Stompers Escape In 9-8 Victory Over The Admirals

Matt Hibbert was the team leader in RBIs in the Stompers 9-8 victory over the Admirals Saturday. Hibbert finished the game 2 for 3 with a run scored, and three RBIs.

James Toy III/Sonoma Stompers

Geoff Safford, Media Relations Assistant

Baseball players are creatures of habit. Many players have specifics routines they follow almost religiously on game days. Stompers Manager Takashi Miyoshi’s pregame meal of a McDonald’s cheeseburger is one of many examples of this. The Stompers success over the Admirals this season has started to become a habit for the club. Coming into the game Saturday, Sonoma was 8-2 overall against the Admirals. Saturday night at Wilson Park, however, was anything but routine for the Stompers.

Sonoma had to be feeling good heading into the home half of the seventh inning. The Stompers were leading 8-1 after a four run rally in the top half of the inning.  The Admirals seemed to be unraveling and looked more interested in arguing with the umpires than playing the game. But somehow, the Admirals were able to bounce back in a big way. Vallejo seems to play better from behind as they have multiple come from behind victories on the season. Sonoma had a first row seat to this during the home opener on June 7 as the Admirals stunned the Stompers by erasing a late inning lead. Saturday’s comeback may have been the best yet for Vallejo.

13 batters came to the plate in the seventh for the Admirals, and nine of them singled off of three different Stomper relievers. 10 base runners reached in the inning. A game that seemed over was somehow tied at 8-8 headed into the top of the eighth. The top and bottom half of the seventh took almost an hour to play alone.

After getting punched in the gut by the Admirals, the Stompers found themselves in a close game. Sonoma was on the wrong end of a big rally, and sometimes that can demoralize a team. But this team stayed the course even when things seemed to be crumbling and snuck by in a 9-8 victory.  It was not pretty, but they found a way to win the game in the end.

The single that put the Stompers back on top in the eighth by Mason Morioka wasn’t smashed. But Morioka hit a ground ball into the right spot right back up the middle and scored Joel Carranza to give the Stompers the lead back. Morioka finished the game 3 for 5 with two runs scored and an RBI. Matt Hibbert was also a highlight offensively as he finished with a team leading three RBIs and a run scored. Hibbert was 2 for 3.

Austin Delmotte turned in one of the gutsiest performances for any Stomper so far this season out of the pen on Saturday. Delmotte was the last pitcher to enter the disaster that was the seventh inning and got the final out of the inning. He then proceeded to go the rest of the way, throwing 2 scoreless innings to preserve the win. Delmotte did so after pitching the night before. It is not completely uncommon for a reliever to pitch on two straight nights. But for Delmotte to pitch multiple innings after pitching Friday night as well was as gutsy as it gets.

Delmotte got credit for the victory, his first of the season. Starter Oliver Garcia was solid in his five innings of work, but watched his chances for a victory go by the wayside in the seventh when Vallejo tied the game. Garcia allowed one run on only three hits while striking out six.

Sonoma (13-9) has now defeated Vallejo (9-14) five consecutive times overall, and a win Sunday will give them their second straight series sweep over the club. The win Saturday also gave the Stompers the outright lead in the Pacific Association. Gregory Paulino will get the start for Sonoma, and the Stompers will look to get the big righty some more run support. Sonoma has only mustered 2 runs total in the last 2 games that Paulino has started.

Tickets for future Stompers home games are available on StompersBaseball.com. Fan merchandise, and tickets are also available for purchase at The Fan Shop located at 234 West Napa Street in Sonoma. If you have any questions, contact the Stompers at info@stompersbaseball.com. 

Box Score

Sonoma Hangs On For Series Opening Win In Vallejo

Caleb Bryson celebrates his three-run homer with Matt Hibbert in the fifth inning on Friday night at Wilson Park in Vallejo. His league-leading seventh homer proved to be the difference.

James Toy III/Sonoma Stompers

Tim Livingston, Assistant GM - Baseball Operations & Media

After a somewhat tumultuous stop in Pittsburg to being their nine-game road trip, the Sonoma Stompers had to be happy to see the Vallejo Admirals Friday night. They had won seven of nine games against the last-place Admirals this year, including a sweep this past weekend in Sonoma.

