Lake Elsinore, CA. - Reggie Lawson produced a gem for the Lake Elsinore Storm sending the Modesto Nuts to a 4-1 series-opening loss at The Diamond on Wednesday night. Lawson (W, 6-3) retired the first seven batters he faced in the ballgame before Kevin Santa singled for the Nuts (39-58;
Lake Elsinore, CA. - Reggie Lawson produced a gem for the Lake Elsinore Storm sending the Modesto Nuts to a 4-1 series-opening loss at The Diamond on Wednesday night.
Lawson (W, 6-3) retired the first seven batters he faced in the ballgame before Kevin Santa singled for the Nuts (39-58; 9-18) with one out in the third. Nick Thurman singled after that and Bryson Brigman capped the barrage of three straight knocks with a RBI single to tie the game.
That was all the Nuts would get against the Storm (46-51; 12-15) starter. Lawson was able to work around three straight two-out singles in the seventh inning to finish his night having allowed just one run on six hits with six strikeouts and two walks.
Pedro Avila (S, 1/1) recorded the first save of his career by working two scoreless innings out of the bullpen. He had to work around just a one-out single in the ninth while striking out three.
Ljay Newsome (L, 5-7) allowed a RBI infield single in the second inning to score a run from third with only one out. After the Nuts tied it in the third, the Storm took the lead back for good in the fourth. Newsome surrendered a leadoff single before back-to-back strikeouts. He battled with Allen Córdoba for 12 pitches before Cordoba lifted a fly ball to right. Nick Zammarelli dropped the fly ball allowing the run to score from first. Jorge Oña whacked a two-run homer in the sixth to give the Storm some breathing room.
Newsome tossed 5 1/3 innings allowing four runs, three earned, on nine hits with six strikeouts and no walks. Jack Anderson and Wyatt Mills combined to work the final 2 2/3 innings facing one over the minimum as a result of an error.
The Nuts continue a three-game series with the Storm on Thursday night. First pitch from Lake Elsinore is set for 7:00 p.m. Coverage on ModestoNuts.com will start at 6:50 p.m. Listen live online on your phone, tablet or PC by clicking HERE.
