The Stockton Ports got in the win column on Thursday night when the offense erased deficits of 5-0 and 6-1 and three relievers locked down the Modesto Nuts for an 11-6 win at Banner Island Ballpark. Denzel Clarke had four hits and drove in three runs, including his first home run of the season.
It was the first win of 2022 for Stockton (1-5) and kept them three games back of Fresno (4-2) in the North division. Modesto (3-3) is one game out.
Stockton RHP Luke Anderson went 3 1/3 innings and gave up eight hits and a walk with four strikeouts. He allowed six runs, four of them earned. RHP Yehizon Sanchez (W, 1-0) took over and threw 2 2/3 innings, allowing no runs, hits or walks while striking out three.
While Sanchez kept Modesto from adding on, the Ports got going offensively, putting five runs on the board in the fifth and three more in the sixth to take a 9-6 lead. Trailing 6-1, Clarke singled in a run in the fifth, followed by a bases-loaded walk to Max Muncy and another to Danny Bautista to make it 6-4, Modesto. Kevin Richards followed with a bases-loaded double to score two and tie the game at 6 apiece.
Clarke, Oakland’s #17 prospect, singled in the go-ahead run in the sixth inning and the Ports added on from there with two more runs, followed by two more in the eighth inning.
RHP Aaron Cohn threw a scoreless seventh inning for Stockton and Jack Owen (S, 1) pitched two strong innings to finish it off, allowing no hits and walking one while striking out five.
Sanchez, Cohn and Owen combined for 5 2/3 scoreless innings with one hit and one walk while striking out 10.
Modesto won the first two games of the six-game series and leads 2-1 going into Friday’s matchup at 7:05PM.
First @stocktonports home run for @DC5_Denzy. A 448 foot shot to left center field as part of a four-hit, three RBI night in an 11-6 Ports win 🔊⬇️ pic.twitter.com/xAQj0IMKjN
— Alex Jensen (@ajensen86) April 15, 2022
SCOREBOARD
INLAND EMPIRE – 4
RANCHO CUCAMONGA – 5 10 Innings
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FRESNO – 9
SAN JOSE -5
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VISALIA – 3
LAKE ELSINORE 1
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