CLIPPERS TOP STOMPERS 7-5 TO SNAP WIN STREAK

(James W. Toy III / Sonoma Stompers)

MARTINEZ, Calif. – The Sonoma Stompers fell to the Martinez Clippers Friday night by a score of 7-5, ending their longest win streak of the season at eight games.

Martinez, the last team to beat the Stompers before their win streak began, struck Vijay Patel for 11 hits over the first six innings, however the right-hander limited them to five runs in that time, four of which came in the first two innings.

Patel settled into a groove after the second inning but after experiencing trouble in the seventh inning, Jason Seever entered the game and pitched two scoreless innings with two strikeouts.

The Stompers offense tied the score at four in the fifth with Kenny Meimerstorf’s 17th home run of the year, but struggled to connect with the big hit, leaving nine runners on base.

Kevin Farley walked Meimerstorf home in the fourth, Marcus Bradley scored on a wild pitch in the fifth and Kam Stewart scored on an error in the eighth, but Matti Doxter retired all four Stompers he faced at the end of the game to earn a save.

The Stompers conclude their three-game road trip with a game in against the San Rafael Pacifics. Sonoma still leads San Rafael by one game in the standings as both teams lost Friday.

STOMPERS WIN EIGHTH STRAIGHT WITH 10-INNING VICTORY OVER CLIPPERS

Kam Stewart connects to drive in a run in the 10th inning of the Sonoma Stompers game against the Martinez Clippers, August 2, 2018 in Martinez, Calif. (James W. Toy III / Sonoma Stompers)

BOX SCORE

MARTINEZ, Calif. – The Sonoma Stompers played extra innings for a league-leading ninth time this season and for the seventh time in 2018, pulled out the victory in extra frames, a 4-3 score for the team’s eighth straight win.

Kenny Mathews delivered another solid start for the Stompers, pitching six innings with just two runs, one walk and six strikeouts allowed.

While he was in line for the win, the Clipper offense tied the game in the seventh, but scoreless pitching in relief from, Jason Seever, Ryan Richardson and Jacob Cox quieted the Martinez offense in a hurry. The Clippers did not record a hit after the sixth inning and drew only three walks all night long.

Cox picked up his fourth win of the season, pitching scoreless ninth and 10th innings with a strikeout, lowering his ERA to 2.36.

“When I come in for the ninth inning, it’s just like a normal close, fresh inning, do your job,” Cox said. “You go back out, it’s a little tougher, you’ve got runners on base. You just have to trust your guys, don’t try to do too much, defense is there for a reason. Just try to get the ball in play, on the ground, let them make plays. Just trust your guys. That’s a big thing I like about our team, we trust each other a lot.”

Home runs from the team leaders, Miles Williams and Kenny Meimerstorf were two of Sonoma’s first runs of the night. Catcher Ryan Cooper also drove in a run on a groundout, his first RBI as a Stomper.

In the 10th, Kam Stewart sent a fly ball to right field that fell and scored Rob DeAngelis to be the difference in the game.

Looking ahead to Friday against the Clippers, the Stompers look to tie their franchise record win streak of nine games, which was set in 2017 between July 15 and July 25 in 2017. Their current eight-game streak is the second-longest ever for the organization.

SHARP DELIVERS AGAIN AS STOMPERS WIN SEVENTH STRAIGHT, ENTER TIE FOR FIRST PLACE

Tyler Sharp delivers in a pitch in the first inning of the Sonoma Stompers game against the San Rafael Pacifics, August 1, 2018 in Sonoma, Calif. (James W. Toy III / Sonoma Stompers)

BOX SCORE

SONOMA, Calif. – The Sonoma Stompers did not stop their roll Wednesday night, blanking the San Rafael Pacifics 6-0 for the team’s seventh straight win behind eight shutout innings from Tyler Sharp.

For the third time in his four Stomper starts, Sharp pitched eight innings and through those eight was outstanding, carving through the Pacifics’ order all night long. The right-hander retired the first eight hitters he faced and later nine straight, including 20 of the first 24 San Rafael batters that came to the plate.

Once again, he limited the opposing offense in every aspect, not allowing any runs on just five hits and one walk while striking out 11.

“That’s the goal, to do that everyday,” Sharp said. “Staying in my routine and feeling good every day that helps a lot.”

His ERA with the Stompers is just 0.30 over 29.1 inningss, with 27 strikeouts and six walks. Combining Sharp’s stats from outings with the Napa Silverados and Stompers, the South Lake Tahoe native leads the Pacific Association in ERA at 2.19.

