SAN JOSE, Calif. – The Stockton Ports were unable to recover after a rough first inning and fell to the San Jose Giants 9-0 on Friday night at Excite Ballpark.
The night had signs that it might be a repeat of the Ports offensive explosion the previous evening when they scored 19 runs. Michael Brooks and Roman Martin started off the game with back-to-back singles.
Later in the top of the first inning, Nate Nankil reached on a fielding error by Giants third baseman Luis Hernandez, loading the bases with one out. However, Stockton ended up leaving the bases loaded. It would be the only time that Stockton had a runner at third base.
San Jose made the Ports pay in the bottom of the first inning, scoring four runs after collecting six hits in the inning. Stockton starter Donny Troconis struggled before settling down in the second inning.
In the third inning the Ports had the tying run on deck in Edgar Montero, after a Martin single and Bobby Blandford walk brought Nankil up to the plate with one out. Stockton never got to Montero though as Nankil grounded into a double play to end the inning.
San Jose added two more runs in the third inning, and three more in the fifth to put the game out of reach. Giants starter Jordan Gottesman kept the Stockton bats at bay all night, throwing nearly six innings of scoreless baseball to pick up his sixth win of the year. Samir Chires got the save with 3.1 innings of work where he only allowed one Ports hit.
UP NEXT: Stockton will look to break the 2-2 tie in the series tomorrow as Jackson Phipps takes the mound against San Jose’s Leandro Rodriguez. First pitch is scheduled for 5:00 pm from Excite Ballpark in San Jose.