The Stompers douse Marcus Bradley, manager Takashi Miyoshi and surrounding teammates after walking off against the San Rafael Pacifics 10-9 Thursday at Peoples Home Equity Ballpark at Arnold Field. (James W Toy III / Sonoma Stompers)
Hayley M. Slye / Director of Media Relations
SONOMA, Calif.– The Sonoma Stompers Professional Baseball Club, presented by Virginia Dare Winery, notched its second walk-off victory against the San Rafael Pacifics in three games with a 10-9 extra-inning stunner Wednesday night.
With runners on first and second per Pacific Association tiebreaker rules, Eddie Mora-Loera and Matt Hibbert lead off the bottom of the tenth with a base hit apiece. Marcus Bradley came up with third hit in a row for the Stompers, scoring a pair and winning the game.
"Being able to (contribute to a rally) twice in one game, you don't get to do it a lot and it feels good" Bradley said. "When you finally start seeing strikes it feels good. You know you can still swing it and get hits."
It was Bradley that also knocked in the first run of the Stompers' five-run seventh inning, going 3 for 5 on the night, scoring two runs and driving in four. Bradley has quietly been an offensive force this season, leading the team in on base percentage at .512 and walks at 24.
"I just can't take him out right now," said Manager Takashi Miyoshi. "Everything he does is just working out. He's hot and he's taking pitches good and hitting the ball."
Sonoma scored three of their runs Wednesday off of San Rafael starter James McReynolds, who had quieted the Stompers offense through the first six frames.
"In the beginning, we struggled and struggled and struggled hitting McReynolds, but again we stayed focused and stayed in the game and just grinded it out," Miyoshi said.
On the Sonoma side, starter Juan Espinosa did some silencing of his own. The only Pacifics run through six came on an error as Espinosa walked just one and struck out nine in five-and-two-thirds innings.
Both teams managed only seven hits in that span, but combined for a loud 18 runs in the following innings.
The Pacifics scored three runs off of newly-minted Stomper Zach Wendorf in the top of the seventh, but the Stompers evened the score in the bottom of the inning as first baseman Isaac Wenrich shot a single up the middle to score Bradley. Wenrich scored the go-ahead run and went 4 for five on the night.
"There's a new hero every night. Tonight, Marcus stepped up and I got a couple hits but it always moves down the line for us," Wenrich said.
The game continued to teeter-totter as the Pacifics responded with two runs of their own in the eighth. In the ninth, the Stompers loaded the bases and tied it up on a Masa Miyadera single.
"This team, we never give up," Wenrich said.
With the victory, the Stompers take the series against the Pacifics and improve to 18-5 at first place in the Pacific Association while the third-place Pacifics drop to 8-14. The final game of the set begins Thursday at Peoples Home Equity Ballpark at Arnold Field at 6 p.m.
MARTY LURIE NIGHT
Marty Lurie will be joining the Stompers for a game Thursday! The KNBR 680 San Francisco Giants pregame and postgame radio host will be throwing out the first pitch and mingling with fans. Fans will also receive a commemorative photo of Marty, while supplies last.
Tickets are still available! Purchase tickets for reserved seating areas here and general admission here.
STOMPERS TICKETS
Tickets and merchandise are available now either online or at the fan shop at 234 W Napa Street in downtown Sonoma. Tickets will also be available at the box office on game days, beginning 30 minutes prior to the game.
For more information, please contact the front office at 707-938-7277, or email info@stompersbaseball.com.