Thanks to the team capitalizing on an early error and the league-leading power of Caleb Bryson, the Stompers once again had a big lead that held up in the end, as Sonoma held off a late Vallejo charge to take game one of their three game series at Wilson Park, 6-4.

While Thursday night's victory against the Diamonds was Sonoma's first come-from-behind win in 2016, Sonoma (12-9) used a familiar formula to even up their road trip record at 2-2. The Stompers got out to a 5-0 lead by the fifth inning, with Bryson's towering two-out three-run homer to left-center proving to be the game-clinching hit.

In the third, Sonoma got two unearned runs thanks to a throwing error by Vallejo's Gadiel Baez, as his low throw to first base got past Lydell Moseby, allowing Derrick Fox to reach and move to second. The play also pushed Yuki Yasuda to third base.

David Dinelli (2-3) then followed up with a wild pitch, plating Yasuda to put Sonoma on the board. Bryson followed with an RBI single past a diving Jackson Valera at third to make it 2-0 in favor of the visiting team.

Yet Vallejo (9-13), as they are wont to do, would not go away in the late innings. Of their nine wins this year, six of them have been come-from-behind wins, including one against the Stompers back on June 7, when they spoiled Sonoma's home opener with an extra inning win, 5-4.

They got it to that same score thanks to two runs in the fifth off Sean Conroy (2-1) and two more against Juan Espinosa in the seventh. even getting the tying run to third base with one out. But Espinosa settled down with a strikeout and a fly out to get out of the jam and preserve the lead.

After a scoreless eighth, Espinosa gave way to the hard-throwing Austin Delmotte, who needed only 11 pitches to notch his first save of the season and give Sonoma their fourth win in a row over the Admirals.

Conroy had his second consecutive quality start, both coming against the Admirals. He went six innings, allowing two runs on nine hits with two walks and six strikeouts.

Bryson's four RBIs gives him a league best 24 on the season, and if it weren't for Jackson Valera's continued dominance at the plate (.452 batting average after a 2 for 5 night), the slugging third baseman would be in contention for the Pacific Association's Triple Crown, as he's third in the league in hitting (.357) to go along with his gaudy power numbers. Matt Hibbert had his best night since returning to Sonoma, going 3 for 5 in the leadoff spot.

Sonoma remains in a first place tie with San Rafael and will send Oliver Garcia to the mound on Saturday in the second game of their series in Vallejo. First pitch is set for 5 p.m. with the broadcast beginning at 4:50 on the Stompers Radio Network.

Sonoma returns home on July 1st with a surprise event at People's Home Equity Ballpark that will change the course of baseball history. Fans can be a part of this event by purchasing their tickets online at StompersBaseball.com. For more information, call (707) 938-7277 or email the team at info@StompersBaseball.com.

BOX SCORE

Stompers Grind Out 6-3 Win Over Diamonds

Daniel Baptista returned to the lineup Thursday from the inactive list, and delivered with a 2 run double in Sonoma's 6-3 victory. He finished the game  2 for 4 with 2 RBIs. 

James Toy III/Sonoma Stompers

Geoff Safford, Media Relations Assistant

Daniel Baptista did what a veteran leader is supposed to do in his at bat in the eighth inning. He battled from a 1-2 count to draw a walk by staying patient at the plate, and fouling off some tough pitches. This was Baptista’s first game back from the seven day inactive list, and he came back at a perfect time for Sonoma. The Stompers had struggled in the first two games of the series against the Pittsburg Diamonds, but the return of Baptista gave them a moral boost for game three. Baptista’s walk in the eighth was also not the highlight from his return to action.

There seemed to be a black cloud hanging over the Stomper dugout at City Park Field during this series. Everything that could have gone wrong did, and Sonoma had little success during the first two games of the series. However, in baseball you have to have a short memory and not focus on what happened in the recent past. Sonoma did a great job of that and showed great character in a 6-3 win Thursday over the Diamonds to avoid the series sweep. 

