Stompers To Host "Pitch Night At The Ballpark"

"Pitch Night At The Ballpark" will premiere the new FOX drama PITCH on August 13. Fans will be invited on to the field to view the episode after the game against the Pittsburg Diamonds.

Geoff Safford, Media Relations Assistant

FOX has teamed up with the Sonoma Stompers for “PITCH Night at the Ballpark,” an event that will bring the premiere episode of PITCH to fans attending the game against the Pittsburg Diamonds on Saturday, August 13 at People’s Home Equity Ballpark at Arnold Field.

PITCH premieres Thursday, Sept. 22 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX, and follows the fictional story of Ginny Baker (Kylie Bunbury, “Under the Dome”), the first female pitcher in the big leagues. Produced in association with Major League Baseball, the series’ aspirational element pairs perfectly with the vision of the Stompers and Virginia Dare Winery. Kelsie Whitmore and Stacy Piagno bring the idea of women playing in professional baseball to life, as both players are scheduled to start in the game on Saturday. Piagno will be the starting pitcher and Whitmore will start in left field.

“PITCH Night at the Ballpark” will be held in 43 different Minor League stadiums and 12 independent and college summer league ballparks across the country during the months of August and September.

After the game on Saturday in Sonoma, all fans will be welcomed onto the field to view the premiere episode of PITCH. Soft drinks, and snacks will be provided and are complimentary. Members of the Stompers, including Whitmore and Piagno will be available to mingle with fans and sign autographs.

“PITCH Night at the Ballpark”  kicked off its 55-market event on Sunday, Aug. 7.

PITCH is a production of 20th Century Fox Television. Dan Fogelman and Rick Singer are co-creators and executive producers of the series. Emmy Award winner Kevin Falls (“Minority Report,” “Franklin & Bash,” “The West Wing”), Academy Award winner Tony Bill (“The Sting,” “Taxi Driver”), Helen Bartlett (“Untamed Heart,” “A Home of Our Own,” “North Country”) and Jess Rosenthal are also executive producers. Emmy Award winner Paris Barclay (EMPIRE, “Sons of Anarchy”) serves as director and executive producer. “Like” PITCH on Facebook atfacebook.com/PitchonFOX. Follow the series on Twitter @PitchonFOX and join the discussion at #Pitch. See photos and videos on Instagram by following@PitchonFOX.

Stompers Complete Sweep In 6-2 Win Over Pacifics

Matt Hibbert got things started at the top of the order in Sonoma's 6-2 win over the Pacifics Thursday. Hibbert finished 2 for 4 with two runs scored as the Stompers won their seventh straight game.

James Toy III/Sonoma Stompers

Geoff Safford, Media Relations Assistant

Thursday’s game did not get off to a great start like the first two games in the series did for the home team. The San Rafael Pacifics jumped out to an early two run lead and had a pitcher on the mound that had never lost against the Sonoma Stompers all season. It was the first time San Rafael had led at any point in the series.  But then the bottom of the fourth inning came.

The fourth had been good to the Stompers in the series as they had scored five runs in that inning over each of the first two games. That success continued Thursday as the Stompers rallied for four runs to take the lead and tacked on an insurance run in the seventh to complete a series sweep of the Pacifcs by a score of 6-2. It was the first time Sonoma had swept their bitter rival this season while extending their win streak to seven in the process. They also tied the Pacifics in the second half standings. 

The offensive attack was once again balanced Thursday as seven of the nine starters had at least one hit in the game. Joel Carranza had his seventh straight multi-hit game and finished 2 for 4 with two driven in. Carranza is 15 for his last 29 at the plate. Matt Hibbert had a fantastic night as well, capping a fabulous series finishing 2 for 4 with two runs scored. Hibbert has been a catalyst in the leadoff spot over this win streak as he has seven multi-hit games in his last 10 games. 

“If I can get things started at the top, it is going to get everybody else going behind me. If I can do my job to get on base in any way that I can it is going to make it easier for my team to score runs. So that is the only thing that I’m trying to do,” said Hibbert. 

