a triple to right to Estevez, at which point he was lifted for Brendan Butler. Butler surrendered an RBI double to Jeren Kendall that made it a 4-0 Quakes lead.
Bray would suffer the loss, going 4.2 innings and allowing four runs on six hits while walking two.
Butler set the side down in order in the sixth but endured a tough seventh inning. With runners at second and third and one out, Estevez lined a two-run single into center field to make it 6-0. Kendall followed with a two-run homer to right that ballooned the Rancho Cucamonga lead to 8-0.
Butler allowed four runs on five hits in 2.1 innings worked.
Stockton's offense would scatter six hits in the contest with their only multi-hit inning coming in the ninth. Quakes starter Chris Mathewson went four innings and allowed two hits while striking gout four. Isaac Anderson (1-4) would pitch three innings beginning in the fifth and go on to pick up the victory in the contest. Parker Curry polished off the shutout with two scoreless innings beginning in the eighth. Curry worked around a pair of singles in the ninth to keep the shutout intact.
The Ports and Quakes wrap up their season series on Thursday night at Loan Mart Field. Dustin Hurlbutt (0-0, 0.00 ERA) makes his first start of the season for Stockton coming from extended spring training. He'll be opposed by Quakes right-hander Andrew Sopko (2-3, 3.50 ERA). First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. PDT.