Nuts Start Road Trip 4-1 After 9-7 Win

Lake Elsinore, CA. - After giving up a five-run lead, the Modesto Nuts came back to hang on and win 9-7 against the Lake Elsinore Storm on Friday night at The Diamond.
After the Storm (11-18) erased the Nuts' (13-16) five-run lead in the sixth, the Nuts came back to take the advantage in the eighth.
Austin Smith (L, 0-1) walked the first two he faced to start the eighth inning. Bryson Brigman was going to lay down a bunt but a wild pitch moved both runners into scoring position. Brigman, on the next pitch, lifted a sac fly deep enough to allow the go-ahead run to score and for Kevin Santa to reach third. Santa would score an insurance run on a passed ball.
In the bottom of the eighth, the Storm threatened right away. Colin Rodgers (W, 1-1) surrendered a single and a double to put the tying runs in scoring position.
Seth Elledge (2/2) checked into the game and retired the side in order with two strikeouts. He followed that up to strikeout the side in the ninth to nail down the two-inning save.
Garrett Kennedy tripled home three runs for the Nuts in the win. Gareth Morgan launched his team-leading sixth home run of the year with a two-run shot in the second.
Danny Garcia worked five inning in the start for the Nuts with seven strikeouts and two walks. He allowed four runs on seven hits.
The Nuts eye a series victory in the middle affair of a three-game series with the Lake Elsinore Storm on Saturday night. First pitch is set for 6:00 p.m. Coverage on ModestoNuts.com will start at 5:45 p.m. Listen live online on your phone, tablet or PC by clicking HERE.