EARLY SCORING SENDS STOMPERS TO FIFTH STRAIGHT WIN

Kenny Meimerstorf follows through on his team-leading 12th home run of the season, a two-run shot in the fourth inning on July 10, 2018 (James W. Toy III / Sonoma Stompers)

BOX SCORE

NAPA, Calif. –  The Sonoma Stompers stormed out early Tuesday evening, scoring seven runs over the first four innings to power their way to a 7-5 win over the Napa Silverados.

Playing in Napa for the first time in 2018, the Stompers looked to continue their success against the Silverados this season and did so in the first inning, scoring two runs.

Miles Williams connected for his fifth home run in three days only a few pitches into the ballgame, giving Sonoma a quick 1-0 lead. A Napa error allowed a second run to score when Daniel Baptista singled in Kenny Meimerstorf, putting the Stompers on top 2-0.

The Stompers put three more runs on the board in the third on RBI hits from Meimerstorf and Baptista, extending the Sonoma lead to 5-1.

A two-run home run in the fourth inning off the bat of Meimerstorf extended the lead tot 7-1, a comfortable margin that allowed the Stompers to stay ahead for the remainder of the game.

Dominic Topoozian made his eighth start of the season, going 6.2 innings and striking out nine Silverado hitters while allowing just three runs.

“I felt like I was keeping their hitters off balance,” Topoozian said. “Our team though, they fight every single day. We’ve got some great players on this squad.”

Kenny Mathews relieved Topoozian with 1.1 scoreless innings, including two strikeouts and Jacob Cox entered the game late to record a one-out save, his league-leading 10th save of the season.

Sonoma looks for its sixth-straight victory Wednesday night when they return to Napa for the second game of the midweek series.

WILLIAMS HOMERS TWICE AS FARLEY’S GRAND SLAM IS DIFFERENCE IN STOMPERS VICTORY

Kevin Farley (13) celebrates with Daniel Baptista (44) and Mitchell Ho (20) after hitting a go-ahead grand slam in the 7th inning on Sunday, July 8, 2018 (James W. Toy III / Sonoma Stompers)

BOX SCORE

SONOMA, Calif. –  The Sonoma Stompers claimed their fourth straight victory Sunday afternoon behind three home runs, including a go-ahead grand slam from Kevin Farley that was the difference in the 11-7 ballgame.

Like they did for much of the homestand, the Stompers took an early lead, scoring three runs in the third inning on four hits, ending with a two-RBI double from Daniel Baptista.

Despite Martinez scoring six runs in the fifth, the offense did not waver, responding with two runs in the second to keep within striking distance. After a two-homer game the night before, Miles Williams connected for a two-run homer to make the score 7-5.

Hitting with one out and a runner on second once more in the seventh, Williams connected for his fourth home run in two days, giving him 10 on the season and tying the score at 7-7.

With two outs, Sonoma battled to load the bases for Kevin Farley, who entered the inning 0-3 on the day. The third baseman broke the tie with a big blast to left field for a grand slam, his first of home run of the season and Sonoma’s fourth bases-loaded jack this year.

“I was just trying to be on time for a fastball,” Farley said. “I’ve been having a lot of good at-bats these last few games being in the lineup. I just got a good pitch to hit and got barrel to it.”

Cole Watts, D.J. Sharabi and Ryan Richardson combined for four scoreless innings at the end of the game to hold the game and end the Stompers’ homestand on a high note, an 11-7 victory that improved Sonoma to 21-13.

After a day off Monday, the Stompers head to Napa Tuesday for a two-game set with the Silverados before returning home Thursday and Friday to face San Rafael.

“We have some pretty good guys swinging the bat,” Farley said. “As long as we’re taking good at-bats, we’re scoring runs.”

WILLIAMS CRUSHES TWO HOMERS AS STOMPERS TOP CLIPPERS

Miles Williams (18) celebrates with Daniel Comstock (6) after hitting his second home run of the game in the fifth inning on Saturday, July 7th, 2018. (James W. Toy III / Sonoma Stompers)

Box Score: http://pointstreak.com/baseball/boxscore.html?gameid=464252

SONOMA, Calif. –  The Sonoma Stompers continued their winning ways Saturday night, topping the Martinez Clippers 6-5 for their third straight win.

Ethan Gibbons delivered another stellar outing on the mound, pitching into the eighth inning and striking out seven Clippers while allowing just three runs.

He received early run support when Miles Williams connected for a solo home run in the first. Williams didn’t stop there, hitting another in his third at-bat, his eighth of the season to make the score 5-1.

“It was a battle,” Williams said of the at-bat in which he hit his second home run. “I just put a good swing on that one too, just trying to touch the ball and let everything take care of itself.”

