Monday Baseball Bulletin

PORTS EARN SERIES SPLIT WITH NUTS

The Ports earned a series split with the Modesto Nuts this past week thanks to a strong performance from Wander Guante in yesterday's 8-3 win over the Nuts as the righty threw seven innings while allowing just one hit and striking out five, earning himself the California League Pitcher of the Week. The Ports have won eight of their last 13.

PREVIOUS GAMES AGAINST MODESTO

Monday, May 29 - The Modesto Nuts hit three home runs and scored six runs with two outs as the Ports dropped the series opener against their North Division rivals by the final of 10-2 on Monday evening at Banner Island Ballpark.
Wednesday, May 31 -The Ports got their first win over the Modesto Nuts in 2023 on Wednesday night, winning 4-2 on the strength of a three-run blast by Henry Bolte and some stingy Ports pitching.
Thursday, June 1 - The Modesto Nuts pulled away in the seventh inning on Thursday night at Banner Island Ballpark, taking game three of the six-game set 10-3 over the Ports.
Friday, June 2 - The Nuts rattled off 11 hits to score early, and often to beat the Ports Friday night at Banner Island Ballpark 8-1.
Saturday, June 3 - The Ports bounced back to stop a two game skid, with the help of the long ball, to beat the Nuts by a score of 5-4 in front of a crowd of 1,972 Saturday night at Banner Island Ballpark.
Sunday, June 4 - The Ports win back to back games to wrap up the homestand and earn a series split slugging their way to eight runs to beat the Nuts 8-3 in the series finale Sunday afternoon at Banner Island Ballpark.

TOP PERFORMERS

Henry Bolte: Bolte had a home run and five RBI in the series, including a three-run shot to lift the Ports over the Nuts in Wednesday's 4-2 win.
Colby Thomas: The outfielder had a home run and four RBI and threw a runner out at home for his first outfield assist of the season.
Wander Guante - Guante delivered his best performance of the season in Sunday's 8-3 win over the Nuts firing seven scoreless innings and allowed just one hit and punching out five.

SERIES PREVIEW vs. INLAND EMPIRE 66ERS

The Ports embark on a 12-Game road trip beginning with the Inland Empire 66ers (Los Angeles Angels Single-A affiliate) this week starting Tuesday, June 6th through Sunday, June 11th.

At Bat this Week

@ Inland Empire 66ers

San Manuel Stadium // Inland Empire 66ers

Tuesday, June 6 // 6:35 p.m. PT
Wednesday, June 7 // 6:35 p.m. PT
Thursday, June 8 // 6:35 p.m. PT
Friday, June 9 // 6:35 p.m. PT
Saturday, June 10 // 6:35 p.m. PT
Sunday, June 11 // 5:35 p.m. PT

Radio Stream: https://www.iheart.com/live/fox-sports-am-1280-5236/

MiLBTV/Bally Sports

Twitter: @Stocktonports

Facebook: @StocktonPorts

Instagram: @Stocktonports

On Deck

@ Lake Elsinore

The Diamond

Tuesday June 13 - Sunday, June 18 // Times vary

Following their six-game series against the 66ers, the Ports stay on the road to continue their 12-game road trip and face the Lake Elsinore Storm for the first time this season.

Against Inland Empire 66ers

This will be the first matchup of the season between the Ports and the 66ers. The two teams have played each other closely the previous two seasons with Inland Empire having the edge over the Ports 13-8 since 2021. In those 21 games, 19 of those games have been decided by three runs or less and 12 by one-run.

In those one-run games, the Ports are 4-7 against the 66ers. Since 2021, the Ports are 5-7 at San Manuel Stadium. Stockton is 8-16 on the road this season.

The 66ers are coming off a road series win against the first-place Rancho Cucamonga Quakes taking four of six. They are 11-13 at home this season.

The 66ers will be a tall task for the Ports pitching staff having the least amount of strikeouts in the Cal League so far this season while stealing the most bases. Inland Empire's small ball approach bodes well as the Ports defense will look to keep them in check having the most errors in the Cal League.

