Pacifics, Arnold Field down Stompers in first championship series game

The Sonoma Stompers meet the San Rafael Pacifics for the league championship for the fourth time in the last five years. The Pacifics have beaten the Stompers in two of the last three playoff meetings.

But it wasn't just the Pacifics that defeated the Stompers in the first game of the three-game series, on Friday, Aug. 30. Strange events at Arnold Field began early, when a foul ball hit an umpire in the head, and he was forced to leave the game.

Then the lights went out for 20 minutes, dampening whatever momentum the struggling Stompers hoped to build. When the lights came back on, another umpire was out.

Then in the bottom of ninth, with the Stompers down to their last hit and only one working umpire on the field, the lights went out again.

"Crazy game in Sonoma," reported field announcer Trey Dunia on Facebook.

Both starters looked unhittable through the first 3 innings, though Sonoma had pulled a last-minute switch with Vijay Patel (7-1) on the mound instead of Nick Barnese as had been announced.

San Rafael jumped out to an early lead in the top of the fourth inning. After Patel got a quick first out, he walked Yeiler Peguero and hit Axel Johnson. With two outs, Zane Gelphman drove in the pair with a single, putting San Rafael out in front 2-0. Another hit and a hit-by-pitch loaded the bases and knocked Patel out of the game.

Marshall Shill (1-0) was the first reliever to come out of the bullpen for manager Zack Pace. Shill's aim was no better: he hit Montelongo with the bases loaded to bring in a third run in the inning and give the Pacifics a 3-0 lead.

The Stompers responded in the bottom of the 5th inning against Justin Watland (3-0). A Bronson Butcher leadoff single and a one-out walk by Nick Gotta brought they tying run to the plate. On a 1-0 pitch, Jacob Barfield launched a laser home run to left-center field, tying the game 3-3.

After a clean inning from Jacob Cox (3-0), Lenny Gwizdala (0-2) came into the game in the 7th. After striking out the first batter, Gwizdala got Peguero to pop up in between the mound and home plate. Miscommunication between Gwizdala and Butcher resulted in an error and Peguero reaching first base.

Johnson drove him in with a base hit to give the Pacifics a 4-3 lead. Gelphman added to the injury with a 2-run bomb to extend the San Rafael lead to 6-3.

The Stompers answered right back with two runs in the bottom half of the inning on an RBI double by Brent Gillespie to score Pedro Barrios. Gillespie later scored on a bases-loaded walk to Rayson Romero, inching the Stompers closer, 6-5.

But in the top of the 9th inning San Rafael scored twice more with the help of 2 Stomper errors, extending the lead out to 8-5, where it ended - after the 9th inning delay.

The Stompers thus became immediate series underdogs, losing Game 1 while stranding 13 baserunners.

The game was a trial for fans as well as players: it didn't get underway until almost 6:30 p.m., and by the time the final out was logged at 11:24, almost five hours had elapsed and only die-hard remained in the stands.

Game 2 is at Albert Park in San Rafael on Saturday, Aug. 31 at 5 p.m. Perhaps Nick Barnese will have better luck.

Game 3, if necessary, will be back at Arnold Field on Sunday evening, Sept. 1, at 6:05 p.m.