Stompers take Pittsburg series

Hoping to sweep their inaugural Pacific Association of Professional Baseball League home series before a third straight large Arnold Field crowd, the Sonoma Stompers had last Thursday night's three-game finale in their grasp with a 2-0 ninth-inning lead over San Rafael.

But the Pacifics rallied past Sonoma for a 2-2 last-inning tie and sent the game into extra innings, where San Rafael managed to prevail with a run in the 11th frame for a 3-2 win.

Then in Friday evening's three-game PAPB road series opener at City Park Field in Pittsburg, the Stompers couldn't mount much of an offense and were handed a staggering 11-2 loss.

With left-handed starter Eric Schwieger on the mound Saturday, visiting Sonoma found its hitting stroke to the tune of 11 hits in support of its eventual winning pitcher in an 8-7 triumph over the Mettle.

While Schwieger went 6-2/3 innings for the win, yielding eight hits and five runs, striking out six and walking none, the Stompers were led offensively by Joel Carranza's two-for-four, including a solo home run and two runs scored; Charlie Mirabal's two-for-three and three RBIs; Jayce Ray's two-for-four with a triple and a run; Reid Chenworth's two-for-five, including a double and RBI; Artiz Garcia's homer, two RBIs and a run; Steve Rinaudo's single, two runs and an RBI; and Jaime Del Valle's single and run.

On Sunday in Pittsburg, Sonoma powered up behind Rinaudo, Ray, Carranza and Matt Hibbert and posted an 8-5 series-sealing victory over the Mettle, with Yuki Sakama picking up the pitching win with late relief work.

Leading the Stompers were Rinaudo's three-for-four, including a home run, double, two RBIs and a run; Hibbert's three-RBI triple and run; Carranza's double and two RBIs; Ray's double, RBI and run; Chenworth's two-for-five; Mirabal and Del Valle's single each; and a run apiece by Garcia, T.J. Gavlik and Andrew Parker.

The Sonoma Stompers begin a six-game home stand at 7:05 p.m. tonight under the Arnold Field lights as the Vallejo Admirals are in town for a three game series, followed by a three-game set with the Pittsburg Mettle.

Game and season tickets for Sonoma Stompers’ home games at Arnold Field can be purchased at stompersbaseball.com or eventbrite.com/e/2014-sonoma-stompers-season-tickets-33-home-games-tickets-11232656177.