Sonoma’s dugout finally had something to cheer about in the fifth inning after a slow start. With the Diamonds leading 3-0 going into the inning, things were not looking good for Sonoma. A team that had been humiliated over the past two days was going down a familiar path. Sonoma squandered a few early scoring chances and the Diamonds had an early lead. The Stompers desperately needed a spark, and they got it from one of their strongest leaders.

Daniel Baptista stepped to the plate in the fifth with two aboard and delivered in a big way with a two run triple off the wall in center field to put the Stompers out in front 5-3. You could feel the energy shift as Baptista’s swing of the bat lit up the entire dugout. Baptista finished 2 for 4 in the game with two RBIs. Another key piece to the Stompers lineup was Caleb Bryson, who also had a fine evening as he finished 4 for 5 with an RBI.

Taylor Thurber has been one of the key men out of the bullpen so far this season and did not disappoint on Thursday. He pitched four shutout innings that even impressed the Diamonds broadcast team. They coined the name ‘Taylor the Tasmanian Devil’ to describe his style on the mound.

Thurber’s slider was something to behold as he threw darts on the corners of the plate time after time with the pitch. He used it multiple times as his kill pitch as well on his way to four strikeouts. Thurber got credit for the save, and made sure that starting pitcher Jose Flores would get credit for a win.

Sonoma (11-9) will now head to the second stop on this three-city road trip as they prepare to face the Vallejo Admirals at Wilson Park. Sonoma has faired well against the Admirals as they have won seven of the nine games they have played against them this season. Sean Conroy is scheduled to get the start and will look for an encore to the great performance he had on June 17 in a Stomper win. With the win Thursday, Sonoma stayed tied for first in the Pacific Association headed into the weekend.

Tickets for future Stompers home games are available on StompersBaseball.com. Fan merchandise, and tickets are also available for purchase in The Fan Shop located at 234 West Napa Street in Sonoma. For more information, contact the Stompers at info@stompersbaseball.com.

Pittsburg Humbles Sonoma In 16-2 Loss

Derrick Fox finished 2 for 5 in Wednesday's loss to the Diamonds. Fox has now had multiple hits in six of the last nine games he has played in. 

James Toy III/Sonoma Stompers

Geoff Safford, Media Relations Assistant

You never know what can happen when you come out to a baseball game. That is part of what keeps fans coming back night after night. Each game is different, and a new day brings a new game. That is something that Sonoma will have to focus on after the game Wednesday night. In baseball, the old saying "When it rains, it pours" is very appropriate. It was raining cats and dogs on the Stompers in game two of their series with the Diamonds.

The third inning was the big story of the game for the Diamonds as they scored 10 times in the inning. 14 hitters came to the plate for Pittsburg during the inning.  Oddly enough, none of the 10 runs were earned for the Diamonds as the Stompers made three errors in the inning. Starter Mike Jackson Jr. did not make it out of the third, and reliever Martin Cronin did not fare much better. The righty struggled to find the zone, and the inning ballooned out of control. When the dust settled, the Diamonds had a 13-0 lead. Pittsburg would add on a few runs in mop up duty and took game two by a final score of 16-2.

One silver lining that can be drawn from this game was that the Stompers did not give up after the crushing third inning. Cam Stimpson was called upon to pitch off the bench in the seventh and eighth innings. He pitched through an injury to his right hand. Stimpson plays mainly in the outfield for Sonoma and had not pitched in a game situation since spring training.  But when his club called upon him to pitch, he did. He also knew that coming out of the game due to injury would put strain on the bullpen, and was able to tough it out.

Before the fourth inning, the entire team had a meeting around the dugout. The Diamonds had just humiliated them with a huge rally but there was a lot of game left. A lot of teams would pack it in, but Sonoma did put one run on the board. At the end of the day, it did not mean much in terms of the final box score. However, teams have to find a way to keep playing even when the game seems out of reach.

