Romo’s scoreless inning not enough to beat surging Stockton
Stockton’s Argenis Raga is forced out at second base by San Jose shortstop C.J. Hinojosa in the second inning during Sunday’s game at Stockton Ballpark. MICHAEL MCCOLLUM/FOR THE RECORD
STOCKTON – San Francisco Giants relief pitcher and three-time World Series champion Sergio Romo was the biggest name at Stockton Ballpark Sunday afternoon, but his scoreless inning of rehabilitation work wasn’t enough to keep the Ports from winning the third and final game of their four-game series with San Jose.
After losing all 10 of their matchups against the San Jose Giants in the first half of the season, the Ports are turning their season around. Sunday’s 7-4 win in front of 3,015 fans capped their third consecutive series win.
Romo induced a fly out to center field, then struck out the next two Ports to finish off his 17-pitch effort. Eleven of those went for strikes, and his fastball was clocked at 87 miles per hour.
“That’s usually what I’m around, so yeah, I’ll take that,” said Romo, making his first appearance to Stockton Ballpark since pitching with San Jose in 2007. “I was just glad I got some work in, I felt healthy on the mound.”
One pitch before striking out Ports cleanup hitter Joe Bennie, Romo stumbled off the mound and limped around momentarily as coaches and trainers rushed to the mound. He shook them off and won the debate to remain on the mound for the final out.
“That was nothing, just over-excited to throw a pitch,” explained Romo, who was placed on the disabled list in April with a flexor strain in his right forearm. “I remember this park being closer to the water, and in my opinion, one of the newer, nicer parks. At the end of the day it was nice to be able to reflect back on the time I did spend here. I definitely had good memories.”
Stockton (3-1 second half, 30-44 overall) led 5-4 through five innings, and that’s when Richie Martin entered the batter’s box as the first to face Romo. He struck the ball hard, but Ronnie Jebavy made a diving catch in center field to rob Martin of a hit.
“It was nice to face a big-leaguer, but he was just another guy,” Martin said. “You can’t really think of it, or be intimidated by a guy like that. He caught it, but that’s how it goes. You can’t dwell on it.”
Part of Stockton’s turnaround has been due to leadoff hitter James Harris, who tripled high off the wall in the fourth inning.
“I thought it was out, but it’s fun to take a triple around the bases and go in with a slide,” said Harris, who represented the Ports at the Carolina-California League All-Star this month at Lake Elsinore. “You play this game to get dirty, ever since we were little kids.
“Man, we’ve battled (San Jose) tough all year, so it’s good to put some W’s on the board,” he added. “They’re a good team, but we’re a good team, too. Some guys are starting to come around.”
Each team scored in its first at-bat with Stockton’s B.J. Boyd tying the game at 1-1 with a single that scored Harris, who reached with a walk.
Pimentel and Brown scored in the bottom of the third on Argenis Raga’s double off the left-centerfield wall. The hitting barrage continued when Jose Brizuela singled in Raga for a 4-1 advantage. The three-run rally on four consecutive hits occurred after the first two batters grounded out.
Stockton increased its lead to 5-1 in the fourth with Harris’ triple and single by Boyd for his second RBI of the game and 30th of the season.
San Jose (1-3, 39-31) rallied for a pair of runs in the top of the fifth, cutting Stockton’s lead to 5-3 and knocking starter Zack Erwin out of the game one out shy of qualifying for his fourth win of the season. He allowed three runs on seven hits, two walks and four strikeouts.
When reliever Koby Gauna entered, he promptly allowed a home run to Jose Vizcaino Jr. for a 5-4 Ports lead. The three-run inning ended when Daniel Carbonell grounded out.
Jose Brizuela’s two-run home run, his sixth of the season, in the seventh proved to be the game’s final runs.