Ports Fall Victim to San Jose Hit Parade, Dropped 14-1

San Jose, CA – The Ports allowed a season-high 22 hits and mustered just four of their own as Stockton was drubbed by the San Jose Giants 14-1 on Friday night at Excite Ballpark in the South Bay.

The Ports (48-82) took the lead in the top of the first inning against San Jose starter Joe Ross. With Will Simpson on second base after a single and fielders’ choice, Carlos Franco lined a single to right field to drive score Simpson and give the Ports a 1-0 lead.

The offensive onslaught by the Giants (68-62) began in the bottom of the first. With Cole Foster at first base and one out, Diego Velasquez launched a two-run homer to right field off Ports starter Alejandro Manzano to give San Jose a 2-1 lead.

The Giants blew the game open in the bottom of the third inning. Two singles and a hit by pitch loaded the bases with one out for Javier Francisco who clubbed a double over the head of Pedro Pineda in center field to score two runs making it 4-1. With runners on second and third, Dilan Rosario lifted an 0-2 pitch to right center to drive in two more runs extending the Giants lead to 6-1. Alexander Suarez then greeted new Stockton pitcher Franyelson Rodriguez with a single to center field to score Rosario making it 7-1.

Velasquez kept a big night going when he drove in another run with a double in the fifth and scored when Justin Wishkoski singled to left center to give San Jose a 9-1 lead.

After plating another run in the seventh to make it 10-1, the Giants put together a two-out rally with two outs and nobody on in the bottom of the eighth on four hits and an error to take a 14-1 lead.

Every Giant that saw the field hat at least one hit, and San Jose had at least one hit in every inning.

Giants’ reliever Joe Whitman (1-0) got the win with two shutout innings of relief with four strikeouts. Manzano (0-3) suffered the loss for Stockton allowing seven runs on nine hits in 2.1 innings. Marques Johnson fired three shutout innings to end the ballgame to pick up his first save of the season.

After dropping three in a row, the Ports will look to bounce back in the penultimate game of the 2023 season on Saturday evening at Excite Ballpark in San Jose. First pitch is scheduled for 6:00 pm.