Sonoma Stompers home-run hitters take four in a row

The Sonoma Stompers claimed their fourth straight victory Sunday afternoon at Palooza Park behind three home runs, including a go-ahead grand slam from Kevin Farley that was the difference in the 11-7 score over the Martinez Clippers.

Like they did for much of the home stand, the Stompers took an early lead, scoring three runs in the third inning on four hits, ending with a two-RBI double from Daniel Baptista.

Despite the Clippers scoring six runs in the fifth, the offense did not waver, responding with two runs in the bottom half to keep within striking distance when Miles Williams connected for a two-run homer to make the score 7-5.

Two innings later, hitting with one out and a runner on second once more in the seventh, Williams connected again for his fourth home run in two days, giving him 10 on the season and tying the score at 7-7.

With two outs, Sonoma battled to load the bases for Kevin Farley, who entered the inning 0-3 on the day. The third baseman broke the tie with a big blast to left field for a grand slam, his first home run of the season and Sonoma’s fourth bases-loaded jack this year.

“I was just trying to be on time for a fastball,” Farley said. “I’ve been having a lot of good at-bats these last few games being in the lineup. I just got a good pitch to hit and got barrel to it.”

Cole Watts, D.J. Sharabi and Ryan Richardson combined for four scoreless innings at the end of the game to hold the game and end the Stompers’ home stand on a high note, an 11-7 victory that improved Sonoma to 21-13.

Williams slapped two into the bleachers the previous night, Saturday, putting the Stompers up 5-1 over the Clippers by the fifth inning. But Sonoma’s relief pitching faltered in the late innings when Kenny Mathews gave up a game-tying grand slam to Martinez third baseman Alan Mocahbee in the top of the eighth.

Then in bottom of the inning, two walks and a two-out hit from Mitchell Ho gave the Stompers the 6-5 lead that allowed closer Jacob Cox to secure the team’s third straight win, and his league-leading ninth save of the season.

“We have some pretty good guys swinging the bat,” Farley said. “As long as we’re taking good at-bats, we’re scoring runs.”

The two-game sweep of the Clippers followed a similar two-game run against the Napa Silverados, with 8-6 and 9-8 wins Thursday and Friday. Napa and Martinez are the two new teams in the Pacific Association league this year.

The Stompers at this point in the season are in second place, just one game ahead of the Vallejo Admirals. First-place San Rafael has a 25-9 record.

After a day off Monday, the Stompers head to Napa Tuesday for another two-game set with the Silverados, before returning home Thursday and Friday to face San Rafael.