Stockton Gets Walked Off On For First Time in 2024, Losing 4-3

RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif. - In front of a capacity crowd, the Stockton Ports (2-5) fell to the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (4-3) on a walk-off error in the ninth inning, dropping game four of the series at LoanMart Field on Friday night.

With the bases loaded and no outs, and the game tied at three in the ninth, Jeral Perez hit a bouncing grounder up the third base line that Luke Mann threw home to get the force out. Cole Conn then tried to turn a double play and his throw to first was wide, going into right field and allowing Jake Gelof to score the winning run.

Stockton now needs two consecutive wins to even the series, falling behind 3-1 after four contests at Rancho Cucamonga.

The game began with Walker Buehler, two-time All-Star for the Los Angeles Dodgers, making his third rehab appearance and getting through a scoreless top of the first. The Quakes gave him a cushion behind a Gelof two-RBI single and a Perez RBI double to make it 3-0 after one inning.

Stockton got to Buehler in the second after Nate Nankil and Darlyn Montero singled to start the frame. Montero’s single was a comebacker that struck Buehler in the pitching hand. He finished the inning but did not return after the second. Two batters later, Pedro Pineda hit into a fielder’s choice that plated Nankil. It was 3-1 Quakes until the seventh inning.

Against Felix Cabrera, Robert Puason notched his first hit of 2024 with one out. Ryan Lasko and Cole Conn followed with walks to load the bases. The next batter, Myles Naylor, hit into a fielder’s choice that Gelof misfired to second base and ended up in right field. Two runs scored on the error, which tied the game at three.

The Stockton bullpen held serve until the ninth inning when Rancho Cucamonga walked it off to hand the Ports a third consecutive loss.

Stockton will try to snap the skid in Game 5, on Saturday night at 6:30p. RHP Franck De La Rosa (0-0, 10.13 ERA) will go for the Ports against RHP Carlos Duran (0-0, 0.00 ERA). The Stockton Ports pregame show starts at 6:20p on Fox Sports Radio AM 1280.

NOTES

- Will Johnston pitched a perfect three innings out of the bullpen and struck out seven. He’s now collected 15 strikeouts and allowed no runs in the first 7.2 innings of 2024.

- Stockton’s offense walked six times but left 10 stranded. They had two bases-loaded situations, in the sixth and seventh, which resulted in one earned run.

- Darlyn Montero logged his first three-hit game of the season and is now 6-for-14 (.429) in the series