FRESNO, Calif. – A five-run third inning for the Grizzlies (27-24, 63-54) gave them a lead they never relinquished in a 10-8 loss for the Ports (28-23, 55-62) in game three of the six game series. Fresno leads the series 2-1, while the Ports still maintain a one-game lead over the Grizzlies for the second-half playoff spot for the Cal League North.
Michael Brooks and Drew Burress walked to start the game, and executed a double steal to put two in scoring position with one out. A wild pitch would eventually score Brooks and put Stockton up 1-0. The Ports first hit was a two-RBI triple (1) for Ramon Landaeta in the second inning to score Bryan Andrade and Alex Hernandez to give Stockton a 3-0 lead.
But starter Colin Fitzgerald would hit a wall in the third in his first professional outing. He gave up four-straight hits to begin the bottom of the third, including a two-run homer for Rockies second-round pick Daniel Jackson (2) to cut it to a 3-2 game. Blake Hammond entered the game with no one out and proceeded to give up three RBI singles to put Fresno in front 5-3.
A couple of hits and a couple of defensive miscues by the Ports along with a sac fly plated two more for the Grizzlies to extend their lead to 7-3 in the fourth. Each team got a run in the fifth inning for an 8-4 game before Stockton began to mount a comeback effort. Bjay Cooke faced the minimum in the sixth and seventh innings to keep the Ports afloat.
A two-RBI single by Roman Martin in the seventh inning scored Brooks and Burress and an RBI single by Landaeta scored Alex Hernandez in the eighth to cut to an 8-7 game. But Fresno would take advantage of a couple of walks by Jackson Holmes when Cort MacDonald tripled into right to make it a 10-7 Fresno lead.
The Ports would get a run back in the ninth, on an RBI double by Martin to score Burress again, but a strikeout from Gavin Turley and a groundout by Bobby Blandford ended the ballgame.
UP NEXT: Game four is scheduled for a 7:05 PM first pitch, with RHP Marcos Herrera (0-8, 9.95) starting for Fresno versus RHP Donny Troconis (0-6, 6.53) for Stockton.
Single game tickets, mini plans, and group outings are all on sale for the 2026 season. For more information, call the Ports front office at 209-644-1400 or email at info@stocktonports.com.