(James W. Toy III / Sonoma Stompers)
NAPA, Calif. – After a rough game the night before, the Sonoma Stompers played from behind all night long Saturday, then came back in the ninth inning to score five runs and win 9-6.
Napa jumped out to an early lead, scoring six runs over the first five innings to stay ahead of Sonoma from the start.
The Stomper bullpen was lights out once taking over, as Jason Seever, D.J. Sharabi, Juan Espinosa and Jacob Cox combined for 4.1 scoreless innings, with no walks and just two hits, to go along with six strikeouts.
While the Stompers were able to score in the second and fourth, including RBI singles both times from catcher Ryan Cooper, they could not climb back on top and entered the ninth inning trailing by two.
The bases immediately loaded after a walk to Brock Hartley, an Eddie Mora-Loera single and a Marcus Bradley walk. Rayson Romero singled in Hartley to bring Sonoma within one, then Rob DeAngelis gave his team the lead with his second RBI hit of the day, a two-run single scoring Mora-Loera and Bradley.
“I was down in the count, but I knew it wasn’t over,” DeAngelis said. “I got one I was able to hit and I luckily got it through the middle. I was happy to come through.
Kevin Farley and Kenny Meimerstorf each brought in another run, giving Cox a comfortable three-run lead to work with in the bottom half.
Sonoma’s closer worked a perfect inning to earn his 19th save of the year, setting a Pacific Association record for saves in a season.
“It’s very cool, but like I always say, it has to do with the team,” Cox said. “Without close games, there is no closing role, there is not save opportunity. Hats off to the rest of the guys, they’re the ones who give me the opportunities to do it.”
Looking for the sweep, the Stompers take on Napa again Sunday at 1 p.m.