STOCKTON, Calif. – The Ports flipped the script on the Grizzlies Thursday night at Banner Island Ballpark, winning a back-and-forth affair 9-8 over Fresno in game three.
The Ports tied their season high in hits with 17, and twice came back from two-run deficits en route to the one-run win. They trailed 2-0 going into the bottom of the second before taking the lead with a four-run frame. It was an inning full of singles that go the job done for Stockton, with run-scoring singles from Jared Sprague-Lott, Max Durrington, and Breyson Guedez to put the Ports ahead 4-2.
Fresno got a run back in the third inning before Myles Naylor reclaimed Stockton’s two-run lead with a moonshot over the Black Oak Casino Back Porch for his second home run of the year and a 5-3 Ports advantage. It stayed that way until the sixth when Sam Stuhr ran into his first bit of trouble of the night, and somewhat of the season, as the former fourth round pick had been lights out this year.
He retired the first two batters of the inning on groundouts, before a grounder got under the glove of Bryan Andrade at third to keep the inning alive. Stuhr walked the next batter, and a single followed that to keep the line moving, before he left a pitch up to Roldy Brito who drove a grand slam out to left to give Fresno a 7-5 lead.
Stockton would answer immediately in the bottom of the inning, when Andrade walked to start the frame before Owen Carapellotti launched a rocket out to right for his third home run of the year that tied the game up at seven apiece.
Grizzlies’ catcher Jack O’Dowd would untie it in short order, lofting a high fly ball of his own into the front row of the Black Oak Casino Back Porch to start the seventh and put Fresno back in front at 8-7. But the Ports would not be deterred, as Carapellotti led off the bottom of the eighth with a single through the right side on a 1-2 count before Daniel Bucciero hit his third single of the night to put two aboard with one out. Sprague-Lott then blasted a double off the wall in left to score both runners and put the Ports ahead 9-8.
Bryan Restituyo gave up a pair of singles in the ninth, but was able to get the final two outs of the inning with a groundout and a flyout after relieving Stuhr to secure his first save of the season.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS: Bucciero extended his on-base streak to 17 games and his hit streak to seven, while registering his third thee-hit game of the season. Seven of the Ports hitters had multi-hit games
UP NEXT: Game four is scheduled for a 7:05 PM first pitch with RHP Marcos Herrera (0-4, 10.34) starting for Fresno versus RHP Cole Miller (1-2, 4.96) for Stockton. The first 1,000 fans in attendance will receive a Ports pajama pant presented by JB Air, and fans are encouraged to wear their jammies to the game as the Ports will hold a movie night as well, showing Monsters Inc. on the field after the game.
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.