Stockton's Offense Scattered in 5-1 Loss

LAKE ELSINORE, Calif.- The Stockton Ports had baserunners in eight of nine innings on Thursday night in Lake Elsinore, but never got any traction offensively. The Lake Elsinore Storm got a pair of home runs in the first inning and never looked back as the Storm handed the Ports a 5-1 loss to close out their rain-shortened series at The Diamond.
Oakland A's right hander Jharel Cotton (0-1) started for the Ports on a Major League rehab assignment and with two outs in the first, gave up back-to-back home runs to Gabriel Arias and Luis Campusano that gave the Storm a 2-0 lead. Cotton would work into the third and gave up a one-out single to Jeisson Rosario, at which point he was lifted for Xavier Altamirano. Altamirano would give up a single and a walk to load the bases before allowing a single to Jack Suwinski that brought in a run and stretched the Storm lead to 3-0.
Cotton would suffer the loss in his rehab start, going 2 1/3 innings and allowing three runs on four hits while striking out two. He threw 45 pitches, 33 for strikes.
Altamirano gave up a leadoff double in the fourth to Tirso Ornelas, who scored two batters later on a double by Esteury Ruiz that made it a 4-0 game. After working a scoreless fifth, Altamirano gave up a leadoff single to Ornelas in the sixth and, two batters later, allowed an RBI triple to Ruiz that gave Lake Elsinore its fifth run of the night.
Altamirano worked 3 2/3 innings and allowed two runs on seven hits while striking out three.
Storm starter Ronald Bolaños (4-1) gave up back-to-back singles to open the second inning but then got Jeremy Eierman to hit into a double-play to halt the rally. Bolanos would not face another serious threat and allowed just a solo home run to Robert Mullen in the fifth, Mullen's first hit in a Stockton uniform.
Bolanos earned the win, tossing six innings and allowing five hits while walking two and striking out five.
Elliot Ashbeck, Hansel Rodriguez and J.C. Cosme each worked a scoreless inning of relief down the stretch for Lake Elsinore to close out the ballgame.
Peter Bayer and Sam Sheehan each worked a scoreless inning in relief for Stockton.
The Ports continue their road trip on Friday as they'll play two seven-inning games at San Manuel Stadium with the Inland Empire 66ers. The games begin at 5:35 p.m. PT with the continuation of Sunday's suspended game, which will resume with Stockton leading 3-1 heading into the top of the third with the Ports playing as the home team. The second game of the twin-bill will start approximately 30 minutes after the conclusion of the first game.