Thursday will be a new day, and it will bring new challenges for the Stompers (10-9). They will now look to turn the tide as they have now lost four in a row to Pittsburg (10-10). Sonoma will also look to avoid a three game sweep, and ensure at least a tie for first place in the Pacific Association. Pittsburg on the other hand could find themselves in first place with a win tomorrow night.

This has a chance to be a defining moment for the Stompers season. They have been bludgeoned  and humiliated in these first two games. The Diamonds have outscored Sonoma 22-3 combined. None of that will matter on Thursday when Sonoma takes the field. One thing Sonoma can control is their attitude and focus on the field. How Sonoma responds will tell a story of where this team could be headed.

Tickets for upcoming Stompers home games are available on StompersBaseball.com.  Fan merchandise and tickets are also available inside The Fan Shop located at 234 West Napa Street in Sonoma. If you have any questions, feel free to contact the team at info@StompersBaseball.com.

Box Score

Missed Opportunities Doom Stompers In 6-1 Loss To Diamonds

Mason Morioka went 3 for 4 in a 6-1 loss Tuesday.

James Toy III/Sonoma Stompers

Geoff Safford, Media Relations Assistant

The Sonoma Stompers dropped the opening game of this nine game road trip to the Pittsburg Diamonds by a score of 6-1. The game was close through most of the contest, but Pittsburg was able to finally pull away thanks to a late inning rally. Sonoma’s offense had plenty of opportunities to put runs on the board but was unable to get the big hit to break through. Rob Ellis picked up the win for Pittsburg defeating his counterpart Gregory Paulino.

Sonoma had the lead briefly in the second inning thanks to an RBI single by Ethan Szabo that bounced through the hole on the left side of the infield to put Sonoma ahead 1-0. However, Pittsburg would tie the game in the bottom of the inning on a solo homer by Nick Oddo.

The run for Sonoma in the second would be their last despite the fact that five Stomper hitters finished with multiple hits in the game. Sonoma was able to consistently get men aboard, but could not bring them to the plate. Sonoma stranded 11 runners total in the game. Mason Morioka led the team in hits as he went 3-for 4. Sonoma had 13 hits as a team.

Paulino (1-2) kept Sonoma in the ballgame during the five innings he pitched, but was left on the hook for the loss because of a lack of run support.  Ellis (1-1) did allow ten hits in his six innings of work, but countered that with nine strikeouts. Garrett Granitz, and Joe Lewis were able to hold Sonoma scoreless in the three innings they pitched to close out the ballgame.

The eight inning proved to be a huge one for Pittsburg offensively as they were able to get some breathing space for the ninth. Sonoma entered the bottom of the eighth trailing only 2-1. But a leadoff double by Mike Taylor, and a walk to Sammy Ayala put two aboard against Stomper reliever Eric Mozeika. Thomas Shull came up next and delivered the biggest hit of the game with a three run blast to make it 5-1.

Sonoma’s ability to get men aboard throughout the game had to give them confidence trailing by only one run going into the eighth. But the homer by Shull was a huge blow. Pittsburg would add one more to cap the four run eighth.

The Stompers (10-8) will look to bounce back against the Diamonds (9-10) in game 2 tomorrow night at City Park Field. Mike Jackson Jr. is scheduled to get the start for Sonoma.  Jackson Jr. beat the Diamonds the last time he faced them on June 3 in an 18-4 Stomper win. Jackson Jr. also tied the franchise record in that game with 12. The San Rafael Pacifics (10-8) remained tied with Sonoma for first place in the Pacific Association as they lost 11-8 to the Admirals Tuesday.

Tickets for upcoming Stomper home games are available at stompersbaseball.com. Fan merchandise, and tickets are also available at The Fan Shop located at 234 West Napa Street in downtown Sonoma. If you have any questions, contact us at info@stompersbaseball.com.

Box Score

Bryson Powers Stompers To 10-7 Win Over Admirals

Caleb Bryson went 3 for 3 with a home run, and 2 RBIs Sunday.