Taylor Thurber was under the weather Thursday night but showed no sign of it with a solid outing on the mound for the Stompers. Thurber went seven innings strong allowing five hits, a walk, and six strikeouts. Thurber and the rest of the starting pitchers did a phenomenal job in the series with three quality starts. “It doesn’t matter what is going on with a guy like Thurber; when he’s on the field he’s going to compete,” Hibbert said. “Our staff gives the offense a lot of confidence because we feel like if we can score a few runs early then we are going to be okay because the starter is going to shut the other team down.”

The home stand continues Friday for the Stompers (37-26, 14-10 second half) against the Pittsburg Diamonds (25-37, 8-15 second half). Sonoma carries a seven game winning streak into the series and a lot of confidence after a four game sweep of the Diamonds last weekend on the road. Juan Espinosa will get the start to open the series Friday night. Espinosa pitched a complete game in an 8-3 win in Pittsburg on August 6. 

Tickets for upcoming Stompers home games are available on stompersbaseball.com. Tickets and fan merchandise are also available inside The Fan Shop located at 234 West Napa Street in downtown Sonoma. For more information about the team, contact the Stompers at info@stompersbaseball.com.

Box Score

Stompers Obliterate Pacifics To Win Sixth Consecutive Game

Derrick Fox and the Stompers offense scored 13 runs for the second consecutive night in a 13-1 win over the Pacifics Wednesday. Fox was 2 for 4 with three runs batted in. 

James Toy III/Sonoma Stompers

Geoff Safford, Media Relations Assistant

This pivotal series could not have begun much better Tuesday for the home team. The Sonoma Stompers set the tone for their series against San Rafael, and the question then became what Sonoma would do for an encore Wednesday at People’s Home Equity Ballpark at Arnold Field.  Sonoma put their first half struggles against the Pacifics far in the rearview Wednesday with another stellar offensive performance. For their third straight game, the Stompers scored over 10 runs and won their sixth consecutive game in convincing fashion, blowing out the Pacifics, 13-1.

For the second straight night, Sonoma’s offense was able to put crooked numbers on the board across multiple innings. Sonoma scored five runs in both the fourth and seventh innings, with their initial five-run barrage putting them ahead for good. Derrick Fox, Joel Carranza, and Daniel Baptista all performed well, going a combined 6 for 12 with six runs driven in. Fox was tied for the team lead in runs batted with three and finished the game 2 for 4. Baptista has had multiple hits in six of his last seven games and finished 2 for 5. The offense has come alive at the right time for the stretch run in the final month of the season.

“As a team we all now have an approach when we are coming to the plate. We have a plan for every at bat and we are not just going up there swinging,” said hitting coach Joel Carranza. “It took us a while to find our approach but now everybody is clicking on all cylinders.  This is the time to do it because we need to win these games coming down the stretch. Our offense has done a great job and our pitching has been just as good.” 

Mike Jackson Jr. continued his fantastic season with his eighth win of the season, as he now has the most wins of any pitcher in the Pacific Association and is 5-0 in his last five starts. Jackson Jr. pitched six innings, allowing one run on four hits with five strikeouts. “Jackson Jr. has been going out there with a bulldog mentality on the mound,” said Carranza. “All of us are working hard every day to win a ring. We want to bring a Pacific Association championship back home to Sonoma.”

Thursday night’s series finale against the Pacifics (35-27, 14-9 second half) has become a very important game for the Stompers (36-26, 13-10 second half). A win would mean that they would be tied for the lead in the second half standings in the Pacific Association with San Rafael. The finale is set to be a great matchup as Taylor Thurber (5-5, 2.77 ERA) will face off against the veteran Celson Polanco (5-3, 4.50 ERA). Polanco is 4-0 in four starts against the Stompers this season, and Thurber is 4-2 as a starter this season. Sonoma once trailed the Pacifics by five games in the second half standings; a win would completely erase that deficit with 15 games left in the season. 

