Gulls’ Stottlemyre Shackles Visalia, 6-2

Behind the brilliant pitching of Todd Stottlemyre and a four-home run attack, the Ventura County Gulls defeated the Visalia Oaks, 6-2, in the first of a three-game series Wednesday night in Visalia.

Stottlemyre pitched seven scoreless innings, gave up only two hits, walked one and struck out six. The victory increased his record to 8-2.

Although Visalia pitcher Ben Bianchi (7-1) went into the game with a 7-0 record and a 1.84 earned-run average, the Gulls treated him with little respect.

In the second inning, Geronimo Berroa hit a two-run home run. Berroa had barely taken his seat on the Gulls bench when teammate Luis Reyna hit a solo shot two pitches later.

Santiago Garcia put the Gulls ahead, 4-0, with a solo home run to lead off the third.

The Gulls increased their lead to 5-0 in the fifth when Garcia singled, stole second and came home on a double by teammate Darryl Landrum.

In the eighth inning, Domingo Martinez made it a 6-0 Ventura lead with a solo home run, for the Gulls’ fourth home run of the game.

After Stottlemyre’s stint on the mound, Mark Dickman pitched the last two innings, allowing two runs on a two-run homer by Sal Nicolosi in the bottom of the eighth.