Stompers having second-half blues

After winning first half, are only 3-6 in second half|

The Sonoma Stompers didn’t have the best of weekends, losing two of three to the Pittsburg Diamonds and falling into third place in the Pacific Association.

Pittsburg took Friday and Sunday’s games, while the Stompers salvaged the Saturday game.

Sunday, Taylor Thurber has been a sure thing in his three starts since being moved into the starting rotation. The Stompers were trying to win a series after starting the week with four straight losses. Thurber had his best stuff Sunday and effectively moved his way through the Diamonds lineup.

But he ran into trouble in the third inning when Thomas Shull doubled off the left field wall to begin the inning. Shadows often are tough to deal with at Arnold Field during these summer evenings and both Thurber and Diamonds starter Chris Cummins took advantage of the shadows. But one play involving the shadows proved to be the difference in the game.

John Contreras followed Shull and launched a ball out to right field that Mark Hurley apparently lost in the shadows, scoring one run and putting another runner at second. Another run scored in the inning on a groundout to give the Diamonds a 2-0 lead. Sonoma’s bats could not fight back from the early deficit and dropped the series finale by a score of 2-1.

But the Stompers couldn’t string hits together as the only Stompers who finished with multiple hits were Matt Hibbert and Joel Carranza. Hibbert and Carranza were also responsible for the only run as Carranza knocked in Hibbert on a sacrifice fly in the sixth.

Thurber threw his second consecutive complete game and was outstanding even in a losing effort. He gave up only four hits and a walk while striking out nine. Thurber has only allowed four earned runs in his last 26 innings pitched, and has been as good as any starter since being moved into the rotation with a 2.20 ERA in his four starts.

The next six games could decide the Stompers fate in the second half race.

They are facing the San Rafael Pacifics in a week-long series starting Tuesday at Arnold Field. Sonoma (26-22) has struggled against the Pacifics so far this season going 3-9 against them, and they trail the Pacifics (28-20) by four games in the second half standings.

If Sonoma’s struggles continue against San Rafael, they will probably see their chances of a second half pennant slip through their fingers. But the Stompers will have a good opportunity to get off on the right foot Tuesday with the ace Sean Conroy scheduled to start against San Rafael.

Saturday, starting pitcher Mike Jackson Jr. came out on the mound with the weight of four losses on his shoulders and did not back down from the challenge. “It was very important for me to come out here and attack these guys on every pitch and every at bat to give the team confidence. I had to come out and dominate and do whatever I had to do to give our team this win,” said Jackson.

Sonoma’s bats had been silenced in recent games, but found its rhythm in an 8-2 victory over the Diamonds. They used the long ball to put five runs on the board in the first three innings. Carranza launched his eighth homer of the season to jumpstart the offense in the first to give Sonoma a 3-0 lead and then Hurley hit a towering homer in the third that gave the Stompers a 5-0 advantage.

Friday, the Stompers again made baseball history when they started the first all-female battery with Kelsie Whitmore pitching and Anna Kimbrell catching.

It wasn’t a good night as the Stompers managed only three hits in a 13-0 loss to the Diamonds.

This week, the Stompers host San Rafael at Arnold Field on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday – all games at 6 p.m. – and then travel to San Rafael Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Tickets for Stompers home contests are available on StompersBaseball.com. Fan merchandise, and tickets are also available inside The Fan Shop located at 234 W. Napa St. in Sonoma. For more information on the team, contact the Stompers at info@stompersbaseball.com.

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