Brock Rocks Ports With Blast in 9th

Three quick swings erased one mammoth baserunning fiasco in the JetHawks’ wild 7-5 victory over the Stockton Ports on Monday night before 3,011 at the Hangar.

After a strange double play in the ninth left the bases empty and the JetHawks down by two, the JetHawks (3-2) scored four runs on a walk by Chris Dean, consecutive doubles by James Clifford and Yuni Kim, and a booming two-run home run by Tarrik Brock.

The inning started disastrously. Pinch-hitter Luis Tinoco led off with a single, and Joe Mathis ripped a line drive into the left-center field gap. But Tinoco slipped after rounding third, and he couldn’t return to the bag because Mathis was trying for a triple.

Mathis was thrown out on a throw from center fielder Chad Green, and Tinoco was tagged by catcher Miguel Rodriguez.

Brian Sweeney (1-0) picked up the victory with three strong innings of relief. Chris Beck pitched six innings, the longest outing for a JetHawks starter this season.

Former Burroughs High pitcher Mike Rossiter started for Stockton and gave up two runs in 3 2/3 innings. He began last season in double A with the Oakland Athletics, but was released in spring training and signed last week with the Milwaukee Brewers. Monday night was his first start in the Brewer organization.