Rick Bolen/Sonoma Stompers

Geoff Safford, Media Relations Assistant

Sonoma’s bats powered the Stompers to a 10-7 win, and series sweep over the Vallejo Admirals at People’s Home Equity Ballpark at Arnold Field Sunday. Sonoma’s offense scored 30 runs combined over the three game series. Slugger Caleb Bryson had a night to remember at the plate, and was involved in five of Sonoma’s ten runs. Starter Oliver Garcia also pitched well enough to earn his first win of the season. 

The Stompers (10-7) did a great job of getting off on the right foot early in games during this series and Sunday night was no exception. Sonoma’s offense put together a four run rally in the first. Mark Hurley came up big again with a two run double in the inning that went off the wall in right field. 

Vallejo’s offense kept things interesting in the seventh with a two run rally that cut the lead to 7-6.  However, Caleb Bryson had an answer as he launched a home run to left field to give Sonoma a two run lead. Bryson had one of his best nights at the plate this season as he finished a perfect 3 for 3 in the game. He also had 2 walks, 3 runs scored, and 2 RBIs. He reached base in all 5 of his plate appearances. He showed in this performance that he has all the tools to be a great hitter in the Pacific Association. Having the ability to hit the long ball is always a luxury, but what sets Bryson apart is his ability to be patient. 

Oliver Garcia had strikeout stuff again in his 5 2/3 innings of work and finished with 7 strikeouts. He allowed 10 hits, and three earned runs in the game and did enough to earn the victory (1-0). Juan Espinosa pitched in relief and earned a save by pitching the final 3 1/3 innings of the game. He allowed three earned runs on five hits with three strikeouts. 

Sonoma will now hit the road for a long nine game slate and will face all three teams in the Pacific Association. Sonoma will make their third trip of the season to Pittsburg to start the road trip off to face the Diamonds on Tuesday. They are an even 3-3 in games played against them so far. Gregory Paulino is scheduled to get the start Tuesday and has not faced Pittsburg yet this season. The Diamonds will be licking their wounds after getting swept by the San Rafael Pacifics over the weekend. 

Tickets for all Stompers home games are available on stompersbaseball.com. You may also purchase tickets, and team merchandise in The Fan Shop located at 234 West Napa Street in Sonoma. If you have any questions contact us at info@stompersbaseball.com. 

Box Score

Offense Continues Success In 9-2 Win Over Admirals

Mark Hurley hit a 2 run home run in the game on Saturday in Sonoma's 9-2 victory.

Rick Bolen/Sonoma Stompers

Geoff Safford, Media Relations Assistant

The Sonoma Stompers’ bats have answered the bell so far this weekend by putting together two great performances at the plate. Their balanced attack provided ample offense on their way to a 9-2 victory over the Vallejo Admirals on Saturday. Starter Jose Flores turned in his best effort of the season by far on his way to his first win of the season for Sonoma. He had struggled in his previous two starts but looked like a different pitcher on Saturday. 

The Stompers offense was rolling from the start as they jumped to an early 3-0 lead in the first inning. Two straight RBI doubles by Derrick Fox and Joel Carranza were the highlights of the inning. Mason Morioka also chipped in with an RBI single to put Sonoma in the driver's seat.

Vallejo (7-10) made things a little interesting in the fourth as Lydell Moseby launched a two run bomb to left center field that silenced the home crowd and cut the Stomper lead to 3-2. However, that was the only blemish on Flores’ fantastic outing and was untouchable for the rest of the night. 

Sonoma’s offense gave Flores some more breathing room in the fifth with a four run rally to put the game on ice. The highlight of the inning was a two run homer by left fielder Mark Hurley. It was Hurley’s first of the season. When the dust settled at the end of the inning Sonoma had a 7-2 lead. That would be plenty for Flores and ‘ fireman’ Taylor Thurber. 

Flores looked like a different pitcher from his first two outings of the season. In those starts, he struggled with command and left Sonoma’s bullpen in tough spots because of early departures. Tonight however, the big righty silenced any doubters by blowing away the Admiral lineup. Flores allowed only two runs on six hits with no walks while striking out nine batters in six innings. Thurber came in to start the seventh and went the rest of the way. Thurber has been a great weapon out of the pen and picked up his second save of the season by getting the final nine outs. 

