Kenny Meimerstorf singles in the go-ahead run in the sixth inning of the Sonoma Stompers game against the Pittsburg Diamonds, August 21, 2018 in Pittsburg, Calif.(James W. Toy III / Sonoma Stompers)
PITTSBURG, Calif. – While the Pittsburg Diamonds had a counter for everything early on, the Sonoma Stompers pulled away with a 7-5 victory Tuesday night, behind a five-RBI performance from Kenny Meimerstorf.
Meimerstorf kicked off the scoring with a three-run home run in the first inning, his 23rd of the year, and put the Stompers ahead in the sixth with a two-run single, finishing 2-4 on the day with five runs batted in and a walk.
Meimerstorf now leads the Pacific Association in runs batted in with 73.
The top of the order accounted for much of the team’s success, recording four of Sonoma’s seven hits and combining to walk seven times.
After the Stompers and Diamonds traded runs over the first two innings, Pittsburg took the lead in the bottom half of the third, but Sonoma answered nearly immediately when Kam Stewart led off the top of the fourth with a solo home run, his 12th home run of the season.
Stewart finished 1-3 on the day with two walks and three runs scored.
The Stompers drew 11 walks in the game, including three from each Rob DeAngelis and Rayson Romero.
While Vijay Patel struggled in the first three innings, he found a groove in the fourth, not allowing any runs over the final 2.2 innings he pitched.
Once Patel left the game, Jason Seever, Ryan Richardson and Jacob Cox combined for 3.1 hitless and scoreless innings to hold down the victory for Sonoma.
Cox pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning to secure his 22nd save of the season.
Now 10-4 against Pittsburg this year and 49-22 on the season, the Stompers look for their 50th win of 2018 Wednesday night at 6 p.m. in Pittsburg against the Diamonds.