NAPA, Calif- The Sonoma Stompers began their 3-game weekend road trip in Napa on Thursday night. After trailing for the entire game, one big inning flipped the game around as the Stompers went on to beat the Silverados on a late-inning comeback.
Napa took an early lead against Vijay Patel (7-1) in the bottom of the 1st inning when Dakota Conners tripled into left-center and scored on a wild pitch to give Napa a 1-0 lead.
The Stompers offense got going against Napa starter Tre Hobbs (3-2) in the top of the 3rd inning. Rayson Romero got the first Stomper hit of the game with a single to center. He then stole second to put himself in scoring position. With 2 outs, Jacob Barfield lined a base hit to left, tying the game 1-1.
Napa’s Conner’s led off the bottom of the 4th inning with a solo home run off Patel, giving Napa a 2-1 lead. A pair of RBI doubles by Ultsch and Montelongo extended the lead for the Silverados to 4-1.
In the top of the 5th inning, after back-to-back strikeouts against Hobbs, the Stompers did it again with 2 outs. Nick Gotta singled and Barfield walked to put men at first and second. Pedro Barrios then singled to bring Gotta in, cutting the lead to 4-2. Brent Gillespie then doubled down the right field line to bring Barfield in as the lead was cut to just 4-3.
Patel went 4 2/3 innings while allowing 4 runs on 5 hits and striking out 5.
The Stompers finally knocked Hobbs out of the game after 5 1/3 innings, and took it to the Napa bullpen.
In the top of the 8th inning,Miles Williams led off the inning reaching on an error by Montelongo at first base, and that was all it took to get the offense rolling. Rob DeAngelis singled and Bronson Butcher walked to load the bases with nobody out. Romero singled home 2 on a base hit to left to give the Stompers their first lead, 5-4. With 2 outs, Gotta singled home a run, extending the lead 6-4.
Jacob Cox (3-0) tossed a 1-2-3 8th, striking out a pair and Lenny Gwizdala collected his first professional save as he got out of a bases loaded jam in the 9th.
The Stompers are 44-17 as they head to second place San Rafael for a Friday night showdown against a foe that the Stompers could possibly face in the Championship Series. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30.