Manager Takashi Miyoshi talks with Scott David at Peoples Home Equity Ballpark at Arnold Field during the 2017 season. (James W. Toy III / Sonoma Stompers)
SONOMA, Calif.– Takashi Miyoshi of the Sonoma Stompers Professional Baseball Club, presented by Virginia Dare Winery, earned his 100th win as manager Wednesday night, when his team defeated the San Rafael Pacifics 6-5 in extra innings.
“It means a lot to me because it means so many players helping me out to get me a win. It’s more than numbers, it just reminds me how hard players work behind me,” Miyoshi said. “I just appreciate everybody who played for me the last two and a half years.”
Miyoshi is 100-62 as manager of the Stompers and can count a 2016 Pacific Association Championship and first-half titles in 2016 and 2017 among his accomplishments.
“I’m just happy. But at the same time, I’m going for the thousandth win. This is just the beginning,” Miyoshi said.
DOMINANT IN EXTRAS
With the victory, the Stompers improve their record in extra-inning games to 5-1 on the season.
“We know how we have to handle the pressure… Put the ball in play, put the bunt down. That’s what is is, we just know how we have to execute in extra innings,” Miyoshi said.
Down 3-2 in the bottom of the ninth, pinch hitter Joel Carranza stepped up to the pate with runners on the corners. He tapped an infield hit to third, allowing Sonoma to tie the game.
Pacifics starter Max Beatty kept the Stompers off the board until the eighth and did not allow a Stompers hit until the fifth. Sonoma struck for three base hits off of the former Chicago White Sox farmhand.
Carranza’s knock sent the Stompers to extras, where Jacob Cox held down the top of the tenth and Yuki Yasuda knocked a base hit up the middle to give Sonoma the walk-off win. Yasuda has recorded a hit in his last five games and reached base in every game since July 5.
“Nothing surprises me. I made the lineup tonight for a reason, Yuki doesn’t usually hit in the three hole,” Miyoshi said. “I’m just using my weapons in the best way that I can.”
Cox picked up the win in the game despite Tyler Garkow’s 11-strikeout, five-hit performance. Garkow’s last time out, he lost a pitcher’s duel after striking out 12, a season high he has reached twice this season.
Zach Wendorf was successful in relief, pitching two no-hit, no-run innings. His outing allowed the Sonoma offense to make some noise by engineering two runs in the eighth to cut the Pacifics’ lead to one.
The Stompers improve to 30-11 overall and 2-0 in the second half while the Pacifics drop to 15-23, 0-2.
NAPA NIGHT
The Stompers will celebrate Napa Night on Thursday, welcoming the newly-minted Napa Silverados to the Pacific Association.
Napa residents who bring proof to the box office will also recieve $5 off the price of a ticket.
STOMPERS TICKETS
Tickets and merchandise are available now either online or at the fan shop at 234 W Napa Street in downtown Sonoma. Tickets will also be available at the box office on game days, beginning 30 minutes prior to the game.
For more information, please contact the front office at 707-938-7277, or email info@stompersbaseball.com.