Phillips’ Career-High 13 K’s Fall Short in 4-3 Loss

Modesto, CA – After tying the game in the bottom of the ninth, the Modesto Nuts lost 4-3 in ten innings against the Inland Empire 66ers at John Thurman Field on Thursday night.

Connor Phillips dominated over six innings allowing just one unearned run. He struck out a career-best 13 batters while reaching 100 career strikeouts with his fourth-inning K. Phillips allowed just two singles in the first inning and did not allow another hit the rest of the night.

Spencer Packard tied the game in the sixth with an RBI single to score Noelvi Marte who had doubled to start the inning.

In the seventh, the 66ers (51-51) retook the lead with an RBI infield single with two outs by Jose Reyes.

In the ninth, the Nuts (58-47) tied the game when Alberto Rodriguez launched a solo home run against Emilker Guzman (W, 3-5).

The 66ers took the lead for a third time in the tenth inning when D-Shawn Knowles and Carson Matthews collected back-to-back RBI doubles against Andrew Moore (L, 0-1).

Alberto Rodriguez added an RBI single in the tenth, but Ryan Costeiu (S, 2) stranded the winning run at first to send the Nuts to their first loss of the homestand.

The Nuts and 66ers get back at it on Friday night at John Thruman Field with game four of the six-game set scheduled to start at 7:05 pm.