Tickets for upcoming Stompers games are available on stompersbaseball.com. Fan gear, and tickets are also available inside The Fan Shop located at 234 West Napa Street in downtown Sonoma. For more information about the team contact the Stompers front office at info@stompersbaseball.com.

Box Score

Stompers Keep Win Streak Alive With 13-4 Win Over Pacifics

Randy Santiesteban hit his second home run of the season in a 13-4 win Tuesday over the Pacifics. Santiesteban finished 2 for 5 with 3 RBIs in the game.

James Toy III/Sonoma Stompers

Geoff Safford, Media Relations Assistant

Getting off to a good start is so important in a baseball game. The San Rafael Pacifics and Sonoma Stompers were battling for positioning Tuesday atop the Pacific Association and every game played between them has an elevated intensity. The Stompers wanted to start fast, and did so by scoring their first two runs of the game in clutch two out at-bats. The offense built on the momentum in the early innings with two rallies in the middle innings en route to a 13-4 win over the Pacifics. Sonoma has now won five games in a row and trails San Rafael by only two games in the second half standings in the Pacific Association. 

The largest inning offensively came in the sixth when six runs came home. The inning saw 11 batters come to the plate with the first seven reaching base. Daniel Baptista singled home the first run in the inning to cap another big night at the plate for the first baseman. Baptista finished 3 for 4 with three RBIs. Baptista has had multiple hits in five of his last six games. 

Randy Santiesteban highlighted the four run rally in the fifth with a three run homer to left field that blew the game open. The Stomper shortstop finished the game 2 for 5 with three driven in. Sonoma had 14 hits as team, as every Stompers starter finished with at least one hit in the game. The 13 runs scored were the second most runs the Pacifics had allowed all season. 

Gregory Paulino was solid in six innings allowing only two earned runs to pick up his fourth win of the season (4-4).  He did well in the early parts of the game to preserve the Stompers early advantage to keep the momentum in their dugout. The defense behind Paulino was also outstanding. Santiesteban made one of the biggest plays in the early part of the game on a diving stop on a line drive by Zack Pace in the third. If the ball had made it through the infield, it would have tied the game. 

The Stompers (35-26, 12-10 second half) would trail by only one game in the second half standings in the Pacific Association with a win Wednesday against the Pacifics (35-26, 14-8 second half.) The Stompers will turn to one of their best starters in Mike Jackson Jr. (7-2 2.95 ERA), who is 4-0 in his last four starts including one win against the Pacifics. The offense that has scored double digits in its last two games will also be key if the Stompers want to make it six wins in a row.

Tickets for upcoming Stompers games are available on stompersbaseball.com. Fan gear, and tickets are also available inside The Fan Shop located at 234 West Napa Street in downtown Sonoma. For more information about the team, contact the Stompers at info@Stompersbaseball.com. 

Stompers Win Fourth Straight Road Game 10-5 Over Diamonds

Daniel Baptista and the middle of the order fueled a 10-5 win over the Diamonds on Sunday afternoon. Baptista finished 3 for 6 with 3 driven in on the afternoon. 

James Toy III/Sonoma Stompers

Geoff Safford, Media Relations Assistant

Sunday day games many times have a little different feel than games that take place during the week. Batting practice usually does not take place, and usual starters are sometimes given a day off. But the first four innings of the game Sunday was full of strange events and bad luck for the Stompers. Thankfully for Sonoma, order was restored in the Stompers universe in the fifth. 

The Stompers had their eyes set on their fourth straight win on the road in Pittsburg and were facing 52-year-old Jose Canseco on the mound. The Stompers did not have many issues getting base runners aboard against Canseco, but three double plays kept the Stompers offense at bay.  However, in the fifth inning, the entire feeling of the game changed and the Stompers exploded for six runs, as the Diamonds made two errors in the inning to aid the rally. Sonoma added three more runs in the sixth and cruised to a 10-5 win over the Diamonds to make it four in a row in Pittsburg. 