Sharp’s batterymate Wednesday was the newest Sonoma Stomper, Ryan Cooper. Cooper was teammates with him in Napa and reciever for Sharp’s best start with the Silverados.

“We started clicking right in the pregame,” Cooper said. “Talked about how we’re going to go after the guys, stuck with it today and it looked like it worked out pretty well. It was a lot of fun.”

Cooper did reach base twice and scored a run but did not get a hit in his first start in Sonoma. Five Stompers, however, did record hits in the shutout victory. Rob DeAngelis went 3-5 and Kenny Meimerstorf went 2-4 with two runs batted in.

For the first six innings, Sonoma held on to a 2-0 lead thanks to a first inning single from Meimerstorf that scored Miles Williams and a passed ball in the fourth that scored Cooper.

Four walks and two hits in the seventh added insurance and three more hits in the eighth scored Marcus Bradley, more than enough cushion in the 6-0 win.

The shutout victory was the Stompers’ second in 2018, both having come in the previous eight days. It was also the first time the Pacifics had been shutout this season.

Now, the Stompers sit atop the Pacific Association standings, nine games ahead of the Vallejo Admirals and tied with San Rafael at 37-17. They’ve won seven straight, 9 of their last 10 and 20 of their last 24 games.

With momentum on their side, the navy and orange travel to Martinez for the final time this season for games Thursday and Friday against a Clippers team in the midst of their best stretch of 2018. First pitch for both games is at 6:30 p.m. from Joe DiMaggio Field at Waterfront Park.

THIRD STRAIGHT WALK-OFF BRINGS STOMPERS ONE GAME WITHIN FIRST

Eddie Mora-Loera celebrates with his teammates after the Sonoma Stompers’ walk-off win in their game against the San Rafael Pacifics, July 31, 2018 in Sonoma, Calif. (James W. Toy III / Sonoma Stompers)

SONOMA, Calif. – For the third straight game, the Sonoma Stompers walked off on their opponents, the victim Tuesday being the San Rafael Pacifics in a 7-6 battle in 10 innings.

The Stompers roared out to an early lead with three home runs helping plate five runs over the first four innings.

Rob DeAngelis had the first round-tripper, a two-run shot in the first inning that scored Marcus Bradley, his second homer of the year.

Celebrating his 28th birthday, Daniel Baptista connected for a solo shot, his fourth home run of the year in the fourth inning and Mitchell Ho added his eighth of 2018, scoring Kevin Farley and giving the Stompers a 5-1 lead.

Both teams scored in the fifth and Baptista drove in his second run of the game to keep the Stompers ahead but San Rafael tied the score in the seventh inning, eventually forcing extra innings.

While the Pacifics could not score in the ninth or 10th, thanks to two shutout innings from Jacob Cox, the Stompers won in the bottom of the 10th when Eddie Mora-Loera pinch hit with the bases loaded, reaching on a fielder’s choice that scored Kenny Meimerstorf and won the game.

“Everyone was grinding hard today,” Mora-Loera said. “They asked me to come in and try and get the job. With baseball being the way it is, sometimes it is hit hard and caught, sometimes you don’t hit it hard and win the game.”

Tuesday’s contest was the Stompers’ eighth extra-inning affair of the season and eighth walk-off win of the year, representing almost half of the team’s home wins in 2018.

San Rafael and Sonoma play each other again Wednesday with the Stompers just one game back of the first-place Pacifics. First pitch is set for 6:05 p.m.

STOMPERS WALK OFF AGAIN TO SWEEP DIAMONDS

Miles William (18) celebrates his walk-off home run in the Sonoma Stompers game against the Pittsburg Diamonds, July 29, 2018 in Sonoma, Calif. (James W. Toy III / Sonoma Stompers)

SONOMA, Calif. – Just like they did Saturday night, the Sonoma Stompers walked off on the Pittsburg Diamonds Sunday afternoon on Miles Williams’ 17th home run of the season, for a 11-9 final.

Williams, Kam Stewart and Rayson Romero each had multi-hit games while Williams, Romero and Rob DeAngelis each drove in more than one run.

Pittsburg scored three runs in the first inning and for the exception of one-half inning, held on to that lead into the ninth inning.

While Sonoma’s pitching struggled into the sixth inning, allowing nine runs, Robert Maislin and Ryan Richardson combined to retire the final 10 Diamonds hitters in the game.

Daniel Baptista singled in Marcus Bradley in the first inning and Stewart homered in the second, which was followed up by a two-RBI single from DeAngelis.

Williams singled in Romero in the fourth and the Stompers added three runs in the seventh on singles from Williams and Romero to bring the team within one.

