Early Hole Too Deep, Ports Topped by Nuts
Box Score MODESTO, Ca. – The Ports outscored the Modesto Nuts by four runs over the final three innings but could not overcome an early 12-run deficit in a 16-8 loss to their North Division rival on Wednesday night at John Thurman Field in Modesto. A night after being eliminated
MODESTO, Ca. – The Ports outscored the Modesto Nuts by four runs over the final three innings but could not overcome an early 12-run deficit in a 16-8 loss to their North Division rival on Wednesday night at John Thurman Field in Modesto.
A night after being eliminated from playoff contention, the Nuts (63-65) exploded in the first two innings against Ports’ starter Yehizon Sanchez. With a runner on first and one out in the bottom of the first, Modesto designated hitter Tyler Locklear blasted a two-run home run to straight-away center field to make it 2-0 Nuts. After a walk and a wild pitch, Gabriel Gonzalez then blooped a single to right center to give the Nuts a 3-0 lead after the first inning.
The Nuts then broke it open with a five-run second. Four straight one-out hits generated two runs, with the catcher Freuddy Batista and Locklear driving in runs with a single and a double, respectively. With two outs Axel Sanchez provided the big blow, a three-run shot to left field to give the Nuts an 8-0 lead.
Modesto continued to pour it on, scoring twice more in the third and fourth and another single tally in the fifth to take a 13-1 lead after five innings.
The Ports (44-84) battled back over the last few frames. Stockton collected two runs in the top of the seventh on an RBI single by Caeden Trenkle and a run-scoring double by T.J. Schofield-Sam. The Ports then tallied three more runs in the eighth on a two-run single by Cameron Masterman and a run scoring on a wild pitch.
After a three-run bottom of the eighth by Modesto, the Ports fought back with a two-run ninth on RBIs by Brennan Milone (single) and Dereck Salom (sacrifice fly), but Nuts reliever Jose Geraldo closed out the ninth with a strikeout to end the game.
Nuts reliever Rodney Hutchison (1-0) got the win for the Nuts, allowing two unearned runs on two hits in three innings while striking out two. Sanchez (2-8) took the loss for Stockton surrendering ten runs on 11 hits over three innings.
With the series even at one game apiece, the Ports will look to take the edge in game three on Thursday night with first pitch at 7:05 pm at John Thurman Field in Modesto.