Ports Use Bolte Home Run to End Skid with Modesto

STOCKTON, Calif. - The Ports got their first win over the Modesto Nuts in 2023 on Wednesday night, winning 4-2 on the strength of a three-run blast by Henry Bolte and some stingy Ports pitching.

Four Ports pitchers combined to allow just two unearned runs, with Eduardo Rivera going four innings in his second start with Stockton, allowing just two hits with two walks and four strikeouts.

Garret Irvin pitched two scoreless innings to collect the win and improve to 4-1 on the season, while Carlos Guarate pitched two innings to get a hold, and Pedro Santos earned his first save of the season by striking out the side in the ninth.

The Ports (17-30) got on the board first after Jose Escorche doubled off the wall in left in the second inning and advanced to third when the throw into second was offline. He would come in to score on a wild pitch to give Stockton an early 1-0 lead.

Modesto (23-24) answered in the top of the third, scratching across a run with a walk, a base hit, and a sac fly from Cole Young to tie the game at one apiece. The run was unearned as Nuts left fielder Brett Rodriguez advanced to third on a passed ball before scoring on the sac fly.

But the Ports answered right back in the bottom of the third to take the lead for good. Leadoff man Colby Thomas led off the inning with a walk and Brennan Milone singled through the right side to put two on with nobody out for Bolte.

The 2022 second-round draft pick hammered the first pitch saw to straight away center, launching a towering fly ball off the top of the batter’s eye an estimated 435 feet to put the Ports up 4-1.

It would stay that way until the eighth inning when Modesto would again plate an unearned run due to a passed ball. A single by Gabriel Gonzalez was followed by a double off the bat of Gabriel Moncada to put runners at second and third with just one out.

The passed ball scored Gonzalez, but Guarate got a strike out and a pop up to third to end the threat and strand a runner 90 feet away. Santos would come in to pitch the ninth and struck out all three batters he faced with his mid-to-high 90s fastballs and cutters.

Stockton with host game three of the six-game series against Modesto on Thursday, June 1 at 7:05 p.m. It’s a “Throwback Thursday” at Banner Island Ballpark, with $8 Field Box tickets, $3 hot dogs, and $3 Busch Lights, courtesy of the Law Offices of Jacob Loyal Benguerel.