Visalia Edges Stockton 6-4 in Game Three

STOCKTON, Calif. – Squandered opportunities were the difference in a 6-4 loss for the Ports on Thursday night, giving Visalia a 2-1 lead in the final series of the season.

Each team had multiple bases-loaded opportunities in the game, and the Rawhide did just enough to scratch runs across in theirs, while Stockton left the bases loaded in the sixth and seventh innings.

With a bases-loaded situation in the first, a single into left by Ivan Luciano scored a run to put Visalia (64-65, 28-34) ahead 1-0. They loaded the bases again in the second and a sac fly for Kayson Cunningham plated a run to go up 2-0. Starter Jose Dicochea did a good job limiting the damage to just the one run with the bases juiced in those first two innings, but the Rawhide did enough to at least get one each time.

Dicochea got out of a bases-loaded jam in the third inning but would allow a two-run home run (3) for Carlos Virahonda in the fourth to extend Visalia’s lead to 4-0 before he exited.

Stockton (55-74, 23-40) got on the board on the bottom of the inning when Bobby Blandford hit a rocket to right for a solo homer (4) 367 feet into the Black Oak Casino Back Porch to make it a 4-1 game. Bryan Andrade singled into center to score Devin Taylor three batters later to cut it to a 4-2 deficit after four innings.

Visalia would get runs in the sixth and seventh, however, on a throwing error by catcher Dylan Fien and on RBI groundout respectively to go up 6-2, while the Ports left the bases loaded, unable to cash in on the five walks and hit by pitch issued by reliever Sandro Santana.

Stocton did bring the tying run to the plate in the ninth after Blandford crushed his second home run (5) of the contest. this time a two-run shot into the Black Oak Casino Back Porch with Rodney Green Jr. aboard to trim Visalia’s lead to 6-4. Devin Taylor worked a full count walk to bring Gavin Turley to the plate as the tying run, but he popped out to short as his bat shattered to end the ballgame.

UP NEXT: Friday’s game will feature a green and gold replica jersey giveaway to the first 1,000 fans through the gates, presented By California Urgent Care. The game is scheduled for a 7:05 PM first pitch with RHP Jaitoine Kelly (0-0, 0.00 ERA) making his debut for Visalia versus RHP Cole Miller (1-2, 1.45) for Stockton.

Single game tickets, mini plans, and group outings are all on sale for the 2025 season. For more information, call the Ports front office at (209) 644-1900 or email at [email protected].