Stockton Ports Reclaim First-Place Tie After 7-2 Win Over San Jose Giants

Saturday

26Apr2008

Saturday, April 26, 2008 at 02:54PM

MLN Newswire - www.mlntherawfeed.com – STOCKTON, Calif. - For the Stockton Ports, it was the perfect ending to a great homestand. In the rubber match of a three game series, the Ports reclaimed a share of first place by beating the San Jose Giants 7-2 at Banner Island Ballpark. With the win, Stockton wraps up a 6-1 homestand, and they even the season series with the Giants at three games apiece.

Stockton’s offense got out to a quick start in the bottom of the first against Giants starter Clayton Tanner (2-1). With one out, Josh Horton walked, and Sean Doolittle followed with a single to right. Chris Carter singled to load the bases, and Frank Martinez worked a bases-loaded walk to give Stockton a 1-0 lead. Jermaine Mitchell followed with a fielder’s choice RBI groundout to make it 2-0 Ports after the first.

The Ports added a run in the second when Matt Sulentic scored on a throwing error from Giants catcher Tyler LaTorre to make it 3-0.

The first three runs were charged to the starter Tanner, who took the loss after going three innings, allowing three runs on five hits while walking three and not recording a strikeout.

ADVERTISEMENT San Jose got on the board in the fourth against Ports starter Fautino De Los Santos (2-2). Pablo Sandoval led off the inning with a double. De Los Santos got two quick outs, but then yielded an RBI single to LaTorre to make it 3-1.

Stockton’s offense would get the run back and then some in the bottom of the fourth against Giants reliever Craig Whitaker. With one out, Archie Gilbert singled and then took second on a wild pitch. Following the second out, Doolittle knocked an RBI single to center. Chris Carter followed and drew a walk, and then Martinez came up and singled down the line to left. The single scored Doolittle, and Carter came around to score when Giants left fielder Bobby Felmy let the ball go by him to the wall for an error, making it 6-1.

In the top of the fifth, the first batter--Mark McBryde--reached on a Horton error. McBryde went to third on two consecutive passed balls, and scored on an RBI double from Matt Downs to make it 6-2. With nobody out still, De Los Santos was able to work through four more batters and get three outs without allowing another run. He completed the fifth and earned the win, allowing just two runs (one earned) on seven hits while striking out four.

The Ports tagged Whitaker for another run in the fifth. With two outs, Gilbert walked, reached second on a wild pitch, and then scored from second on another wild pitch, knocking over Whitaker who was covering the plate as he slid across. Whitaker allowed four earned runs in 1.2 innings of work.

Both bullpens kept the game scoreless the rest of the way. Derrick Gordon tossed two scoreless innings for Stockton, followed by a scoreless inning each from Sam Demel and Andrew Carignan. For San Jose, Ryan Paul went 1.1 scoreless, with Ryan Shaver and Mike Musgrave each chipping in with a scoreless inning apiece.

The Ports, who are now in a tie for first place with the Giants, will head south for a seven game road trip beginning on Friday night in Rancho Cucamonga. Left-hander James Heuser (1-0, 4.97 ERA) will make his first start on the season for the Ports. He’ll be opposed by right-hander David Herndon (0-2, 7.88 ERA) for the Quakes. First pitch from the Epicenter is set for 7:05 p.m. PST.