Sonoma’s right fielder and second basemen continued to lead the way in the ninth when Romero singled to tie the game at nine and Williams ended it with a two-run blast to left field.

“There were a bunch of at-bats today where I got to 3-2 count and I feel pretty confident in that count,” Romero said. “Just a credit to this team and the support I have from them.”

With the Stompers now winners of five in a row for the third time this season and 18 of their last 22 games, they turn their attention to the first place San Rafael Pacifics, who come to Palooza Park at Arnold Field for two games. First pitch Tuesday and Wednesday is slated for 6:05 p.m.

PENNGROVE NATIVE COMSTOCK SECOND STOMPER PROMOTED IN 2018

SONOMA, Calif. – The Sonoma Stompers are excited to announce that catcher Daniel Comstock has been promoted to the Frontier League’s Southern Illinois Miners and will be joining them immediately.

Comstock was in his second season with the Stompers, his first as the team’s everyday catcher.

“Daniel is the type of player that every organization needs,” general manager Brett Creamer said. “His dedication, leadership and work ethic is extraordinary. He comes to work every day with the same mindset to get better, and it's shown on the field.”

After 197 at-bats with Sonoma, Comstock heads to a higher level of independent baseball with the Pacific Association’s third-best batting average at .365. He also hit nine home runs while driving in 53 runs, also third in the league.

“It’s bittersweet. I love Sonoma, but we play this game move on, to the highest level we can,” Comstock said. “I love all of the guys here, I appreciate Brett and Zack for giving me an opportunity and am excited to go out to the Frontier League and keep getting better.”

The Penngrove, California native was also tied for fifth in the league in walks with 36, tied with two of his Stomper teammates.

Comstock returns to Southern Illinois after spending 2017 Spring Training with the Miners.

“The amount of time that Daniel has put into his hometown team, the community and his teammates will always be more appreciated than any number or average that he has put up. We'll miss him in Sonoma, but we're thrilled for his upcoming opportunity with the Miners. I know he's looking forward to this opportunity and has some unfinished business to take care of.”

MARCUS BRADLEY AND STOMPERS WALK OFF DIAMONDS

Marcus Bradley had a walk-off single in the Sonoma Stompers game against the Pittsburg Diamonds, July 28, 2018 in Sonoma, Calif. (James W. Toy III / Sonoma Stompers)

BOX SCORE

SONOMA, Calif. – Now winners of 17 of their last 21 games, the Sonoma Stompers walked off on the Pittsburg Diamonds Saturday night for their fourth straight win, a 4-3 final.

While the Diamonds struck first, the Stompers countered by jumping out to an early 3-1 lead. Mitchell Ho hit his seventh home run of the season and Miles Williams scored after a Daniel Comstock single in the third and Ho added another run with a single in the fourth.

Ho went 4-5 in the game with three singles, a home run and two RBI.

“I had a little change of approach, attacking more,” Ho said. “I’ve been a little too passive lately and I decided to come out swinging.”

Kam Stewart also had three singles in the game and the Stompers finished with 12 hits on the day.

Pittsburg tied the game at three in the seventh off Vijay Patel, who pitched 6.1 innings with four hits and three runs allowed, along with six strikeouts.

Ryan Richardson and D.J. Sharabi combined to hold Pittsburg scoreless over the remaining 3.2 innings, on just two hits and one walk with five combined strikeouts.

The Stompers loaded the bases with one out in the 10th inning and a single from Marcus Bradley, his first hit of the game, scored Kam Stewart to win the game 4-3.

“I got ahead of the count, he threw two balls so I was looking for something that I could hit at that point,” Bradley said. “I knew that even if I did hit it somewhere, they weren’t going to turn the double play so I just needed to put the ball in play.”

The Stompers return to action Sunday against the Diamonds with first pitch scheduled for 1:05 p.m.

STOMPERS PLATE 13 IN SWEEP OVER NAPA

Kevin Farley watches his home run leave the ballpark  in the Sonoma Stompers game against the Napa Silverados, July 27, 2018 in Napa, Calif. (James W. Toy III / Sonoma Stompers)

BOX SCORE

NAPA, Calif. – As it has in much of the last several weeks, the Sonoma Stompers offense once again supported the team, as the Stompers won for the 33rd time in 2018 with a 13-7 win over the Napa Silverados.

Four Stompers recorded two or more hits, four Stompers scored more than one run and three Stompers drove in multiple runs over the nine innings.

Sonoma began its scoring in the fourth inning with a single run and added at least two in each of the following innings.

Kevin Farley connected for his fifth home run in the season in the fifth inning to score Kam Stewart and give the Stompers a 3-0 lead. The homer was his first of three hits on the night, first of three runs scored and the first two of his three RBI on the night.