Miles Williams crushed two home runs in the Stompers' 6-5 win over the Martinez Clippers Saturday night and joined broadcaster Nick Badders after the game to discuss his night.

Rayson Romero and Rob DeAngelis delivered back-to-back RBI hits in the second inning, a double and single respectively that plated three runs and put Sonoma in a comfortable position.

Similarly to last night, pitching faltered in the late innings when Kenny Mathews gave up a game-tying grand slam to Martinez third baseman Alan Mocahbee.

But like the night previous, there was no quit in the navy and orange. Two walks and a two-out hit from Mitchell Ho gave the Stompers a 6-5 lead that allowed closer Jacob Cox to enter the game in the ninth and secure the team’s third straight win and his league-leading ninth save of the season.

Sonoma looks ahead to another game with Martinez Sunday afternoon, a 1:05 start in which the Stompers will go for their second straight sweep to wrap up the homestand.

BIG BATS HELP STOMPERS SWEEP SILVERADOS

The Sonoma Stompers celebrate after outfielder Kenny Meimerstorf hits a walk-off home run to secure the team’s sweep over the Napa Silverados on July 6th, 2018. (James W. Toy III / Sonoma Stompers)

SONOMA, Calif. – With two close losses opening up their homestand, the Sonoma Stompers focused their attention to one of the Pacific Association’s two newest teams, the Napa Silverados and looked to get back into the win column. The Stompers did just that, sweeping the Silverados with 8-6 and 9-8 wins Thursday and Friday.

Thursday’s game began on a high note as colon cancer survivor Casey Thornhill experienced the chance to live out a lifelong dream by pitching in a professional baseball game. Thornhill started the series opener against Napa and despite walking the leadoff hitter, exited the field to thunderous applause from the crowd.

One of Thornhill’s close friends, former San Francisco Giants pitcher Noah Lowry was on hand during the game to sign autographs for fans and support the game’s starting pitcher.

After a back-and-forth beginning, Lowry’s half-inning appearance on the radio broadcast in the bottom of the fourth inning coincided with the game’s turning point, as Rob DeAngelis’ first of two RBI singles with two outs in the game gave Sonoma a 4-3 lead.

“I’m trying to get good pitches to hit always and I’ve been seeing the ball well, so that’s been really helping,” DeAngelis said. “I’m just trying to get a lead for the team.”

Behind a strong combined pitching effort from Brandon Erickson, Vijay Patel, D.J. Sharabi and Jacob Cox, the Stomper offense added insurance in the seventh and eighth innings to hold on and win 8-4.

DeAngelis and Miles Williams both experienced two-hit, multi-RBI days, with Williams crushing his sixth home run of the season in the second inning, at the time giving Sonoma a 2-1 lead. Patel earned his fourth victory of the season win after 3.2 innings of one-run relief.

After the late-inning insurance Thursday, the offense exploded quickly Friday, with the Stompers scoring six runs in the first inning. The first seven hitters reached base in that inning and Kenny Meimerstorf added an early bang when the cleanup hitter connected for his third grand slam of the season to help the game’s cause.

While Napa slowly chipped away, starter Juan Espinosa quietly turned in one of his best starts of the season, throwing seven innings and allowing just five hits and walking one batter.

That walk ended a season streak of 43 straight batters faced without issuing a walk for the right-hander, the second longest such streak in 2018 for Stompers pitchers, trailing only Dominic Topoozian’s 69 earlier this year.

Even though Napa took an 8-6 lead in the top of the eighth, Sonoma capitalized in the bottom half, tying the game on a Napa fielding error.

After D.J. Sharabi pitched a scoreless ninth inning, Meimerstorf prevented his team from heading into extra innings for the sixth time in 2018, instead sending a fly ball deep into the Sonoma night sky for a walk-off solo home run, the Stompers’ fifth walk-off of the year.

Additionally, the shot was Meimerstorf’s second homer of the game, his 11th of the season and second walk-off this year.

“He threw me all fastballs that AB, trying to attack me and I just sat on one and got ahold of it,” Meimerstorf said. “It’s always fun hitting one [home run], when you hit two, it’s even better.”

Entering the weekend red-hot, Sonoma turns their attention to a Martinez Clippers team currently in their best stretch of the season. The Clippers come to town for two, with Saturday’s game being a 6:05 p.m. start and Sunday’s scheduled to begin at 1:05 p.m.

STOMPERS COME CLOSE IN NAIL-BITING JULY 4TH GAME

Fans enjoy the world-famous Sonoma fireworks from the field at Palooza Park at Arnold Field on July 4th, 2018.  (Nicholas Badders / Sonoma Stompers)

SONOMA, Calif. – After a closes loss Tuesday against the San Rafael Pacifics, the Sonoma Stompers looked to rebound against the Vallejo Admirals, but for the second consecutive night, the nail-biting contest concluded in favor of the visitors, with the Admirals pulling out on top 5-4 in front of a season-high crowd of 875 fans.

