Modesto, CA- The Inland Empire 66ers of San Bernardino downed the Modesto Nuts 8-6 on Friday at John Thurman Field and set a season-best with five consecutive wins. Inland Empire (45-70, 19-27) improved to 9-2 against Modesto in 2019.Modesto (52-64, 22-24) jumped out to a 2-0 lead against IE starter
Modesto, CA- The Inland Empire 66ers of San Bernardino downed the Modesto Nuts 8-6 on Friday at John Thurman Field and set a season-best with five consecutive wins. Inland Empire (45-70, 19-27) improved to 9-2 against Modesto in 2019.
Modesto (52-64, 22-24) jumped out to a 2-0 lead against IE starter Cooper Criswell in the first and it remained that way through the fourth as Nuts' starter Penn Murfee fanned eight batters in the first four frames. The Sixers chased Murfee in the fifth however as the Sixers sent nine men to the plate and took a 5-2 lead highlighted by two-run singles from Orlando Martinez and Franklin Torres. The hits extended Martinez hit streak to 12-games and Torres to eight. The Nuts fought back with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth and tied the game in the sixth but Luke Lind (1-1) came out of the pen and stranded two runners in scoring position. DC Arendas gave the Sixers a 6-5 lead in the seventh when he launched the first pitch Modesto reliever Daniel Ellingson (0-1) over the wall in right for a solo shot, his third homer of the season. The Sixers padded their lead with two in the eighth make it 8-5. Modesto got a run back in the eighth making it 8-6 and put runners at second and third in the ninth with no outs but Connor Higgins (SV,1) struck out Joe Rizzo and got a soft line-out off the bat of Jake Scheiner to second base for the second out; Sixers 2B Mike Stefanic took the liner and whipped a throw to the bag at second where Modesto runner Joseph Rosa was doubled off to end the game.
The series concludes Thursday at 7:05 pm. The contest can be heard live at 66ers.com.
