Lake Elsinore Storm Lose Lead and Game Against Modesto Nuts Presented by The Valley News
The Lake Elsinore Storm had won five in a row and were well on their way to winning their sixth straight before a late-game collapse cost them the first game of the series. The home team once again got a quality performance from their starting pitcher. Maikel Miralles went through
The Lake Elsinore Storm had won five in a row and were well on their way to winning their sixth straight before a late-game collapse cost them the first game of the series.
The home team once again got a quality performance from their starting pitcher. Maikel Miralles went through five innings while striking out five batters and allowing no runs. While he was slicing through the Nuts, the Storm continued its stretch of electricity.
They scored three runs in the fourth inning while already holding a one-run lead. This run came off the bat of Brandon Butterworth who hit into a bases-loaded double play in the third inning. The next frame was sparked by a Ryan Wilson hit-by-pitch with one out on the board. Colton Vincent laced a triple to center field to double their run total. Chase Valentine then singled in Vincent but a nutty mistake also got him to third base. A wild pitch then sent Valentine home.
A four-run lead with the second-half effectiveness of the bullpen felt like a comfortable lead for the Storm to have. Unfortunately, this game did not continue comfortably.
The Storm were unable to score again while the Nuts put up six runs in the three innings from the sixth to the eighth inning. Their best frame tied the game. Bernard Jose relieved Miralles on the mound but relieving it was not.
The first four Nuts reached base in wildly different ways but the result was three runs scored and one man still on base. He would strike out the next batter before a double tied the game and a walk ended his evening. Jose was only able to get through .1 innings as his season ERA shot up to 5.25. Braian Salazar came into the game and immediately recorded two outs to keep the game tied.
With the brief outing for Jose, Salazar was asked to go 2.2 innings. Unfortunately, he would allow two runs to score in the next two innings and the Nuts firmly held a lead.
The Storm only mustered up two hits from the sixth inning on and dropped the first game of the series.