Dominic Topoozian turned in yet another stellar performance, pitching eight innings for the first time in his career, striking out eight along the way, also a single-game career high.

The Stompers matched Vallejo’s four runs over eight innings, getting the scoring started in the third with Rob DeAngelis’ RBI double, scoring Kevin Farley.

The Admirals countered with three runs in the fifth on a home run and added an insurance run in the eighth but the Stompers, like they have all season long, refused to give in, putting up five hits of their own in the bottom half, giving everyone in the lineup one hit on the day.

Marcus Bradley and Daniel Baptista contributed doubles, while Kenny Meimerstorf and Miles Williams added RBI singles to the cause, sending the game to the ninth tied 4-4.

Vallejo took the lead in the top of the ninth and despite Daniel Comstock’s second hit of the day, the Stompers 10th, Sonoma could not complete the comeback, falling for the second straight night.

Nearly the entire crowd stayed after the game to enjoy Sonoma’s Independence Day fireworks display from the field. Tomorrow, the Stompers welcome the Napa Silverados to town for a two-game series with both Thursday and Friday’s games beginning at 6:05 p.m.

STOMPERS CAN’T COMPLETE TOTAL COMEBACK, FALL TO PACIFICS

Kam Stewart bats in the third inning of the Sonoma Stompers game against the San Rafael Pacifics on Tuesday, July 3rd. (James W. Toy III / Sonoma Stompers)

SONOMA, Calif. – In game one of a six-game homestand, the Sonoma Stompers hoped to come out on top over the San Rafael Pacifics, but the late comeback was not enough as Sonoma fell 9-8.

The offense kicked into motion quickly, scoring five runs in the first two innings, with home runs from Kam Stewart and Daniel Comstock helping extend the Stompers’ lead early.

Patrick Conroy pitched well through the first three innings, but San Rafael chipped away on the Stompers lead, eventually pushing ahead in the fourth inning.

Despite being down four runs after seven innings, Sonoma did not give in, as Robert Maislin delivered two shutout innings to keep his team in the game. That allowed Comstock to bring the Stompers within two runs on his second homer of the day, another two-run shot, this one bringing the score to 9-7.

The Stompers pushed harder in the ninth, loading the bases and then bringing the tying run to third base, but the comeback could not culminate as the Pacifics held on for the victory.

Sonoma welcomes Vallejo into town Wednesday for their Fourth of July game. After the conclusion of the game, fans are invited to stay for the world-famous Sonoma fireworks. First pitch is at 6:05 p.m.

STOMPERS SWEEP DIAMONDS BEHIND STRONG START AND TWO HOME RUNS

(James W. Toy III / Sonoma Stompers)

PITTSBURG, Calif. – Following an extra-inning victory Saturday night over the Pittsburg Diamonds, the Sonoma Stompers looked for their second sweep over the Diamonds in 2018 and executed successfully, topping Pittsburg 7-2

Ethan Gibbons was tasked with facing the Diamonds for the third time in his six starts, having thrown seven innings of two-run baseball his last time facing them. Sunday’s result was similar, as Gibbons went seven innings for the third time this season, striking out five hitters while allowing just two runs.

It took a few innings for the offense to get rolling, but a run-scoring double from Miles Williams and an RBI single from Kevin Farley in the fourth gave Sonoma a 2-1 lead.

While Pittsburg tied the game in the bottom of the fourth, the Stompers put away the game in the fifth when Daniel Comstock and Kenny Meimerstorf crushed back-to-back home runs to bring in three runs and send the score to 5-2.

Two more runs came home on a two-out single from Comstock in the fifth and with Gibbons working effectively on the mound, seven runs wass more than enough for Sonoma to pull out the victory.

“Today I was really mixing my pitches well,” Gibbons said. “It was good to get the win today, end the week 4-2. It was good to get a nine-inning win today and come back strong next week.”

The Stompers kick off a six-game homestand Tuesday night against the San Rafael Pacifics with first pitch scheduled for 6:05 p.m.

STOMPERS SIGN FORMER SEVENTH ROUND DRAFT PICK MATTHEWS

SONOMA, Calif. – The Sonoma Stompers are proud to welcome left-handed pitcher Kenny Matthews to the organization. Matthews is a former seventh round draft pick by the Cleveland Indians and joins the team Sunday.

“It’s exciting, a new chapter in my pro career,” Matthews said. “I can’t wait to go out with the guys and get some wins. This is a great opportunity to stay in pro baseball and get some great competition.”

Selected in 2013, Matthews played three seasons in the Indians organization, reaching Class-A ball in 2014. In 88.2 innings, he struck out 83 batters and earned a 3.25 ERA.

