Ninth Inning Magic Gets Ports Within a Game of Playoff Spot

VISALIA, Calif. – The Ports got off the mat in the ninth when Gavin Turley delivered a three-run homer to right to give the Ports an 8-6 victory. An extra-inning loss by Fresno ties up the standings between the two with two games left to play, and the Ports needing to finish a game ahead of the Grizzlies to book a playoff spot.

Stockton (33-31, 60-70) got on the board first when Edgar Montero singled into right, and an error there allowed Bryan Andrade to score for a 1-0 lead. An RBI single right up the middle by Ramon Landaeta plated Montero and gave the Ports a 2-0 advantage.

A three-run third for Visalia (26-38, 54-76) gave the Rawhide the lead, and Donny Troconis had to leave due to an injury on his pitching hand. A walk, an error at second, and an RBI double from Carson Kerce got Visalia on the board and Troconis had to exit due to the skin getting scraped off the index finger. Itsuki Takemoto entered after the injury delay and issued a walk and got a fly out to right before giving up a two-RBI single to Pedro Blanco to put the Rawhide up 3-2.

The Ports answered quickly, with Edgar Montero mashing the first pitch of the fourth 417 feet out to deep right for a solo homer (12) to tie the game at three apiece. Two batters later Michael Brooks launched a solo shot (9) to put the Ports in front 4-3.

Mason Patel got squeezed on four pitches that should have been strikes in the sixth inning, and he proceeded to give up his first crooked number in an outing with Stockton. Three singles, a double, and walk led to another three-run frame for the Rawhide and put them up 6-4.

A Bobby Blandford solo blast 414 feet out to right cut it to a one run game at 6-5 in the seventh. Max Durrington led off the ninth inning with a single to left center and Drew Burress lined a base hit to right with one away. The Ports sent Durrington home on the Burress single to right, but he was thrown out at the plate for the second out and Stockton still trailing 6-5.

Blandford then drew a walk which brought Gavin Turley to the plate with two aboard and two out. Turley smacked a 101 MPH rocket 364 feet to right for a three-run blast (15) to put the Ports ahead 8-6.

Jackson Homes came in for the second-straight night – and the third time in the series – to secure the game and struck out the first two batters he faced. After Blanco blooped a single into center, Holmes got Weber Neels to fly to center, ending the game and securing Holmes seventh save. Blake Hammond worked a scoreless eighth to earn his first win of the year.

It was the fifth time this season the Ports launched four home runs in a game, the last time occurring on August 6 against San Jose.

UP NEXT: Game five is scheduled for a 6:35 PM first pitch with major leaguer Ryne Nelson scheduled to open the game for Visalia on a rehab appearance. He’ll be followed by RHP Anderson Cardenas (0-2, 3.24) with LHP Jackson Phipps (4-4, 6.58) starting for Stockton.