Sonoma (9-7) has a chance to pick up their first series sweep with a win Sunday on Father’s Day at People’s Home Equity Ballpark at Arnold Field. Sonoma is scheduled to give the ball to Oliver Garcia. Garcia has shown that he has some of the best strikeout stuff on the team when he is on. But Sonoma will look for him to go deeper into the ballgame this time out than he has in pervious outings. 

Tickets for Sunday’s game, and every home game this season are available on stompersbaseball.com. Tickets, and fan merchandise are also available for purchase at The Fan Shop located at 234 West Napa Street in downtown Sonoma. If you have any questions contact us at info@stompersbaseball.com.

Box Score

Versatile Infielder Yuki Yasuda Back With Stompers For 2016

One of the best all-around players in the Pacific Association from 2015 returns to Sonoma as Yuki Yasuda signed with the Stompers on Saturday.

Bill Hoban/Sonoma Index-Tribune

Tim Livingston, Assistant GM, Baseball Ops. & Media

The Sonoma Stompers Baseball Club – Presented by Virginia Dare Winery – made another significant addition to their team on Saturday when the club signed 2015 Defensive Player of the Year Yuki Yasuda to a contract.

Yasuda, who turned 26 on Saturday, was a tremendous player for the Stompers in 2015 thanks to his ability to play all over the infield, taking over as the team’s primary second baseman a month into the season.

Once he was inserted as a regular with his first game as a starter on July 7, Yasuda was a force at the top of the Stompers lineup. He hit .307/.448/.367 and walked more times than he struck out (40 BB, 38 K) in 252 plate appearances.

By advanced stats, Yasuda had a Weighted Runs Created Plus (wRC+) of 139 in 2015, making him the seventh best offensive player in the league who played in at least 30 games. He was tremendous on the basepaths as well, stealing 16 bases in 18 attempts.

The aforementioned Defensive Player of the Year award for his work at second base was well deserved, as he committed only two errors at the keystone and showed a consistent glove wherever he played on the infield.

In a corresponding move, the Stompers placed first baseman Daniel Baptista on the 7-day Inactive List retroactive to June 15. Yasuda is available to play in tonight’s game.

The Stompers host the Vallejo Admirals tonight at 5 p.m. at People’s Home Equity Ballpark at Arnold Field. The Stompers handily defeated the Admirals Friday night during “Out At The Ballpark”, 11-1 behind a tremendous starting performance from Sean Conroy and four home runs.

Tickets are available for tonight’s game and every home game online at StompersBaseball.com. Fans can also purchase tickets beginning 30 minutes before any home game at the Arnold Field box office and at the Stompers Fan Shop at 234 West Napa Street in downtown Sonoma.

For more information on tickets, please call (707) 938-7277 or email the team at info@StompersBaseball.com.

Offense Backs Up Conroy In 11-1 Stompers Win Over Admirals

Sean Conroy pitched eight innings allowing only one run and three hits in Sonoma's 11-1 win Friday.

James Toy III/Sonoma Stompers

Geoff Safford, Media Relations Assistant

The Sonoma Stompers’ (8-7) offense bounced back in a big way on Friday night and scored more than enough to back up a fabulous pitching performance from Sean Conroy in an 11-1 victory over the Admirals (7-9). Sonoma’s offense had struggled in the past two games scoring only two runs combined, but it was a different story Friday. 

After Sonoma went down quietly in the first, and had two outs in the second, the offense still seemed to be sputtering at the plate. But a walk to Ethan Szabo with two outs, and a single by Mason Morioka set Sonoma up for a little two out magic. Eddie Mora-Loera stepped up to the plate next and launched a line drive shot into the left field bleachers for a three run home run and Sonoma never looked back. It must have felt good for Mora-Loera as he hit into two double plays in Sonoma’s last game on Thursday but bounced back tonight to get Sonoma rolling. 

Mora-Loera’s homer was only the beginning for the offense as they put runs on the board in four straight innings from the second through the fifth. The power surge for the offense continued as their first eight runs came via the home run. Mason Morioka, Joel Carranza, and Caleb Bryson hit home runs in those frames. Bryson’s homer in the fourth was the highlight as he hit a moon shot to left that I think might still be going. 