After leaving affiliated baseball, he played with the Winnipeg Goldeyes, where he worked a 2.63 ERA over 41 innings in 2017. That season, he won the American Association championship with Winnipeg.

“We're thrilled to bring Kenny into our organization,” Stompers general manager Brett Creamer said. “He's going to be a key contributor out of the bullpen for us this season. His track record and experience really stood out to us and we're excited to have him.”

Before being selected by Cleveland, Matthews was drafted out of Diamond Bar High School in the 12th round of the 2011 draft by the New York Mets. He instead chose to go to college and went on to play at Cal State Fullerton and Riverside Community College before going pro.

The Stompers play the Pittsburg Diamonds on the road Sunday and return home Tuesday to begin a six-game homestand.

STOMPERS COME BACK AND WIN IN EXTRAS FOR THIRD TIME OF WEEK

(James W. Toy III / Sonoma Stompers)

PITTSBURG, Calif. – After a rough series in Vallejo, the Sonoma Stompers faced off against the Pittsburg Diamonds in the first game of a weekend series and strung together 10 hits en route to the team's third extra-inning win over the week, a 9-6 final over the Diamonds.

The hot hitting continued from Friday, with Rob DeAngelis collecting three hits and Daniel Comstock, Kenny Meimerstorf and Rayson Romero all notching two in the game.

Sonoma and Pittsburg battled back and forth all night long, tying the game up and exchanging the lead multiple times from the beginning.

A single from Comstock and a double from Meimerstorf gave the Stompers a 2-0 first inning lead, but the Diamonds tied the score at two in the bottom of the second. A Comstock sac fly gave Sonoma the lead back in the third but Vallejo tied it up once again in the fourth.

Comstock scored in the top of the sixth, but the Diamonds put together three runs in the bottom half of the inning to take a lead they carried into the ninth.

DeAngelis led off the top of the ninth and crushed a solo home run, the first of his professional career, to tie the game at six runs each and force extra innings.

"I was looking for a good pitch to hit and I got it early," DeAngelis said. "We knew something was brewing, we were excited. Especially with extras."

Playing past the ninth for the fourth time in the last seven days, Sonoma wasted no time jumping out on top, as Meimerstorf scored on a wild pitch and Romero singled in Miles Williams and Kevin Farley to put the Stompers on top 9-6.

After a five-inning outing from Juan Espinosa, in which he allowed just three runs and no walks, D.J. Sharabi delivered four innings of relief, striking out three while also giving up just three runs. Sharabi’s extended performance pathed the way for Jacob Cox to lock down his league-leading eighth save of the day on his 25th birthday.

Now five games about .500, the Stompers prepare for the weekend’s second game against Pittsburg Sunday afternoon where they will go for the sweep.

STOMPERS SWEPT IN VALLEJO DESPITE MULTIPLE COMEBACKS

(James W. Toy III / Sonoma Stompers)

VALLEJO, Calif. – Looking to increase their win streak from three, the Sonoma Stompers faced off against the Vallejo Admirals on the road, but were unable to leave Wilson Park with a win, dropping both games by scores of 11-10 and 17-8.

Thursday’s game saw multiple comebacks from the Stompers and was the team’s fourth extra inning game of the season. Daniel Baptista and Eddie Mora-Loera led the way, each driving in three runs with five hits combined.

The Stompers scored four in the sixth to take a 4-2 lead, then despite Vallejo countering with six runs between the seventh and eighth innings, Sonoma continued to hit, adding on four in the ninth including run-scoring hits from Baptista and Mora-Loera that sent the game to extras.

Two innings of scoreless relief late from Ryan Richardson kept the game close and gave the chance for the Stompers to take the lead in the 10th. A two-RBI double from Mora-Loera did just that, putting Sonoma up 10-8.

The lead did not hold as Vallejo scored two in the bottom of the 10th, then walked off in the 11th to win the game 11-10.

Both the Admirals and Stompers came out swinging early Friday, as the game was tied at six after three innings.

Mora-Loera collected his second straight three-hit game and Miles Williams, Daniel Comstock, Kenny Meimerstorf, Mitchell Ho and Kevin Farley all contributed multi-hit efforts in the 15-hit game.

Ho blasted his fifth home run of the season to open up the scoring in the second and singles from Comstock, Meimerstorf, Williams and Mora-Loera helped plate five runs in the third.

Sonoma added two more in the fourth on back-to-back-to-back doubles from Meimerstorf, Rob DeAngelis and Williams, giving the team 13 hits through the first four innings.

Two more hits in the seventh were the only offense the Stompers could muster as 11 unanswered runs over the final four innings cemented a 17-8 victory for the Admirals.

The Stompers next face the Pittsburg Diamonds for two games in Pittsburg Saturday and Sunday at 5:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. respectively.