Three Arms Throw the Nuts to a 5-1 Victory

Fresno, CA – Connor Phillips posted nine strikeouts in five scintillating innings to help the Modesto Nuts secure a 5-1 win over the Fresno Grizzlies on Thursday night at Chukchansi Park.

It’s the Nuts’ (55-44) 12th win in their last 13 games.

Phillips (W, 7-3) retired the first eight batters he faced with five strikeouts. The first baserunner against Phillips came in the form of an 80-foot slow rolling infield single down the third base line by Christopher Navarro. Navarro was almost immediately caught trying to second to end the inning allowing Phillips to face the minimum through the first three innings. He would strikeout the side in the fourth.

In the fifth, the Grizzlies (64-35) snuck across an unearned run without a hit. The Nut’s defense committed two errors and an RBI groundout brought in the only tally against Phillips all night. The Nuts’ righty worked five frames and struck out nine with only one hit and one walk.

William Flemming checked in after that. He allowed a lead off double before retiring nine in a row over three scoreless innings. Luis Curvelo finished it off with a perfect ninth. The Nuts’ bullpen retired 12 in a row to finish off the game.

Colin Davis was the motor of the Nuts’ offense having a hand in four of the Nuts’ five runs. He doubled home a run in the first off of Grizzlies’ (64-35) starter Case Williams (L, 1-1). Trent Tingelstad singled him home later in the inning. Williams worked four innings allowing just the two first-inning runs over four innings of work.

In the fifth, Davis started another rally with a bunt single. He came in on a triple by Eric Jones. Tingelstad recorded his second RBI of the game with another single in that frame.

Davis finished off his strong night with a sacrifice fly in the sixth inning.

The Nuts go for their third straight win in the series on Friday night against the Grizzlies at 6:50pm.