SAN RAFAEL, Calif-The Sonoma Stompers traveled to San Rafael for the first time this year Sunday afternoon and walked away with a convincing 6-1 win against their Pacific Association arch-rivals.
Jacob Cox (1-0) was Sunday’s emergency starter with Ethan Gibbons moved to the bullpen. The right-hander was expected to go just a few innings but he impressed on his birthday tossing 4 no-hit innings and got himself out of a bases loaded jam in the bottom of the 5thinning to cap off the first professional start of his career. He tossed 5 2-hit inning while striking out 5 and walking just 2 on his way to his first victory of the season.
The Stompers offense got on the board just in time to earn Cox the win for his hard work in the top of the 5thinning against San Rafael starter Keenan Bartlett.
With one out, Nick Kern roped a ball into the left-center field gap for a stand-up double. Then, with two outs, Miles Williams scalded the first pitch he saw over the right field wall for his 3rd homerun of the season to give the Stompers a 2-0 lead.
Dondrei Hubbard led off the top of the 6thinning with a walk and later stole second to put himself into scoring position. A ground ball got him to third base and he then scored on a wild pitch by Tyler Skinner to extend the lead 3-0.
The Stompers kept the long-ball coming in the top of the 7thinning when Rob DeAngelis hit a laser 3-run homerun to straight away right field off of San Rafael reliever Phil Rowland to open the lead up to 6-0.
San Rafael got their one and only run on a Corey Dempster solo shot to lead off the bottom of the 9th against Ryan Richardson but that was all and the Stompers played their first game without committing an error since June 5th and improve to 16-5 on the season.
The Stompers are back home on Tuesday night against the Napa Silverados for Napa night! Tickets can be purchased at stompersbaseball.com.