STORM 5, STOCKTON 3: Storm's skid ends at seven

By ED WEHDE - Staff Writer | Wednesday, May 14, 2008 6:09 AM PDT ∞

LAKE ELSINORE---- One big inning was enough to give the Storm their first win in a week.

Stockton pitching held Lake Elsinore scoreless in every frame except one, but the Storm's five-run third allowed them to pull out a 5-3 win at The Diamond on Tuesday and snap a season-high seven-game losing streak.

"It feels very good," Storm manager Carlos Lezcano said. "We beat a good club out there. It's good to get back in the win column."

Despite their recent skid, the Storm (18-21) have stayed at the top of the California League South Division standings, and the win Tuesday, coupled with losses by Lancaster and High Desert, allowed Lake Elsinore to pull a game ahead of the JetHawks and Mavericks.

The Ports (26-13) saw their lead over San Jose in the North Division shrink to one game.

Trailing by two Tuesday, the Storm rallied to take the lead in the bottom of the third by batting around and scoring five runs ---- four of which came courtesy of clutch, two-out hits by Lake Elsinore.

Cedric Hunter doubled home Javis Diaz and two outs later scored on Mitch Canham' s RBI single. Jeremy Hunt followed with a run-scoring double, and Kellen Kulbacki singled back up the middle to plate Canham and Hunt.

"(The two-out hits were) huge," Lezcano said. "The kids kept battling and seeing some pitches and getting into good counts. Some of those balls found a hole. When you lose, those balls are caught."

Stockton starter Brett Anderson started the season winning five of six and posting a 2.43 ERA, but the left-hander had his second consecutive shaky outing Tuesday. Anderson lasted just 4 2/3 innings ---- his second shortest stint of the season ---- and allowed five runs on eight hits and four walks.

With his second loss in as many starts, Anderson's record fell to 5-3 and his ERA climbed to 4.09.

Storm starter Drew Miller (3-1), meanwhile, scattered 10 hits and struck out three without issuing a walk while holding Stockton to three runs over six innings.

Chris Carter put the Ports on top with a home run to center field leading off the second,

Jermaine Mitchell made it 2-0 with a solo shot to right center in the top of the third, and Archie Gilbert had an RBI double in the fourth.

Brooks Dunn followed Miller with a scoreless inning and Rolando Valdez shut out the Ports in the eighth and ninth to earn his third save in four chances this season.

"We got very good pitching the whole game," Lezcano said. "Miller did a good job, and the relievers did an outstanding job today.

"We played good defense, and we had that five-run inning. We played a good game all the way through."

Et cetera

Gilbert's double in the top of the fourth extended his hitting streak to 25 games. He is now 10 games from matching the Cal League record. ... Chris Carter' s homer tied him with teammate Sean Doolittle for the league lead.

 Contact staff writer Ed Wehde at (951) 676-4315, Ext. 2633 or ewehde@californian.com.