Derrick Fox finished 2 for 5 in Wednesday's loss to the Diamonds. Fox has now had multiple hits in six of the last nine games he has played in.
James Toy III/Sonoma Stompers
Geoff Safford, Media Relations Assistant
You never know what can happen when you come out to a baseball game. That is part of what keeps fans coming back night after night. Each game is different, and a new day brings a new game. That is something that Sonoma will have to focus on after the game Wednesday night. In baseball, the old saying "When it rains, it pours" is very appropriate. It was raining cats and dogs on the Stompers in game two of their series with the Diamonds.
The third inning was the big story of the game for the Diamonds as they scored 10 times in the inning. 14 hitters came to the plate for Pittsburg during the inning. Oddly enough, none of the 10 runs were earned for the Diamonds as the Stompers made three errors in the inning. Starter Mike Jackson Jr. did not make it out of the third, and reliever Martin Cronin did not fare much better. The righty struggled to find the zone, and the inning ballooned out of control. When the dust settled, the Diamonds had a 13-0 lead. Pittsburg would add on a few runs in mop up duty and took game two by a final score of 16-2.
One silver lining that can be drawn from this game was that the Stompers did not give up after the crushing third inning. Cam Stimpson was called upon to pitch off the bench in the seventh and eighth innings. He pitched through an injury to his right hand. Stimpson plays mainly in the outfield for Sonoma and had not pitched in a game situation since spring training. But when his club called upon him to pitch, he did. He also knew that coming out of the game due to injury would put strain on the bullpen, and was able to tough it out.
Before the fourth inning, the entire team had a meeting around the dugout. The Diamonds had just humiliated them with a huge rally but there was a lot of game left. A lot of teams would pack it in, but Sonoma did put one run on the board. At the end of the day, it did not mean much in terms of the final box score. However, teams have to find a way to keep playing even when the game seems out of reach.
Thursday will be a new day, and it will bring new challenges for the Stompers (10-9). They will now look to turn the tide as they have now lost four in a row to Pittsburg (10-10). Sonoma will also look to avoid a three game sweep, and ensure at least a tie for first place in the Pacific Association. Pittsburg on the other hand could find themselves in first place with a win tomorrow night.
This has a chance to be a defining moment for the Stompers season. They have been bludgeoned and humiliated in these first two games. The Diamonds have outscored Sonoma 22-3 combined. None of that will matter on Thursday when Sonoma takes the field. One thing Sonoma can control is their attitude and focus on the field. How Sonoma responds will tell a story of where this team could be headed.
Tickets for upcoming Stompers home games are available on StompersBaseball.com. Fan merchandise and tickets are also available inside The Fan Shop located at 234 West Napa Street in Sonoma. If you have any questions, feel free to contact the team at info@StompersBaseball.com.