STOCKTON: John Nogowski picked the right time to take advantage of a drawn-in infield. Nogowski, Stockton’s first baseman, blooped a base hit over second base for a two-run single, the eventual game-winner in the Ports’ 7-5 Cal League victory over the Visalia Rawhide in front of 2,316 fans Sunday at Stockton Ballpark.
Facing a 2-2 count against Joey Krehbiel with Jake Nottingham on third and B.J. Boyd on second, Nogowski’s hit didn’t even reach the outfield grass. But with one out the Rawhide infield trying to cut off the go-ahead run at the plate. The strategy backfired, allowing Nottingham and Boyd to score.
“Krehbiel is nasty,” Nogowski said. “I have had five or six at-bats with him this year and he gets me out every time.
“He kind of left the slider up a bit and gave me a little bit of a chance to get the bat on it. But I was just battling, and sometimes when you battle good things will happen.
After losing the lead in the second inning, Stockton (59-59 overall, 22-27 second half) took it back with a two-run sixth. After a Nottingham single, Boyd (2 for 4, two doubles, two RBI) doubled to left, scoring Nottingham from first for a 4-all tie. Nogowski (2 for 4, double, three RBI) followed with a double down the right-field line to plate Boyd for a 5-4 Ports lead.
“We are trying to make a playoff push,” Boyd said. “We are coming together right now.”
Daniel Mengden started for Stockton and pitched 5 2/3 innings, yielding four runs on six hits with two strikeouts and one walk. Lou Trivino took over with two out in the sixth and a runner on third, inducing a flyout to the wall in center field — chased down by Vertigan to end the inning. Trivino got the win and pitched through the eighth making just one mistake, a leadoff home run to Daniel Palka in the eighth to tie the game at 5. Corey Walter pitched a shutout ninth for his fourth save.
The win gave the Ports one win in the three-game set with Visalia (72-47, 30-19). It’s only the fourth time Stockton has beaten Visalia, in 18 tries.
“We got out to a lead in the first and before you could blink your eyes we gave it back,” Ports manager Rick Magnante said. “We hung in there and battled and made some plays, pitched enough to win and got some key hits at the end.”