Daniel Baptista, Joel Carranza, and Randy Santiesteban in the middle of the order fueled the fire for the Stompers offense, as the trio finished 9 for 15 with six driven in combined. Carranza finished 11 for 20 over the four games in Pittsburg. Daniel Baptista has been on fire in his last 11 games accumulating multiple hits in six of those contests. Baptista finished Sunday’s game 3 for 6 with three driven in. 

Oliver Garcia struggled with control in Sunday’s start and walked seven batters in only 3 1/3 innings pitched. That meant it was up to the bullpen to finish the game and they were up to the task. Ryan Richardson and Erik Gonsalves pitched 4 2/3 scoreless innings out of the pen to keep the Stompers comfortably out in front. Pittsburg scored in two of the first three innings but did not score again until the ninth inning with the game well out of reach.

Sonoma (34-26, 11-10 second half) closed a successful week Sunday and took five games out of six this week against the Diamonds (26-34, 7-14 second half). The Diamonds have been heading in the wrong direction over the past two weeks and have dropped 11 of their last 12 games overall. The success by the Stompers sets up a pivotal series against the San Rafael Pacifics (35-25, 14-7 second half) at People’s Home Equity Ballpark at Arnold Field. Sonoma trails the Pacifics by three games in the second half and only one game in overall record. 

Tickets for all six games of the Stompers home stand at People's Home Equity Ballpark at Arnold Field next week are available on stompersbaseball.com. Stompers gear, and tickets are also available for purchase inside The Fan Shop located at 234 West Napa Street in downtown Sonoma.  For more information about the team, contact the Stompers at info@stompersbaseball.com.

Stompers Win Third Straight Behind Complete Game By Espinosa

Juan Espinosa was outstanding in a 8-3 win for the Stompers Saturday. Espinosa pitched the full nine innings allowing only four hits in the process. It was Espinosa's first complete game as a professional.

James Toy III/Sonoma Stompers

Geoff Safford, Media Relations Assistant

Juan Espinosa made his second start of the season Saturday night in front of a big crowd at City Park Field. He had pitched extremely well in his first outing on July 31, and was looking forward to Saturday night's start even more than usual. Many Stompers players have taken notice to the arrival of Jose Canseco since he joined the Diamonds on Thursday, but facing Canseco had a special meaning for Espinosa. 

“Just being on the same field with Canseco was an honor for me. Being a Miami native, Canseco was a hero of mine and someone I loved to watch play growing up,” said Espinosa. “Striking him out felt amazing, that will always be something I will remember,” said Espinosa. Espinosa struck out Canseco twice on the night with the second one coming to end the game and preserve an 8-3 win for the Stompers over the Diamonds. It was Espinosa’s first complete game as a professional. 

The young right-hander was in complete control for the majority of the game. Espinosa retired 12 in a row in the later innings and cruised to his first win as a starter. He allowed only four hits and struck out six, as the only blips were two home runs by Mike Taylor, as the power hitter accounted for all of Pittsburg's offense on the night. Yet even with the homers by Taylor, Espinosa shone brightest on Saturday night.

“I think the most important thing for me tonight was that I was able to consistently throw strikes,” Espinosa said. “Even when I was behind in the count, I felt confident with all my pitches and knew I could throw any pitch at any time,” Espinosa said. 

The Stompers offense has made a habit of scoring runs in bunches and that continued Saturday. Sonoma scored three times in the first, as Joel Carranza got the Stompers off to a good start right off the bat with a two-run double. Carranza continued his success at the plate this week and finished 2 for 5 with three driven in. The veteran is 7 for 15 with eight RBIs in his last three games. Mason Morioka also had a great night, finishing a perfect 3 for 3. 

The most important inning for the Stompers offense may have been the ninth. They faced Garrett Granitz, a tough submarine-style pitcher, and found a way to manufacture four runs off of him. That gave the Stompers a more comfortable advantage and allowed Espinosa the opportunity to finish things off. 

