Ports enjoy power surge

Posted Jul. 19, 2016 at 12:01 AM
Updated Jul 19, 2016 at 10:03 PM

STOCKTON — The Stockton Ports have not relied on the long ball this season.

In the past few weeks, however, the home run has become a consistent weapon.

The Ports have just one hitter with more than 10 home runs going into Tuesday’s game against the Modesto Nuts at Stockton Ballpark, but have had at least one as a team in the past 10 games and have 13 in that span.

Tuesday’s contest was not completed at press time.

Stockton has been a decent hitting team this season and is fourth in the league with a .264 overall batting average. Two of its members are in the top five in doubles — Joe Bennie (26) and James Harris (24).

But the recent homers are nice.

“We’ve hitting all year, pretty much. But we don’t have what you would call any real boppers,” Ports manager Rick Magnante said. “But power comes with maturity and experience, as hitters get better they tend to swing at pitches they can hit.

“Of course they are difference makers. Everybody loves to get the three-run homer.”

Infielder Jose Brizuela hit homers in consecutive games on Sunday and Monday, and said the Ports’ power hitting is warming up as the season moves into the late summer.

“The weather is hotter, and people seem to be settling in better,” Brizuela said. “I played with a lot of these guys last year at (low Class A) Beloit, and I thought that was a pretty good power-hitting team. The power is there.”

Sandber Pimentel leads Stockton with 14 home runs. James Harris, who has five homers, has also been the Ports’ most consistent hitter, especially at home.

He has reached base in his in 30 consecutive games at Stockton Ballpark, and on Monday had his 19-game home hitting streak snapped.

“This is a hitter-friendly park,” Harris said. “You just try to put together good at bats, and put a good swing. If you elevate the ball and get it up in the right jet stream, it will go.”

While the homer can give you an edge, it can also go the other way. And the Ports were the victims of a strange homer in their 9-3 loss to the Nuts on Monday in front of 1,714 fans.

With Stockton trailing 1-0 going into the top of the fourth inning, Modesto had two runners on with one out and Max White at the plate. White hit a fly ball to right field off Stockton starter Kyle Friedrichs (3-2) toward right fielder Bennie, who had the ball in his mitt in the field of play. But the ball bounced out of his glove and over the fence for a three-run homer.

“I’ve never seen anything like that. The ball wasn’t going out on its own,” Magnante said. ‘All of a sudden its three runs, and they add another in the inning.”