“Just like any other day, I was trying to get a good pitch to hit and put as good of a swing as I can on it,” Farley said. “I got a couple of pitches that were in my zone and got barrell to it. Sometimes, that’s all it really is, put barrell to it. Don’t do too much more than that and have success.”

While Napa responded with six runs in the bottom of the fifth and added an additional one in the sixth, Sonoma failed to let that deter them.

With the Silverados leading 7-5 heading to the seventh inning, the Stompers scored eight runs over the final three innings to not only take the lead in the seventh inning, but add insurance for a comfortable six-run win.

Daniel Comstock’s two-run single with two outs in the seventh inning was the difference and provided the momentum needed to carry the team through the end of the game.

Ty’Relle Harris relieved starter Kenny Mathews in the fifth and pitched the remainder of the game, one of his best outings of the year. The right-hander in his 10th year of professional baseball allowed just one run and four hits over the final 4.1 innings for his first win of the season. He also struck out six batters while not allowing any walks.

“When you stay simple, you get good results so I tried to stay simple today,” Harris said. “Sometimes I’m a high-energy guy and that can play against me sometimes. If I don’t have it, I try and create the energy sometimes. Sometimes I need to take the other approach, the ABC’s of baseball. Get ahead, stay ahead and try and work down.”

Now winners of three straight, as well as 16 of their last 20 games, the Stompers return home for four against the Pittsburg Diamonds and San Rafael Pacifics.

STOMPERS SCORE IN NINTH TO WIN MARATHON GAME

Marcus Bradley follows through on his ninth-inning single before scoring the deciding run in the Sonoma Stompers game against the Napa Silverados, July 26, 2018 in Napa, Calif. (James W. Toy III / Sonoma Stompers)

BOX SCORE

NAPA, Calif. – The game took four hours and 14 minutes, but the Sonoma Stompers edged out the Napa Silverados 6-5 Thursday night.

After two innings of a 5-5 tie, Marcus Bradley scored on an error to put his team ahead, the 13th error of the game between the two teams.

Sonoma scored first and at one point, held a 4-0 lead. Five hits in the third plated three runs, including RBI doubles from Miles Williams and Daniel Comstock, as well as a runs-scoring single from Daniel Baptista.

Rob DeAngelis singled in the fourth to score one more run, his first of two hits on the day. Five different players had multi-hit nights, including Bradley, Williams, DeAngelis, Comstock and Kevin Farley.

The top four hitters in the order combined to go 8-18 with three of the team’s four runs batted in.

After Napa tied the game, D.J. Sharabi entered the ballgame to throw two scoreless innings and keep the score knotted at five.

“To compliment my sinker, I was going with my slider a lot, cutter and slider.” Sharabi said. “Just trying to work both sides of the plate, that definitely helped me out today,”

Despite loading the bases with no outs in the bottom of the eighth, Sharabi induced a double play and recorded his second strikeout of the game to get out of the jam.

After Bradley scored in the ninth, Jacob Cox locked down his 17th save of the year in his 18th attempt, bringing him within one of the league’s single-season record with 31 games left on the 2018 schedule.

ARNOLD FIELD VOICE RECEIVES CALL-UP TO SACRAMENTO

SONOMA, Calif. – The Sonoma Stompers are excited to announce that the team’s public address announcer, Trey Dunia has accepted a job in the same capacity with the Sacramento River Cats, Triple-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants.

Dunia has been with the Stompers since their second season in 2015 and has since become well-known for his quick wit not only on the microphone, but with sound effects throughout the speakers of Arnold Field as well.

“Trey has brought so much joy to the Stompers and to the community of Sonoma County these past four seasons. His easygoing personality really transitions well over the mic and provides for quality fan entertainment,” general manager Brett Creamer said. “I am very excited for him as he continues to chase his dream of announcing in professional sports. The River Cats are a class act, and I am glad they are giving Trey this well deserved opportunity. “

A member of the National Association of Sports Public Address Announcers, he is also the voice of the SRJC Bear Cubs, The North Bay Rattlers, Analy High School's Flying Tigers and the Redwood Pal Golden Bears.

After being a finalist for the position multiple times, Dunia was asked to fill in at Sacramento’s Raley Field for two games during a Stompers road trip and subsequently was offered the position for the remainder of the season.

“It was a great experience, to announce baseball for the Triple-A Giants,” Dunia said. “I can’t do all of them, but I’ve got a plan. I’m going to do most of the Stompers games left on the schedule and most of the River Cats games left on the schedule.”

Eleven of the final 16 home games this season will be announced by Dunia.