Napa Silverados fail to get key hits, drop pitcher’s duel to Sonoma Stompers
By Kyle Foster
Twitter: @NapaKyle @NapaSportsNews
So close, yet so far. You could insert any small number and it’d work because that’s how close the Napa Silverados were to beating to Sonoma Stompers.
Instead, they took a tough 3-2 loss to the Sonoma Stompers.
“Pitching on both sides was really, really good,” Napa skipper Tito Fuentes said. “Relievers on both sides were good. We just didn’t get that one key hit that we needed.The strike zone is the strike zone, but I think it was a pretty good game and well played on both sides.”
Napa (4-9) had their fair share of chances in the bottom of the eight and ninth to score, but were unable to tie the game. The Silverados pushed a runner to third in the eighth, but a groundout and a strikeout ended the inning. In the ninth, Napa loaded the bases, but a double play and a strikeout ended the game. Overall, Napa left four runners on base on the day.
“Just keep swinging the bat,” Fuentes explained of how to get the key hit going forward. “Keep swinging the bat and it’ll fall.”
It was a good day for the Silverados pitching wise. Starter Billy Filo went six innings, allowed only three runs, with two of them being earned. He also walked two and struck out one.
“I was just trying to get ahead and stay ahead, throw a lot of strikes, and keep our defense in the game,” Filo said of what was working so well for him on the day.
“He did pitch very well,” Fuentes said of his starter’s effort. “Billy really commanded the zone. He didn’t get a few calls to go his way in the strike zone and maybe a bad call, but we don’t have instant replay. But Billy did well. He’s a workhorse. We already had a plan of going 90-95 pitches, so we kept it at that. I think he threw 93 pitches.”
Napa relievers Andrew Fernandez and Mark Young came in and worked three shutout innings while striking out six and only walking one.
“We battled back,” Filo added. “Our bullpen did a great job coming in and shutting it down. I mean they didn’t give up any runs, so it was a team effort. It’s just a tough loss, but you know that’s baseball.”
Sonoma (10-3) scored their only run in the top of the fifth inning.
The Silverados chipped away by getting a run back in the bottom of the fifth when JJ Bissell doubled and later scored when Nick Ultch grounded into a fielder’s choice.
Then, in the bottom of the eighth Josh Monetelongo blasted his second home run of the season to make it a one-run game.
You can view the full box score from the game here.
Napa will be back in action on Wednesday at 6:35 p.m. when they head to Vallejo for a meeting with the Admirals. They will return home on Friday at 5:05 p.m. when they host the Salina Stockade.
