Kam Stewart connects to drive in a run in the 10th inning of the Sonoma Stompers game against the Martinez Clippers, August 2, 2018 in Martinez, Calif. (James W. Toy III / Sonoma Stompers)
BOX SCORE
MARTINEZ, Calif. – The Sonoma Stompers played extra innings for a league-leading ninth time this season and for the seventh time in 2018, pulled out the victory in extra frames, a 4-3 score for the team’s eighth straight win.
Kenny Mathews delivered another solid start for the Stompers, pitching six innings with just two runs, one walk and six strikeouts allowed.
While he was in line for the win, the Clipper offense tied the game in the seventh, but scoreless pitching in relief from, Jason Seever, Ryan Richardson and Jacob Cox quieted the Martinez offense in a hurry. The Clippers did not record a hit after the sixth inning and drew only three walks all night long.
Cox picked up his fourth win of the season, pitching scoreless ninth and 10th innings with a strikeout, lowering his ERA to 2.36.
“When I come in for the ninth inning, it’s just like a normal close, fresh inning, do your job,” Cox said. “You go back out, it’s a little tougher, you’ve got runners on base. You just have to trust your guys, don’t try to do too much, defense is there for a reason. Just try to get the ball in play, on the ground, let them make plays. Just trust your guys. That’s a big thing I like about our team, we trust each other a lot.”
Home runs from the team leaders, Miles Williams and Kenny Meimerstorf were two of Sonoma’s first runs of the night. Catcher Ryan Cooper also drove in a run on a groundout, his first RBI as a Stomper.
In the 10th, Kam Stewart sent a fly ball to right field that fell and scored Rob DeAngelis to be the difference in the game.
Looking ahead to Friday against the Clippers, the Stompers look to tie their franchise record win streak of nine games, which was set in 2017 between July 15 and July 25 in 2017. Their current eight-game streak is the second-longest ever for the organization.