The Stockton Ports provided a fireworks display after their game on Saturday night. Unfortunately for the Ports, their opponents, the Inland Empire 66ers also had some fireworks instore during the game, as they used a late flurry to overwhelm the Ports 14-6 at Banner Island Ballpark in Stockton.
The story of the game was the Ports pitchers, which by the end of the night included a position player, who issued 11 walks to go along with their 14 hits. This along with 3 errors in the field sealed the Ports fate on Saturday.
Spot-starter Blake Hammond, who showed flashes with 5 strikeouts in his 2.1 innings. However, his second time through the 66ers lineup was rough, as Inland Empire broke through with two triples and a homer by Harold Coll. By the time Hammond exited the game. The Ports were trailing 5-1.
Stockton chipped away in the 3rd and 4th, scoring 2 runs each inning, capped by Jared Sprague-Lott speeding home on a passed ball to make it 6-5 Ports in the 4th. The Ports held that lead until the 6th when 2 singles and an errant pickoff attempt allowed Inland Empire to regain a 7-6 lead. Tucker Novotny was sharp until his misadventure in the 6th, having struck out 4 batters early in his outing.
The score was a competitive 8-6 heading to the top of the 9thwhen Andinson Ferrer entered the game for Stockton, and immediately finding himself in trouble with a series of singles and walks which piled up quickly, yielding 6 runs and put the game out of reach. Instead of bringing in another pitcher, Manager Javier Goddard chose to bring in DH Carlos Franco to mop up. Franco allowed a hit and a walk before getting Inland Empire centerfielder Edwin Espinal to ground out.
The Ports went quietly in the ninth, with Carlos Pacheco grounding into a double play after outfielder Luis Freitez had singled to start the final frame.
Stockton will close out its homestand and look to gain a split in its series against Inland Empire on Sunday. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05PM.
