Stompers’ Miyoshi notches 100th win

Sonoma looks to nail down second-half title|

Sonoma Stomper manager Takashi Miyoshi earned his 100th win as manager Wednesday night, when his team defeated the San Rafael Pacifics 6-5 in extra innings.

“It means a lot to me because it means so many players helping me out to get me a win. It’s more than numbers, it just reminds me how hard players work behind me,” Miyoshi said. “I just appreciate everybody who played for me the last two-and-a-half years.”

Miyoshi is 100-62 as manager of the Stompers and can count a 2016 Pacific Association Championship and first-half titles in 2016 and 2017 among his accomplishments.

“I’m just happy. But at the same time, I’m going for the thousandth win. This is just the beginning,” Miyoshi said.

With the victory, the Stompers improve their record in extra-inning games to 5-1 on the season.

Down 3-2 in the bottom of the ninth, pinch hitter Joel Carranza stepped up to the plate with runners on the corners. He tapped an infield hit to third, allowing Sonoma to tie the game.

Pacifics’ starter Max Beatty kept the Stompers off the board until the eighth and did not allow a Stompers hit until the fifth. Sonoma struck for three base hits off of the former Chicago White Sox farmhand.

Carranza’s knock sent the Stompers to extras, where Jacob Cox held down the top of the 10th and Yuki Yasuda gave the Stompers a walk-off win with a base hit up the middle. Yasuda has recorded a hit in his last five games and reached base in every game since July 5.

“Nothing surprises me. I made the lineup tonight for a reason, Yuki doesn’t usually hit in the three hole,” Miyoshi said. “I’m just using my weapons in the best way that I can.”

Cox picked up the win in the game despite Tyler Garkow’s 11-strikeout, five-hit performance. Garkow’s last time out, he lost a pitchers’ duel after striking out 12, a season high he has reached twice this season.

Zach Wendorf pitched two no-hit, no-run innings in relief. His outing allowed the Sonoma offense to make some noise by engineering two runs in the eighth.

Tuesday, the Stompers opened the second half with a 12-7 win over the Pacifics.

Scott David was the primary threat, driving in four of the Stompers’ 12 runs.

David’s effort was his second four-RBI performance in his last four games. Last Thursday, David drove in six runs against the Pittsburg Diamonds.

It was his teammate’s ability to get on base that allowed him to do so, as Marcus Bradley went three-for-four on Tuesday while Matt Hibbert reached base every time he entered the batter’s box.

“Our lineup is just so dangerous, one through nine. It doesn’t matter where you’re hitting,” David said. “You’ve got so many guys that can do so much damage with the bat, it makes it easy.”

The Stompers hope the victory establishes momentum for the remainder of the half, as a second-half title would make Sonoma the outright Pacific Association champions. The Stompers won 28 games en route to a first-half title, setting both a league and franchise record.

“We definitely wanted to come out and state that we want to win the first and second half. It’s always good to get the first win out of the way. It’s another opening day almost,” David said.

The Stompers improve to 30-11 overall and 2-0 in the second half while the Pacifics drop to 15-23, 0-2.

The Stompers continue their home stand this weekend when the Pittsburg Diamonds come to town. Game time Friday, Saturday and Sunday is 6 p.m.

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