For the second straight season Sean Conroy got the start on Pride Night, and like last year delivered with a gem to remember. Conroy made history last season becoming the first active professional baseball player to come out as being gay. He did not disappoint Friday and was dominant in his eight innings of work. Conroy allowed only one run on three hits with five strikeouts. Conroy’s slider was exceptional with its late movement and precise command.

 Conroy’s ability to pitch so well on Pride Night was something that goes far outside the lines of sport. He put an entire community on his shoulders tonight, and showed great character by pitching at his best in the situation. Conroy was humbled by the reception he received from the fans. “For our fans to come out and show their support for me tonight like they did last year was so rewarding and I felt blessed. They gave me the motivation I needed to perform well,” said Conroy.

Sonoma will look to keep the momentum as they continue the series against the Admirals Saturday night at People’s Home Equity Ballpark at Arnold Field. First pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m. Tickets for the game are still available at stompersbaseball.com. Tickets, and fan merchandise are also available at The Fan Shop located at 234 West Napa Street in downtown Sonoma. If you have any questions, feel free to email us at info@stompersbaseball.com.

Box Score

Stompers Offense Unable To Break Through In 3-1 Loss To Pacifics

Mark Hurley finished 3 for 3 in Sonoma's 3-1 loss to the Pacifics Wednesday.

James Toy III/ Sonoma Stompers

Geoff Safford, Media Relations Assistant

The Sonoma Stompers (7-7) performance seemed like déjà vu on Wednesday night in a 3-1 loss to the San Rafael Pacifics (7-7). Sonoma’s bats were kept in check by another great pitching performance, this tine from starting pitcher Patrick Conroy (1-0), and the bullpen did the rest to close out the win. The offense for San Rafael didn’t put on a clinic, but one swing of the bat was the difference in the game. 

Conroy went seven innings strong allowing no earned runs on seven hits while striking out seven. One run came in with Conroy on the mound on an error by the shortstop Daniel Gonzalez. Mike Jackson Jr. was great for most of the game, but one mistake proved to loom large and he picked up the loss (2-1). J.R. Bunda also picked up his fourth save of the season. 

For the first three innings of the game, it looked like the folks at People’s Home Equity Ballpark at Arnold Field were in for a pitchers duel. Mike Jackson Jr. and Patrick Conroy were both cruising through the lineup and both offenses were kept off the board. But the game took a huge turn in the fourth.

A few bounces went the Pacifics' way in the fourth as they put two runners aboard to start the inning. Thanks to an error and an infield single, Brent Gillespie came to the plate with a chance to do some damage. In a 1-0 count, Mike Jackson Jr. made a mistake in location and Gillespie deposited his fourth homer of the season over the right field fence. San Rafael lead 3-0 after the homer by Gillespie. Sonoma was never able to recover from that backbreaking blow. 

Sonoma’s offense had opportunities to get back in the game, but did not come up with the clutch hits they needed and left men hanging on base. They also hit into two double plays tonight after a Stomper lead off an inning by getting on base. One silver lining for Sonoma’s offensive attack was Mark Hurley as he had one of his best nights offensively so far. He finished 3 for 3 in the game. This is a good sign as the 2015 Pacific Association Rookie of the Year had been searching for his swing in the early parts of the season. 

Sonoma will hit the road to close out the series against San Rafael looking to avoid a three game sweep. The Pacifics Association is in a very interesting place presently as all four teams have an identical record (7-7).  Sonoma will look to make sure they hold at least a share of first place with a win tomorrow night before returning home for the weekend to face the Vallejo Admirals. 

Friday night will be a very special night at People’s Home Equity Ballpark at Arnold Field as the Stompers host “Out at the Ballpark.” The event will help celebrate Pride Weekend in the Bay Area. Tickets for that game are available on stompersbaseball.com. You may also purchase tickets in The Fan Shop located at 234 West Napa Street in downtown Sonoma. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us at info@stompersbaseball.com.