Sonoma Stompers snare a win between losses to San Rafael

Despite a complete-game shutout thrown by Ty’Relle Harris on Saturday night, the league-leading Sonoma Stompers had a tough weekend at Arnold Field, dropping two of three to rival San Rafael Pacifics.

Friday night’s game found Juan Espinosa striking out nine, giving up only two runs over seven and one-third innings pitched. But San Rafael starter Nick DeBarr gave up just one earned run through seven innings, backing a Pacifics’ offensive attack powered by home runs from Juan Herrera in the second and, the decider, a grand slam in the eighth inning to put the game out of reach.

Not that the Stompers didn’t try a rally of their own. In a late comeback attempt, Daniel Baptista went deep to left in the eighth with an RBI-double to give the Stompers a second run. Final score was 7-2, but the players felt it was closer than the scoreboard showed.

“This whole game we were close,” said Espinosa, who got the loss despite a fine pitching performance. It was just two pitches that changed the game. That’s the game we play. That’s baseball. We just need to execute when we have to, especially in those crucial moments with bases loaded.”

The Stompers got a taste of revenge the next night, Saturday, with Harris leading the locals to a 6-0 victory. “I give a lot of credit to Daniel Comstock,” Harris said of his catcher. “We made a lot adjustments from my last start that helped me pitch deeper into the game. I just had to trust my catcher, and my defense behind me.”

After the first inning, Harris did not allow another hit until a troubled eighth. After a single and two walks, the Pacifics slugger Herrera came to the plate with the bases loaded, representing the tying run. Herrera launched a deep fly ball into left center, but Matt LoCoco made an acrobatic leaping catch over the top of the wall to rob Herrera of his second grand slam in two days.

“I have no problem going out and making a play for any of our pitchers. They battle during every game, it’s my job to go out and support them,” said LoCoco. “That’s why I’m here.”

Sonoma set the tone on offense in the first inning with a Joel Carranza RBI single. Carranza added to the lead in the third with a second RBI single in a two-run inning to give the Stompers a 3-0 lead. Carranza finished the game 2 for 4 with two driven in.

Sunday night turned into a pitchers’ duel, with starter Tyler Garkow providing another quality start in what ended up a 1-0 loss against the Pacifics in Sunday’s series-deciding contest.

Garkow added eight strikeouts to his season total of 74, allowing just one earned run over seven and two-third innings pitched on an RBI single to DH Brent Gillespie.

“I felt good. I make sure I prepare well enough during the week and give myself and my team the best opportunity to go out there and win the game,” Garkow said.

Both teams were left scoreless through seven innings. Pacifics starter Max Beatty held the Stompers to just four hits and pitched his first complete game of the season.

“He threw a perfect game through five and two-thirds innings… He had everything going tonight,” Catcher Daniel Comstock said.

Comstock showed leadership behind the dish and provided one of the Stompers four hits throughout the night.

“I love throwing to Comstock. For me, Comstock is a guy that really works hard back there and I appreciate it. He’s a leader, for sure,” Garkow said.

The Stompers fall to 37-14 (9-3) on the season while San Rafael improves to 23-28 (6-6). Sonoma looks to bounce back against the Pittsburg Diamonds in another home series at People’s Home Equity Ballpark starting Tuesday. Game time is 6 p.m.