Nuts Come Up Short in 13-Inning Affair

SAN BERNARDINO, CA. - In marathon 13-inning affair, the Modesto Nuts were unable to hold two leads in a 5-4 loss to the Inland Empire 66ers on Wednesday morning at San Manuel Stadium.
The Nuts (4-3) took their first lead in the seventh inning. After going 22 consecutive innings without a run, Matt Sanders reached on an infield single to start the frame. Johnny Adams followed with a bunt base hit. A double play put the tying run a third. Connor Kopach laid down a beautiful two-out suicide squeeze to drive in the first run for Modesto.
Later in the inning, Cal Raleigh put the Nuts in front with a two-out, two-run single.
The 66ers (4-3) came back to tie the game in the bottom of the eighth. Joey Gerber surrendered two walks and a sac fly before being taken out of the game. Then with two outs, Jordan Zimmerman knocked a soft game-tying RBI single into left.
That's the way the game stayed until the eleventh inning. Adams gave the Nuts a brief lead with a two-out RBI single. In the bottom of the eleventh, Orlando Martinez tied the game with a one-out single.
Adams (L, 0-1) came in from shortstop to pitch for the Nuts in the 12^th and was able to strand the bases loaded. In the 13^th, Leonardo Rivas lifted a fly ball down the left field line. Ariel Sandoval made a sliding effort but came up short allowing the walk-off run to score.
Nate Bertness (W, 1-0) worked the final four innings for the 66ers to complete the sweep of the Nuts.
The Nuts head open for their first series of the season at John Thurman Field. First pitch on Thursday night against the Ports is at 7:05 a.m. Coverage on ModestoNuts.com will start at 6:50 a.m. Listen live online on your phone, tablet or PC by clicking HERE