MAY TURNAROUND: After a dreadful April, the Ports have played much better baseball since the month of May. Since the calendar turned, the Ports finished over .500 in a month for the first time since June of 2019 with a 14-12 record in May.

WARMER WEATHER BRINGS HOTTER BATS: The Ports had a .344 OBP in May (.304 in April) and a .368 SLG as opposed to .305 last month. In the month of May, Stockton averaged 5.7 runs per game as opposed to just 3.8 in April and finished third in home runs with 19.

PORTS LOOK TO CONTROL RUNNING GAME: So far in 2023, Stockton’s opponents have had a lot of success as base stealers. The Ports have thrown out just 7 of 73 attempted base stealers. The seven would-be thieves is the lowest number in the Cal League, and the 66 SB allowed is the league’s highest number. The Ports’ opponents success rate of 89.7% is highest in the circuit. The Ports threw out one runner the entire month of May.

About the 66ers

The 66ers are 23-25, good for third in the California League Southern Division and coming off a series win against the first-place Rancho Cucamonga Quakes.
11-13 at home.
Kevin Watson Jr. leads the team with a .327 average, good for fourth in the Cal League.
Three hitters are in the Top 10 for batting average (Kevin Watson Jr. - .327, Jorge Ruiz - .312, Matt Coutney - .300).
Inland Empire's BAA is second lowest in the Cal League with opponents hitting just .234 against.

WANDER GUANTE NAMED CALIFORNIA LEAGUE PITCHER OF THE WEEK

Stockton Ports pitcher Wander Guante has been named the California League Pitcher of the Week for May 29-June 4, Minor League Baseball announced earlier this morning.

Guante delivered his best start of the season in the Ports 8-3 win over the Modesto Nuts Sunday afternoon firing seven scoreless innings while allowing just one hit and striking out five. The Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic native had four plus no-hit innings before allowing his lone hit on an infield single to the Nuts' Andrew Miller in the 5th with one out and had six one-two-three innings leading to Guante facing just two batters over the minimum (23).

Guante joins Jake Garland and Henry Bolte as the only Ports to achieve the Player of the Week honors this season.

The Ports take ship on their lone 12-game road trip of the season to Inland Empire and Lake Elsinore beginning tomorrow, June 6 to take on the 66ers first in San Bernardino. The Ports return home on Tuesday, June 20th where they'll welcome the San Jose Giants for the second time this season. For more information on single game tickets and group outings, call the Ports front office at 209-644-1900 today.

Watch the Ports this Week in Inland Empire -

FOR FREE

Watch your Stockton Ports take on the Inland Empire 66ers at San Manuel Stadium with the Bally Live! Download the App through the app store and watch your Ports at your convenience! Fans only have to provide a phone number to watch - no account creation required. MiLB games are available via the “MiLB Zone”, which is the second tab on the home screen.

ROSTER MOVES

6/3: C Carlos Franco transferred from ACL

5/30: C Luis Marinez transferred to ACL

5/29: RHP Gunnar Hoglund added from Extended Spring Training

QUICK HITS

T.J. Schofield-Sam: After a slow April where he hit just .219, Schofield-Sam had a bounce back May finishing the month with a .321 average, two home runs and nine RBI with a team high nine doubles.
Henry Bolte: Bolte has been one of the Ports best hitters since May with a .301 average, 7 2B, 3 HR and 27 RBIs.
Brennan Milone: Milone had a red hot May finishing with a .333 average and hit a team-high four home runs while driving in 18 RBI coupled with a .450 OBP and 1.013 OPS.
James Gonzalez: Walks haunted the Ports lefty starter in April but redeemed himself in the month of May. Gonzalez finished the month with a 2.95 ERA had at least six strikeouts in each of his four starts while allowing three runs or less in each of them. Gonzalez now sits seventh in ERA (3.67) and third in strikeouts(55) in the Cal League.
Ports are 8-5 in their last 13 games
The Ports hit .243 in the Month of May
Ports averaged 5.7 runs/game in May
Ports had .344 OBP in May