Nuts takes home second straight Cal League title

Having missed out on its first opportunity to clinch a second consecutive championship, the Modesto Nuts made sure the California League crown remained at John Thurman Field on Wednesday night.

The Seattle affiliate put on a pitching clinic, edging Lake Elsinore, 2-1, in the winner-take-all Game 3 of the Championship Series. The title was the third for the organization since it affiliated with the Mariners in 2017 and its 11th overall, tied for second-most in league history with Stockton, one behind San Jose's 12.

Modesto proved resilient in Game 1 of the series, rallying from a ninth-inning deficit to claim a 10-8 victory over the Padres affiliate. Although the celebration had to wait following a 9-2 setback on Tuesday, the Nuts did not let falling behind early in Game 3 affect them.

Trailing in the fifth, 1-0, Modesto scored the only runs it needed on a bases-loaded walk to Milkar Perez and an infield single by Mariners No. 25 prospect Josh Caron. The bullpen proved flawless for the Nuts after right-handed starter Pedro Da Costa Lemos allowed an unearned run over two frames.

The quintet of Brock Moore, Trevor Long, Jack White, Brayan Perez and Hunter Cranton scattered three singles while striking out 11 over seven walk-free innings.

Although the Nuts' road to their second straight championship was shored up early on thanks to a 41-23 first-half mark -- tops on the circuit -- the club had an uneven second half, going 32-34. Modesto finished 73-57 overall, a half-game behind San Jose for the best record in the league.

Trying to defend their 2023 championship under second-year manager Zach Vincej, the Nuts were bolstered early by Colt Emerson (MLB No. 27) and Lazaro Montes (MLB No. 45), who helped carry the offense in the first half before their promotions to High-A Everett.

The emergence of Tai Peete, the organization's No. 11 prospect, in his first full season and Luis Suisbel's league-leading 15 homers and 90 RBIs, the Nuts paced the circuit in numerous offensive categories, including batting average (.266), OPS (.793), homers (113) and runs (833).

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The pitching staff's 4.58 ERA was in the middle of the pack, but they allowed the lowest average-against (.232) and the fewest long balls (56). Mariners No. 28 prospect Ashton Izzi sparkled on the mound for Modesto with a league-best 2.85 ERA in 26 starts, nearly a run-and-a-half better than the next lowest mark.

Vincej, who appeared in 10 big league games with the Reds and Mariners in 2017-18, amassed a 151-111 record (.576) in his first two years at the helm. Coupled with the club's 4-1 ledger in this year's playoffs, Vincej guided the Nuts to a 8-1 mark in postseason play en route to the Cal League's first back-to-back championships since San Jose in 2009-10.