STOCKTON, Calif. – The first half of the 2026 California League season came to an end with a comeback, 8-7 walk-off win for the Ports in the bottom of the 10th to take a 2-1 lead in the six-game series with Visalia.
Stockton (27-39) trailed 3-0 in the first when Pedro Blanco belted a three-run homer to deep right center to put Visalia (28-28) ahead early. The Ports answered in the bottom of the first when Breyson Guedez had a ground ball to the right side carom off the first baseman to score Bryan Andrade and make it 3-1.
Two more runs in the in the second inning for the Rawhide were followed by a solo home run in the third by Ivan Luciano for a 6-1 Visalia lead. But the Ports began their comeback in the fourth when Andrade’s 420-foot home run (6) and fifth in his last six games cut it to a 6-2 deficit against the Rawhide’s stellar starter Junior Ciprian.
Andrade started a two-out rally in the sixth with a base hit through the right side before Ciprian exited after 85 pitches. Guedez then tripled into right on a ball that took a big bounce over the right fielder to score Andrade and cut it to 6-3. A wild pitch scored Guedez to trim it to 6-4 before a Gavin Turley walk on four pitches started a new rally. That was followed by a two-run home run (5) for Bryan Arendt 394 feet to left to tie the game at 6-6.
After a Tommy Takayoshi walk to start the seventh, Bobby Blandford pinch ran for him. The Ports executed a perfect hit and run as Cesar Gonzalez singled through the right side with the second baseman covering the bag to get Blandford all the way to third with no one out. Daniel Bucciero would lift a ball to right to score Blandford and Stockton had come all the way back to take a 7-6 lead.
Devin Kirby looked like he was on his way to his second-straight three-inning save as a Port, but a lead off single by Yerald Nin was followed by a two-out RBI double for Pedro Blanco to tie the game at seven apiece in the top of the ninth.
Jackson Holmes got out of a one-out, runners-at-the-corners situation in the top of the 10th when he got a line drive to first for the second out and Cesar Gonzalez threw to third to double up the automatic runner and send the game to the bottom of the 10th still tied at 7-7.
In the bottom of the 10th Max Durrington hit a fly ball to right to get the automatic runner Daniel Bucciero to third with one out. Visalia then decided to intentionally walk Andrade and Guedez to load the bases and create a force out at any base. But Turley came to the plate and on a 2-2 count he drove a ball 101 miles per hour into straight-away center to score Andrade and seal the 8-7 victory for Stockton.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS: The Ports finished the first half 5-1 in games won in the last at bat, 6-1 in extra-inning games, and 9-8 in one-run games.
UP NEXT: Game one of the second half and game four of the six-game series is scheduled for a 7:05 PM first pitch with RHP Connor Foley (0-0, 0.00) making his second start for Visalia versus RHP Donny Troconis (0-3, 8.35) for Stockton.
The first 1,000 fans through the gates will receive a Denzel Clarke bobblehead presented by Redkey Gordon Law and it’s “Mike Night.” Anyone named Mike, Michael, Michaela, Michelle, Miguel or any variation can show their valid ID at the box office and get a ticket for just $5 dollars, and then stick around for themed in game moments, surprises and plenty of shoutouts all night long.
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.