By: Dave Grant

SONOMA, Calif. – The Admirals had no answer for the Stompers offensive attack on Tuesday night, allowing Sonoma to take control with a six-run second inning during a 17-6 loss at Peoples Home Equity Ballpark at Arnold Field. The Admirals slipped to 4-6 overall this season while Sonoma improved to a Pacific Association-best 7-3.

Vallejo struck first after Chevy Clarke scored to give the Admirals a 1-0 lead, but Sonoma answered back in the first after Matt Hibbert scored to tie the game.

The Admirals took another lead in the second inning after an RBI single by Vladimir Gomez brought home Deybi Garcia, but the Stompers took matters into their own hands after that. A six-run second, highlighted by RBI singles from Joel Carranza and Eddie Mora-Loera, gave Sonoma a 7-2 lead.

Admirals starter Joe Watson lasted only one inning – after issuing four more walks – allowing five runs before being lifted for the newest Admiral, Christopher De Leon. De Leon didn’t fare much better, allowing six hits in 1.1 innings, while allowing five runs with only one being earned after three walks, a hit batter and an error.

Sonoma starter Ty’relle Harris impressed for the second consecutive outing against the Admirals, striking out 10 – to give him 19 versus the Admirals in 12 innings – to improve to 2-0 this season.

Sonoma took a 9-2 lead in the third after a two-run single by Isaac Wenrich brought in David and Carranza. The Stompers added another run in the fourth after an RBI single by David brought in Brennan Metzger.

Clarke scored on a RBI single by Shawn Payne to bring the Admirals to within 10-3 in the fifth, but the Stompers would tack on four more runs in the sixth after five consecutive hits by Sonoma that plated Matt LoCoco, Yuki Yasuda, Hibbert and David.

Sonoma went up 15-3 after an RBI single by Hibbert plated Metzger in the seventh. Tillman Pugh drove in Payne with a sacrifice fly in the eighth to end a string of five unanswered runs by the Stompers. Stacy Piagno made her season debut in the eighth for the Stompers, allowing a run on a walk, wild pitch and sac fly by Pugh.

With Sonoma leading 15-4, Kelsie Whitmore pinch-hit for Daniel Comstock in the eighth and walked on six pitches. The Stompers extended their lead to 17-4 in the eighth after Kevin Farley scored his first run of the game and Wenrich scored on an RBI single.

Nick Akins brought in two more for the Admirals after a two-run double in the ninth inning for the final two runs of the evening.

The Admirals have been outscored 38-19 in four games against the Stompers this season.

The Admirals travel to Sonoma to take on the Stompers in the second game of the series at 6 p.m. Tuesday, with David Dinelli the scheduled starter for Vallejo. The pregame begins at 5:45 p.m. on the Admirals Baseball Network with Tim Fitzgerald and Dave Grant.

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