Sonoma (33-26, 10-10 second half) has already won four games this week against the Diamonds (25-34, 7-13 second half) and can finish off a sweep of Pittsburg on Sunday afternoon. Oliver Garcia is scheduled to get the start, and he'll lock horns with Canseco, who will get the start to show off his knuckleball. The Stompers will look to keep the pressure on the San Rafael Pacifics heading into a huge series starting Tuesday at People’s Home Equity Ballpark at Arnold Field. The Stompers trail San Rafael by three games in the second half standings. 

Tickets for upcoming Stompers home games are available on StompersBaseball.com. Fan gear and tickets are also available at The Fan Shop located at 234 West Napa Street in downtown Sonoma. For more information about the team, contact the Stompers front office at info@stompersbaseball.com. 

Home Run Ball Powers Stompers To 5-3 Win Over Diamonds

Mason Morioka's fifth home run of the season was the difference Friday in a 5-3 win over the Diamonds at City Park Field. Morioka finished 2 for 4 with two driven in. 

James Toy III/Sonoma Stompers

Geoff Safford, Media Relations Assistant

Mason Morioka applauds his teammate’s power when they hit a home run in batting practice every day. It has become a pregame tradition and helps the Stompers let loose and have a little fun before a game. Some of that power from batting practice translated into the game for Morioka in the second inning.

With one run already in on a Daniel Baptista solo home run, Morioka came to the plate with Mark Hurley aboard at first with two outs and blasted a 1-2 pitch out to left for his fifth home run of the season to give the Stompers a three run advantage. Sonoma would tack on two more in the fifth and the bullpen finished the job in a 5-3 win Friday over the Diamonds. Morioka finished the game 2 for 4 with two driven in and Daniel Baptista had another good night at the plate, as well, finishing 3 for 5 with an RBI. 

Taylor Thurber picked up his fourth win as a starter to improve to 5-5 on the year. The righty was solid in six innings allowing two earned runs and six hits. Some of the hits the Diamonds recorded were not hit that sharply. Two hits came on instances when Thurber actually broke the opposing hitter’s bat. He departed the game with his team up by two runs but the bullpen did a great job of letting the lead stand up.

Newly signed reliever Ryan Richardson and closer Jose Flores did the job in the final 2 2/3 innings to keep the Stompers out in front. Richardson faced the largest threat in the seventh when the Diamonds had runners at the corners and former American League MVP Jose Canseco at the plate with one out in the seventh. The veteran was able to get Canseco to ground into a double play to end the inning, mere hours after signing his contract with his new team. He threw 1 2/3 scoreless inning to bridge the gap to the dominant Sonoma closer.

Flores picked up his fourth save of the season, using a devastating slider to strikeout two batters on his way to a perfect ninth inning. Flores has absolutely flourished in his late inning role since being moved there last month. In 9 1/3 innings, Flores has allowed only 1 earned run and has struck out 14 batters.

Sonoma (32-26, 9-10 second half) has won three of the first four games this week against the Diamonds (26-32, 7-12) with two games left in the six game slate. Pittsburg began the second half 6-3 but has fallen on hard times the last two weeks as they have now lost 9 of their last 10 games. The Stompers have also gained ground on the second half leading San Rafael Pacifics (33-25, 12-7 second half) the last two nights. Things could get very interesting in the second half race down the stretch as the Stompers face San Rafael nine times in their final 18 games. 

Tickets for upcoming Stompers home games are available on StompersBaseball.com. Fan merchandise, and tickets are also available inside the fan shop located at 234 West Napa Street in downtown Sonoma. For more information on the Stompers contact the Stompers at info@stompersbaseball.com.

Fourth Inning Onslaught Fuels Stompers 9-2 Win

Joel Carranza hit a grand slam in the fourth inning to highlight a seven run rally in the fourth in the Stompers 9-2 win over the Diamonds. Carranza was 3 for 5 with 4 RBIs.

James Toy III/Sonoma Stompers

Geoff Safford, Media Relations Assistant

The Stompers offense could not quite get the big hit they were looking for in the first three innings Thursday night in Pittsburg. They were leading by a small margin even though they had six hits in those three innings. However, things would change in a big way for the Stompers in the fourth inning.

