Stompers get extra-inning win

Sonoma in first place in Pacific Association with 18-5 record|

The Sonoma Stompers notched their second walk-off victory in three games on Wednesday against the San Rafael Pacifics with a 10-9 extra-inning stunner.

With runners on first and second per Pacific Association tiebreaker rules, and down 9-6, Eddie Mora-Loera and Matt Hibbert led off the bottom of the 10th with a base hit apiece. Marcus Bradley came up with the third hit in a row for the Stompers, scoring a pair to win the game.

It was Bradley who also knocked in the first run of the Stompers’ five-run seventh inning, going three-for-five on the night, scoring two runs and driving in four.

“Being able to (contribute to a rally) twice in one game, you don’t get to do it a lot and it feels good” Bradley said. “When you finally start seeing strikes it feels good. You know you can still swing and get hits.”

Bradley has quietly been an offensive force this season, leading the team in on base percentage at .512 and walks with 24.

“I just can’t take him out right now,” said Manager Takashi Miyoshi. “Everything he does is just working out. He’s hot and he’s taking pitches good and hitting the ball.”

Sonoma scored three of their runs Wednesday off of San Rafael starter James McReynolds, who had quieted the Stompers offense through the first six frames.

“In the beginning, we struggled and struggled and struggled hitting McReynolds, but again we stayed focused and in the game and just grinded it out,” Miyoshi said.

On the Sonoma side, starter Juan Espinosa did some silencing of his own. The only Pacifics run through six came on an error as Espinosa walked just one and struck out nine in 5-2/3 innings.

Both teams managed only seven hits in that span, but combined for a loud 18 runs in the following innings.

The Pacifics scored three runs off of newly-minted Stomper Zach Wendorf in the top of the seventh, but the Stompers evened the score in the bottom of the inning as first baseman Isaac Wenrich shot a single up the middle to score Bradley. Wenrich scored the go-ahead run and went four-for-five on the night.

“There’s a new hero every night. Tonight, Marcus stepped up and I got a couple hits but it always moves down the line for us,” Wenrich said.

The game continued to teeter-totter as the Pacifics responded with two runs of their own in the eighth. In the ninth, the Stompers loaded the bases and tied it up on a Masa Miyadera single.

“This team, we never give up,” Wenrich said.

Tuesday, the Stompers beat the Pacifics, 8-4, behind a four-run third inning and a solid outing from starter Tyler Garkow. In 5-1/3 innings of work, Garkow allowed one earned run and struck out nine.

The last time Pacifics starter Dakota Freese took the mound, he went nine innings and allowed just one hit. This time, Freese lasted only 1-1/3 innings, giving up five earned runs and seven walks.

“Pre-game, we always have a little meeting and talk about pitchers, and today’s focus was making him work,” said Wenrich “We had to be selective. A lot of guys tonight drew walks on 3-2. That’s a big part of what we tried to focus on, getting as many runners on base as possible.”

Sonoma capitalized on Freese’s mistakes, scoring five of their eight runs off him. The Stompers drew 11 walks and stole four bases, but recorded just four hits on the night off Pacifics pitching.

“I think it’s a testament to what we did that kind of got him out of his rhythm. We didn’t really swing at those ‘out’ pitches. We didn’t get to many 0-2, 1-2 counts,” Wenrich said. “He threw a lot of balls early and we took advantage of it.”

As a team, Sonoma has swiped 64 bags, nearly twice as many as the next-best Vallejo Admirals.

Center fielder Matt Hibbert picked up his 17th stolen base of the year and scored three of the Stompers’ eight runs, while Wenrich drove in two.

“Our hitters, we take an intense focus into the game and I think it’s really evident in just how well we’re doing this year,” Wenrich said. “It’s all the way through the lineup, guys on the bench as well.”

With the wins, the Stompers improve to 18-5 and are in first place in the Pacific Association while the third-place Pacifics drop to 8-14. The Stompers have a weekend series at Vallejo before returning for a six-game homestand next week as Pittsburg visits Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, July 4, 5 and 6, while Vallejo comes to town next Friday, Saturday and Sunday, July 7, 8 and 9.

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