Stompers streak ends at nine with 8-7 loss

The second half of the 2017 Pacific Association season began pretty much the way the first half did – with a promising winning streak for the Sonoma Stompers, currently sitting atop the league standings.

That streak, nine games in all, ended on Wednesday night with an 8-7 loss to the Pittsburg Diamonds on the road, but the Stompers are still 11 games ahead of second-place Diamonds, who managed to reach the .500 second-half mark in Wednesday’s game.

Stompers starter Taylor Thurber has been dominant this season, coming into Wednesday’s game 3-0 with a 1.38 ERA, having not allowed more than two runs in an outing so far. He delivered again on the mound through four innings before the Pacifics ruined his numbers, shaking five combined runs out of him in the fifth and sixth.

“Thurber competes every time he’s up there. Tonight probably wasn’t his best stuff, but he still competed all the way until he got pulled out,” said right fielder Marcus Bradley.

For the Stompers, veteran Yuki Yasuda knocked his third extra base hit in three days and went 3 for 4 on the night. Bradley walked three times, got two hits and scored two of the Stomper runs. “I was just trying to get on base. I was the two-hole hitter, so that’s my job, to let the big bats do theirs,” Bradley said.

Bradley and the Pacifics’ Demetrius Moorer have drawn 44 walks apiece this season, 11 more than the next-best player in the league.

The game was tied in the seventh inning when Daniel Baptista roped a double to center to bring in Yasuda and give the Stompers the lead. But it wouldn’t last long, as the Pacifics’ roared back with two runs in the eighth to make the score 8-7, and the Stompers couldn’t get a run across in the final inning.

On Tuesday night the winds were blowing in the Stompers favor, and their 8-3 victory kept the second-half streak going. Yasuda set the offense ablaze with a second-inning solo home run off of Pacifics starter Max Beatty. It was Yasuda’s second home run in as many games and his fifth of the season.

Meanwhile, Stompers starter Tyler Garkow pitched five innings of one-run ball, then handed the game to reliever Ryan Richardson. Garkow’s strong showing gave him the win, improving his record to 5-1.

Richardson struck out the side in the sixth before Dominic Topoozian came to the mound in the next frame with the bases loaded. At the plate was the tying run and the Pacifics’ most powerful offensive threat, Jake Taylor. Taylor leads the Pacific Association with 14 home runs, four more than reigning Most Valuable Player and 2016 home-run king, Joel Carranza.

“Obviously he’s a great hitter,” said Tapoozian. “My mentality was just attacking him with my best stuff, really trying to get ahead and that’s what I did.” He induced a groundout double-play to end the inning.

Topoozian came to the Stompers earlier this month, after an 11-0 season at Fresno State. “Ever since I stepped foot in the locker room these guys have been nothing but good to me,” Topoozian said. “It’s fun being with them. I’m glad I came to a great organization.”

The Stompers face the Pacifics in a series-deciding matchup on Thursday at Albert Park at 7:05., results not available at press time. Their next home game is Friday night, when they open a three-game series against San Rafael at Arnold Field, 6 p.m. first pitch.

Tickets are available online at stompersbaseball.com or at the fan shop, at 234 W. Napa St. Tickets will also be available at the box office on game days, beginning 30 minutes prior to the game.