The Stompers loaded the bases in the top of the fourth on a hit by Mason Morioka and walks to Matt Hibbert and Derrick Fox, setting the table for Joel Carranza. Carranza went with the location of a pitch on the outer half and launched his 12th home run over the wall in right center field for a grand slam. It was only the beginning of a seven run fourth inning, as 11 batters came to the plate to help Sonoma roll to a 9-2 win over the Diamonds at City Park Field. 

Carranza has really locked in recently at the plate, as the grand slam was his s third home run in the last five games. He finished Thursday’s game 3 for 5 with those four big RBIs, and he said that despite being in bases loaded situation, he did not try to do to much as a hitter at the plate. “Whenever I get an at-bat with the bases loaded and less than two outs my number one priority is to get the ball into the outfield,” Carranza said. “If I can get the ball into the outfield, that gets at least one run home. I was looking for a pitch away and got what I was looking for in that situation and was able to execute,” Carranza said. 

The offensive output by the Stompers was more than enough for Mike Jackson Jr. as the right hander put together another outstanding outing. Jackson Jr. pitched seven strong innings allowing six hits and only one earned run. Jackson Jr. (7-2) is tied with Dylan Brammer of the Diamonds for the most wins in the Pacific Association. He has now pitched seven straight quality starts, and is 4-0 with a 1.50 ERA in his last four starts. 

“The performances by Jackson Jr. in his last seven starts has proven why he is one of the best starting pitchers in this league,” Carranza said. “As an offense we know that when he is on the mound we only need to score a few runs and he will win the game for us because of how dominant he has been on the mound,” Carranza said. 

Friday will be a new challenge for the Stompers (31-26, 8-10 second half) as they continue the four game slate against Pittsburg (26-31, 7-11 second half.) Friday is set up for a pitchers duel as Taylor Thurber (4-5, 2.74 ERA) is scheduled to go against the tough lefty Chris Cummins (5-5, 3.42 ERA) of the Diamonds. Cummins beat the Stompers his last time out in a 2-1 win for Pittsburg on July 24. But Thurber has done well against the Diamonds, as he threw a complete game in his last start against Pittsburg.

Tickets for upcoming Stompers home games at People’s Home Equity Ballpark at Arnold Field are available on stompersbaseball.com. Tickets, and fan merchandise are also available inside The Fan Shop located at 234 West Napa Street in downtown Sonoma. For more information about the Stompers, contact the front office at info@stompersbaseball.com.

Box Score

Grand Slam Dooms Stompers In 6-2 Loss To Diamonds

Mark Hurley hit his fifth home run of the season Wednesday in the Stompers 6-2 loss to the Diamonds Wednesday night. Hurley has multiple hits in each of the last two games.

James Toy III/ Sonoma Stompers

Geoff Safford, Media Relations Assistant

One moment can completely change the feeling of a baseball game. In Wednesday’s game at People’s Home Equity Ballpark at Arnold Field, the game ultimately came down to one swing of the bat. 

In the top of the seventh inning, Jordan Yallen approached the plate with two outs and the bases loaded. Sean Conroy was on the mound making his second appearance of the season out of the bullpen and inherited a tough situation with Sonoma trailing 2-1. With the count even at two and two, Yallen launched a grand slam down the left field line to blow the game open, giving the Diamonds a lead they wouldn't relinquish as they handed Sonoma a 6-2 loss.

Coming into the game, Yallen was hitting only .141 on the year with a .411 OPS, and his only extra base hit was a double. Yet in a crucial moment against a pitcher who had seen his share of success in the Pacific Association, Yallen took a hanging slider and had his biggest hit of the year, sinking Sonoma's hopes of a two-game sweep in the process.

Pittsburg starter Dylan Brammer (7-3) did his job on the mound, allowing only one run on four hits while striking out seven in seven innings pitched for the Diamonds. Brammer has pitched well against the Stompers this season overall, as he is 3-1 with a 3.06 ERA on the season in 6 starts. Gregory Paulino (3-4) took the loss for the Stompers, as he allowed 3 runs in 6 1/3 innings.

