The Visalia Rawhide defeated the Stockton Ports 6-5 on September 2, 2026, at Valley Strong Ballpark in Visalia, California, in the series opener of their Single-A Central Valley League matchup. Victor Santana led the Rawhide offensively with three hits and two RBIs, playing a crucial role in securing the win.
Visalia took an early lead with three runs in the second inning initiated by Nathan Hall’s double and supported by Paul Schoenfeld’s single. Pedro Blanco drove in the first run with an RBI single and later scored on a passed ball. Stockton responded with runs in the third and fourth innings, each time trimming the Rawhide’s lead to a single run.
Blanco extended the lead in the sixth inning with a leadoff 402-foot home run, his 17th of the season, the second most for any Visalia player this decade. Victor Santana then added an RBI single, pushing the lead further. A triple by Ryder Helfrick and a sacrifice fly by Jake Duer in the seventh increased Visalia’s advantage to 6-2.
The Ports mounted a late rally, scoring three runs in the eighth inning and bringing the tying run to third base in the ninth. However, the Rawhide’s Daniel Nunez closed out the game with a game-ending flyout to preserve the victory.
On the mound, David Sanchez made his Valley Strong Ballpark debut, pitching four innings with two runs allowed and a stateside career-high six strikeouts. Teofilo Mendez earned his fifth win of the season by pitching two scoreless innings and recording two strikeouts.
Visalia finished with 12 hits, including five extra-base hits, marking their sixth win in seven games at Valley Strong Ballpark.
CSB Take
The Visalia Rawhide displayed resilience and effective clutch hitting against persistent rallies from the Stockton Ports. Victor Santana’s consistent offensive output and key contributions from Pedro Blanco, along with strong pitching from David Sanchez and Teofilo Mendez, highlighted the team’s balanced effort. This victory builds confidence for Visalia as they continue to compete in the demanding Single-A Central Valley League schedule.
Source: Original report
