MARTINEZ, CALIF. – The Vallejo Admirals captured 13-8 and 14-5 victories over the Martinez Clippers, in the clubs’ introductory meetings. The expansion Clippers played host to the Admirals’ first road games of the season at the newly renovated Joe DiMaggio Fields inside Waterfront Park.
On Saturday, two large rallies made the difference for the Admirals: a seven-run third, and a four-run seventh. Home runs came from Vlad Gomez, who drove in five altogether; Tillman Pugh, who collected three hits; and Rian Kiniry, who homered twice and knocked in three. Cyle Figueroa also contributed three hits. Peter Reyes collected the game’s final out after a calamitous ninth-inning stint by fellow returner Brent Adheen, who began the ninth and let in four Martinez runs in his two-thirds of an inning.
For the third straight ballgame, the Vallejo starter earned the victory, as Dalton Bernardi allowed three runs over five innings. For the third straight ballgame, the Martinez staff permitted the opposition to score in double digits, as the Sonoma Stompers had done in consecutive season-opening wins over the Clippers. Martinez starter Joe Jones took the loss.
On Sunday, three different Admirals went deep, as the visitors ran up another large lead in the game’s early innings. Nick Akins, Brandon Fischer and Chris Fornaci all socked homers in support of winning pitcher Michael Pope, the Walnut Creek native who correspondingly gave up three runs in his five-inning start. Pugh doubled twice and Graylin Derke drove in three runs.
Prior to the resumption of league play, the Admirals’ first-ever transaction with the Clippers became official, as pitcher Grayson Weber was exchanged for a player to be named later. Weber had worked three scoreless innings for Vallejo in two appearances this year, and he logged 24 innings of work during the 2017 season.
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