STOCKTON 2, STORM 0: Offense again dormant in Storm loss

By NATHAN MAX - For The Californian | Friday, May 16, 2008 6:49 AM PDT ∞

Storm second baseman Keoni Ruth throws for a double play, with Darryl Lawhorn sliding into second, in the second inning of Thursday's game against Stockton. (Photo by Steve Thornton - Staff Photographer)

LAKE ELSINORE ---- May has been a tough month for Lake Elsinore Storm batters, and things didn't get any better Thursday afternoon.

Lake Elsinore managed just two hits, was shut out for the fifth time in its last 10 games and wasted a solid defensive effort in a 2-0 loss to the Stockton Ports before a sparse crowd on a hot and windy day at The Diamond.

Stockton (27-14) used a two-run sixth inning to break the scoreless tie and then held on thanks in large part to the pitching of Jason Fernandez.

Fernandez (4-2) threw eight shutout innings, walking three, striking out three and conceding two hits. Chris Farley cleaned up in the ninth inning, getting three straight out to earn his third save. The loss snapped the Storm's two-game winning streak.

"I'm just glad we won the last two games before today," Storm manager Carlos Lezcano said. "We faced some good pitching. You've got to give the pitchers credit when they get the job done. That guy today, he wasn't overpowering, but he had good command and kept us off balance all day."

Despite the loss, the Storm (19-22) maintained its first-place status in the South Division of the California League standings.

Lake Elsinore was particularly let down by the heart of its batting order.

Designated hitter Eric Sogard, first baseman Sam Carter and second baseman Keoni Ruth ---- batting in the third, fourth and fifth spots respectively ---- combined to go 0-for-12. Sogard, Carter and Ruth went down in order in the bottom of the ninth.

The Storm's most effective batter, left fielder Robert Perry, finished 0-for-1 but got on base three times after walking twice and being hit by a pitch.

Lake Elsinore's best threat came in the bottom of the first inning after Perry led off with a walk, and center fielder Cedric Hunter singled to give the Storm runners at first and second with nobody out. But Sogard flew out to center, Carter hit into a double play, and the Storm didn't get another hit until the seventh inning.

Storm starting pitcher Ernesto Frieri (1-3) threw five scoreless innings before he got in trouble in the sixth when he walked Stockton leadoff batter Archie Gilbert, conceded a single to No. 2 hitter Mike Massaro and then gave up an RBI double to No. 3 hitter Sean Doolittle.

Two batters later, Darryl Lawhorn hit a sacrifice fly to center off Lake Elsinore relief pitcher Dylan Axelrod to bring home Massaro, and that was all the scoring Stockton needed.

The result spoiled what had been a superlative defensive effort by Lake Elsinore. With the exception of a throwing error by Frieri in the third, the Storm turned several tough plays into outs. Hunter and right fielder Kellen Kulbacki each made spectacular diving catches in the outfield.

"We played pretty good defense," Lezcano said. "We kept battling the whole game, but we couldn't get anything going offensively. We've played pretty good defense all year, but we've been struggling with the bats a little bit."