Offensively, the Stompers had a quiet night after their offensive explosion on Tuesday night, where they rolled to a 13-1 victory. Wednesday night, they had only four hits, as both Daniel Baptista and Mark Hurley finished 2 for 4 in the game. Hurley hit his home run of the season, an opposite field shot that tied the game at 1-1. The Stompers had a few opportunities to put more runs on the board, in the middle innings, but could not get clutch hits and stranded nine runners on base. The top of the order was a strength in Tuesday’s game, but the top three hitters in the order finished 0 for 12 with a walk in Wednesday’s game.

The Stompers (30-26, 7-10 second half) now will head to Pittsburg (26-30, 7-10 second half) for the last time this season for a four game series at City Park Field. Mike Jackson Jr. will get the ball in the first game of the series and can with his fourth game in a row. Jackson Jr. is 3-0 with a 1.56 ERA in his last 3 outings for Sonoma. Thursday’s game will be quiet the spectacle with former Major League star Jose Conseco making his Diamonds season debut Thursday night. 

Tickets for upcoming Stompers home games are available on StompersBaseball.com. Fan gear, and tickets are also available for purchase inside The Fan Shop located at 234 West Napa Street in downtown Sonoma. For more information about the team, contact the Stompers at info@stompersbaseball.com. 

Box Score

Garcia Strikes Out 10 In 13-1 Victory Over Diamonds

Oliver Garcia had a season high 10 strikeouts in a 13-1 win over the Diamonds Tuesday. Garcia allowed only one run in five innings pitched to pick up his third win of the season.

James Toy III/Sonoma Stompers

Geoff Safford, Media Relations Assistant

The Stompers scored two runs in their last two games combined in a disappointing end to a series last weekend in San Rafael. Sonoma faced the Diamonds on Tuesday night, a team that had been scuffling coming into the game. The Stompers made sure they would not have a repeat performance from the weekend and got the bats rolling from the very start, scoring three runs in the first and never looking back in a 13-1 rout of the Diamonds.

Oliver Garcia lost in his previous two outings against both against the Pacifics but had some of his best stuff Tuesday night. Garcia retired 10 in a row in a stretch from the first to the fourth and allowed only one earned run in five innings pitched while striking out a season high 10 batters. Bench Coach/Catcher Chris Matthews stressed the importance of Garcia to the Stompers offensive success. “Garcia’s tempo, and command on the mound tonight was sensational. He pitched quickly and got us back in the dugout fast,” Matthews said. “That really helps the momentum of an offense when you can get back in the dugout quickly after a big inning,” said Matthews. 

The Stomper offense scored runs in bunches all night. The largest inning came in the seventh when the Stompers exploded for six runs to put the game out of reach. The top of the lineup was sensational as Matt Hibbert, Derrick Fox, and Joel Carranza all finished with two hits each. They went a combined 6 for 12 with five runs scored and six driven in, with three coming on a homer by Joel Carranza in the first inning, his team best 11th of the season.

Mark Hurley had been struggling at the plate recently but found his swing again hitting in the ninth spot, going 2 for 4 with three driven in. Sonoma had 10 hits as a team on top of eight walks and also took advantage of four Diamonds errors on their way to an easy victory.

The Diamonds (25-30, 6-10 second half) will have to find an answer quickly as they have now lost seven straight games. The Stompers (30-25, 7-9 second half) will look to ensure a series victory Wednesday night when they send Gregory Paulino to the mound for the final game of the week at Peoples Home Equity Ballpark at Arnold Field. The Stompers will head to Pittsburg for a four game series beginning Thursday. 

Tickets for upcoming Stompers home games are available on StompersBaseball.com. Stompers gear and tickets are also available at The Fan Shop located at 234 West Napa Street in Sonoma. For more information, call 707-938-7277 or email the team at info@StompersBaseball.com.

Box Score