Stompers end 4-game skid

Sweep series from Diamonds; Metzger on 15-game hitting streak|

After a rare four-game losing streak, the Sonoma Stompers swept a three-game series over the weekend from the Pittsburg Diamonds to protect their one-game lead over the Vallejo Admirals.

Sunday, the Stompers topped the Diamonds 9-4.

With a 3-1 lead in the seventh, Brennan Metzger shot a single up the middle – extending his hitting streak to 15 games – and scoring center fielder Matt Hibbert in the process. Metzger’s knock ignited the Stompers offense, which strung together six runs in the frame. The explosive effort came after an eight-run eighth in Saturday night’s game.

“I feel like we just went back to our approach, making starting pitchers throw a lot of pitches early in the game and getting to the bullpen,” Hibbert said. Hibbert also delivered on offense in the contest, going five-for-five and scoring three times. On the mound, starter Juan Espinosa pitched seven strong innings, striking out five and allowing just one earned run.

“He just deals. He works fast, he keeps people off balance. He’s just smart. I feel like any time we have Espy on the mound we just have a good chance to win,” Hibbert said.

The Stompers were swept by the Vallejo Admirals to begin the week, but responded with their ninth sweep of the season. With Vallejo on a 5-1 run in their last six games, Sonoma has been unable to extend their lead to more than one game in the Pacific Association standings.

“It’s a brand new season, it really is,” Hibbert said. “Like (manager Takashi Miyoshi) says, we’ve got to keep up, we can’t stop grinding. We know we’re the team with the target on our backs.”

Saturday night, the lights at at Arnold Field flickered and went out in the seventh inning. The game was delayed as the lights reset, but when they came back on, so did the Sonoma offense.

The Stompers, strung together an eight-run rally in the next inning. After Sonoma capitalized on a handful of errors and walks to tie the game at seven, Scott David hit a towering three-run triple into the gap to give the Stompers a three-run lead.

David was also the one at the plate when the lights went off the inning before. Closer Jacob Cox pitched a quick ninth inning to secure the Stompers’ 11-7 victory.

Prior to the eighth, the Stompers offense flickered, recording just five hits compared to the Diamonds’ 12. Three of those hits came off the bat of Metzger.

“It’s just kind of clicking right now. I feel good at the plate, I’m seeing the ball well. Sometimes, you get lucky too,” Metzger said.

Catcher Isaac Wenrich also lit up the Stompers at the plate, driving in four runs on Saturday.

On the mound, starter Taylor Thurber allowed three earned runs through 4.1 innings, striking out four and walking one. In relief, Zach Wendorf recorded another scoreless outing and continued a run of solid appearances.

Friday, the Stompers broke a four-game losing streak with a 9-3 victory over the Diamonds.

Sonoma starter Tyler Garkow struck out eight through 6.2 innings, issuing just one walk. The performance marked his last one as a Stomper before heading to the Washington WildThings of the Frontier League.

Garkow is the second Stomper to ascend to a higher league this season as bullpen arm Ryan Richardson left to play in Japan in early August.

“Garkow is a great guy on and off the field, hard worker on and off. Every day I see him at the gym, he’s never lazy. He definitely deserves this opportunity,” said manager Takashi Miyoshi.

Metzger, who’s on a hot streak, went four-for-five. He has recorded a hit in every game since July 19. Yuki Yasuda and Derrick Fox also contributed on offense, going four-for-four and three-for-five, respectively.

The sweep keeps the Stompers on top in the second half-standings, holding a one-game lead over the Admirals.

The Stompers will travel to Vallejo on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday before hosting the Admirals next weekend in Sonoma’s last home-stand of the year. Sonoma finishes the season on the road with three against San Rafael, Vallejo and Pittsburg with the season coming to a close on Aug. 31.

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