The Lake Elsinore Storm fell 11-6 to the Stockton Ports on July 2, 2026, at Diamond Stadium in Lake Elsinore, California, suffering their first loss in the series.
The Storm took an early 4-0 lead as Stockton starter Jackson Phipps struggled with control, walking the first five batters. Lake Elsinore scored two runs in the opening inning including a double steal and added a solo home run by first baseman Dawson Willis, his third of the season, to lead 5-2 after three innings.
Starting pitcher Carlos Medina lasted three innings before being replaced by Brandon Langley. Langley faced challenges himself, walking the first four batters he encountered and allowing Stockton to gain a 7-5 lead. Rordy Mejia succeeded Langley but surrendered a go-ahead home run to Bobby Blandford, giving Stockton a momentum shift.
The Ports continued to extend their lead with runs in the sixth and eighth innings, including a solo home run by Daniel Bucciero that registered an exit velocity of 109 mph. Lake Elsinore managed one additional run in the fourth inning but was unable to rally further.
Lake Elsinore Storm will return to the field on July 3, 2026, facing the Stockton Ports in the third game of the series. Right-handed pitcher Lan-Hong Su will start for the Storm against Stockton’s right-hander Shotaro Morii, with first pitch scheduled for 6:05 p.m. PT.
CSB Take
The Lake Elsinore Storm’s early offensive success was undermined by pitching difficulties marked by multiple walks late in the game. Stockton Ports capitalized on these struggles with timely home runs to seize and maintain the lead. Moving forward, Lake Elsinore must improve their mound control to stay competitive in this tightly contested California League matchup.
Source: Original report
