Monday Baseball Bulletin

Ports Grab Two From Visalia, Head Back Home to Take on Modesto Nuts

The Ports broke out for 15 hits in Sunday's 12-4 win over the Visalia Rawhide, picking up two games out of the six in their lone trip to Valley Strong Ballpark. Stockton will now go back home for 12 games straight starting with the Modesto Nuts Tuesday, August 8th with first pitch scheduled for 7:05 pm.

PREVIOUS GAMES AGAINST VISALIA RAWHIDE

Tuesday, August 1st - Henry Bolte hit two home runs and four Ports pitchers combined to allow just six hits without issuing a walk as Stockton defeated the Visalia Rawhide 7-1 in the series opener on Tuesday night at Valley Strong Ballpark.
Wednesday, August 2nd - The Ports collected just four hits and could not climb out of an early hole as the Visalia Rawhide cruised to a 9-1 victory over Stockton in game two of a six-game series on Wednesday night at Valley Strong Ballpark.
Thursday, August 3rd - The Visalia Rawhide capitalized on two errors to score five unearned runs in the fourth inning and the Ports managed just five hits as Stockton was shut out for the third time in 2023 in a 7-0 loss on Thursday night at Valley Strong Ballpark.
Friday, August 4th - The Visalia Rawhide capitalized on three Ports errors and Stockton’s struggles at the plate continued as the Ports dropped their third straight with a 5-1 loss on Friday night at Valley Strong Ballpark..
Saturday, August 5th - The Visalia Rawhide pounded out 14 hits and scored in five different innings as the Ports battled came up short, stranding the tying run at third base to end the game in a 9-7 loss in game five of a six-game series at Valley Strong Ballpark on Saturday night. Stockton has now dropped four straight games.
Sunday, August 6th - Jose Mujica hit two three-run homers and the Ports matched a season high with 15 hits as Stockton defeated the Visalia Rawhide 12-4 in the series finale at Valley Strong Ballpark on Sunday afternoon.

TOP PERFORMERS

Jose Mujica: Mujica had himself a Sunday in the Ports 12-4 win as Mujica picked up home runs four and five on the season while driving in six on two three run home runs.
Henry Bolte - Bolte picked up his first career multi-home run game in the Ports 7-1 win, compiling his 10th and 11th home runs of the season.
Garrett Irvin- Irvin allowed just one run, unearned, in two appearances out of the Ports bullpen in 5.2 IP.

SERIES PREVIEW vs. MODESTO NUTS

The Ports will take on the Modesto Nuts (Seattle Mariners Single-A affiliate) starting Tuesday, August 8th through Sunday, August 13th.

At Bat this Week

vs. Modesto Nuts

Banner Island Ballpark // Modesto Nuts

Tuesday, August 8th // 7:05 p.m. PT -
Wednesday, August 9th // 7:05 p.m. PT
Thursday, August 10th // 7:05 p.m. PT
Friday, August 11th // 7:05 p.m. PT -
Saturday, August 12th // 7:05 p.m. PT
Sunday, August 13th // 6:05 p.m. PT

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

Twitter: @stocktonports

On Deck

vs. San Jose Giants

Banner Island Ballpark

Tuesday, August 15th - Sunday, August 20th // Times vary

Following their six game series against the Nuts, the Ports stay home to take on the San Jose Giants. The Ports struggled against the Giants the last time these two teams met at Excite Ballpark dropping five out of six against San Jose.

WHO'S HOT:

CARLOS FRANCO, C: Franco has hit safely in 12 of his last 13 games and is batting .288 during that time with a double and 6 RBIs. Franco has four hits over his last three games. COOPER UHL, C: Uhl has been an on-base machine over his last 13 games, combining a .343 (12-for-35) batting average with 134BB for a .529 OBP since July 1. The Ports’ catcher has added six RBIs and has an OPS of .900 during that time.

ROBERT PUASON, OF: Puason has put together a solid series in Visalia, leading the Ports with a .294 batting average (5-for-17).

MISCUES PROVING COSTLY IN VISALIA: Against the Rawhide this past week, the Ports made 10 errors in just six games for a fielding percentage of .951. The Ports’ miscues have come at a steep price; Stockton allowed 11 unearned runs against the Rawhide this week, with nine coming on Thursday and Friday combined.

JAMES GONZALEZ, KING OF THE “K”: Thanks in part to an improved curveball, Ports left-hander James Gonzalez has been racking up the strikeouts this season. After 10 strikeouts in his last two outings combined, Gonzalez has 102 strikeouts on the season, tops in the California League and is first among all A’s minor league pitchers. Gonzalez is one strikeout ahead of Michael Morales of the Modesto Nuts for the league lead. The last time a Stockton Port finished in the top three in the Cal League in strikeouts was 2013 when Tanner Peters finished 2nd with 159. The last Port to lead the Cal League in strikeouts was Dave LaPoint in 1979 (298 K).

STRIKEOUTS MOUNTING: The Ports have not had an easy time avoiding going back to the dugout with out putting the ball in play recently. The Ports have eclipsed the 10 strikeout mark in each of their last six games and have K’d a league-high 85 times during that stretch. Stockton tied a season high striking out 19 times on Thursday in Visalia.

IN SEARCH OF CLUTCH HITS: Despite a 5-for-11 performance on Saturday in Visalia, the Ports have been struggling over their last 13 games with runners in scoring position. Stockton has left 124 runners on base during that time (9.54/game) and are batting just .194 (30- for-155) with runners in scoring position entering Sunday’s game. For the season, the Ports are seventh in the league in hitting with runners in scoring position, batting .237, one point behind of the Visalia Rawhide (.238).

BULLPEN STRUGGLES: The Ports’ relief unit has an ERA of 6.00, a WHIP of 1.61, and an opponents batting average of .275. Stockton’s ERA and batting average against are the highest marks in the league among bullpens, while their WHIP ranks 7th behind the Visalia Rawhide (1.66), who are one spot ahead of the Ports in bullpen ERA (5.70) and BAA (.268). Ports relievers have also allowed a league-high 57 home runs. The Ports’ relief corps was key in Stockton’s series-opening win against the Rawhide on Tuesday, however, authoring six shutout innings. The unit pitched well again on Friday night allowing just one run over 6.1 IP

About then Nuts

20-16 in second half
2nd in Cal League North
Gabriel Gonzalez leads the team in AVG (.348)
Marcelo Perez leads the starting rotation in ERA (2.61)

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

-Max Muncy-

Former Port Max Muncy, who played here in Stockton just last season in 2022, is already making his way up through the A's farm system now in Double-A Midland.

Muncy is enjoying a solid season so far across High-A Lansing and Double-A Midland. Before his arrival in Texas, Muncy compiled a .255 average in 72 games for the Lugnuts while hitting six home runs and driving in 31.

Muncy showcased his raw power at Banner Island Ballpark for more than half the season in 2022 having 16 home runs and 51 RBI before getting called up at the end of July in 2022.

The Thousand Oaks native still has a lot of time to settle in and fill into his potential but Muncy is proving why the A's drafted him in the first round of the 2022 draft having all five tools on display.

BANNER ISLAND TO THE BIGS: Since the Ports’ 1st season in 1941, 320 Ports alums have made it to the majors. Rex Cecil was the first, debuting with the Red Sox in 1944. Most recently in 2023 -