Bautista, Pitching Carry Ports to Series-Opening Win

Box Score

MODESTO, Ca. – Three Ports pitchers allowed just five hits and Danny Bautista had two hits and made a key diving catch in extra innings as Stockton defeated the Modesto Nuts 4-3 in 10 innings in the series opener on Tuesday night at John Thurman Field.

The Ports (44-83) took an early 1-0 lead in the top half of the first inning, loading the bases with one out on two singles and a walk against Nuts’ starter Michael Morales. Bautista then grounded into a fielders’ choice allowing Cameron Masterman to score from third base to give the Ports the 1-0 advantage.

Starting with the bottom of the first, the Nuts (62-65) wasted no time in evening the score and then taking the lead. With Harry Ford, who reached third on a single, stolen base and throwing error, at third base and one out, Freuddy Batista grounded out to shortstop allowing Ford to score making it 1-1.

In the bottom of the second, The Nuts took the lead with a crooked number. Jonatan Clase led off with a solo home run against Ports’ starter James Gonzalez to make it 2-1. With one out Randy Bednar singled to score Hogan Windish, who tripled, from third base extending the Modesto lead to 3-1.

With Gonzalez holding the Nuts’ offense down, facing the minimum over his last 4.2 innings, the Ports started chipping away in the top of the fourth. Bautista led off with a double and moved to third base on a fly ball to center field. After Cooper Uhl was hit by a pitch to put runners on the corners, Dereck Salom reached on an infield single to score Bautista, making it 3-2.

The Ports then tied the game in the top of the seventh inning. With Caeden Trenkle at second base and two outs, T.J. Schofield-Sam lined an RBI double down the right field line to bring Stockton even with the Nuts at 3-3.

With the game remaining tied through nine innings, the Ports took the lead in the top of the tenth. Bautista started the frame with a single up the middle moving Junior Perez, who began the inning at second base as the placed runner, to third base. Clase’s throw came all the way to home plate, allowing Bautista to advance to second base. On the play, Nuts catcher Harry Ford threw errantly to second base allowing Perez to score the go-ahead run from third base to make it 4-3 Stockton.

With the Ports holding on to a one-run lead and runners on first and second and nobody out in the bottom of the 10th, Bautista made a diving catch in shallow right-center field and doubled off Nuts’ placed runner Brett Rodriguez at second base. Hunter Breault then got Cesar Izturis on a comebacker to end the ballgame.

Ports’ reliever Carlos Guarate (1-2) got the win for Stockton, allowing just one hit over three shutout innings with two strikeouts. Modesto’s Chris Jefferson (1-1) took the loss, surrendering just an unearned run over an inning with one strikeout.

After snapping their five-game losing streak the Ports will go for their second consecutive victory in game two of their series with the Nuts on Wednesday night at John Thurman Field with first pitch at 7:05 pm.