Modesto, CA. - The Stockton Ports scored three runs in the top of the 10th inning to take their first lead of the night, only to have the Modesto Nuts win it with four in the bottom of the 10th Thursday night at John Thurman Field. Modesto got four hits
Modesto, CA. - The Stockton Ports scored three runs in the top of the 10th inning to take their first lead of the night, only to have the Modesto Nuts win it with four in the bottom of the 10th Thursday night at John Thurman Field. Modesto got four hits in the 10th off Angel Duno (4-3), including a game-winning double by Luis Liberato with two outs as the Nuts came from behind for a 6-5 win over the Ports to complete a three-game sweep.
Modesto opened the scoring in the third inning on a two-run single by Evan White, who went 4-for-5 in the contest. The two runs were the only runs surrendered by Stockton starter Matt Milburn, who did not factor into the decision after going 7 1/3 innings and allowing 10 hits while walking one and striking out five.
Nuts starter Ljay Newsome worked around three doubles allowed in his six scoreless innings of work as he was rendered a no-decision. Newsome did not issue a walk and matched a season-high with eight strikeouts.
David Ellingson took over for Modesto in the top of the seventh and issued a one-out walk to Greg Deichmann. With Deichmann at second base and two outs, Ellingson yielded three straight singles to Brett Siddall, Santiago Chávez and Cobie Vance, with Siddall and Vance each driving in a run to tie the game at 2-2. Ellingson worked 2/3 of an inning and gave way to Anthony McIver, who closed out the seventh and pitched a scoreless eighth.
Collin Kober (1-0) took over in the ninth for Modesto and worked around a leadoff double hit by Edwin Diaz, one of five Stockton doubles on the night. Pat Krall, who took over for Milburn in the eighth and escaped a jam with runners at the corners and one out, worked around a leadoff double by Liberato in the ninth to send the game into extra innings.
Kober pitched into the 10th and with a runner at second base to start the inning, gave up an RBI single to Trace Loehr that gave the Ports their first lead of the night at 3-2. Two batters later, Viosergy Rosa hit a two-run homer to left that ballooned the Stockton lead to 5-2.
Duno took over in the bottom of the 10th and with a runner at second and one out, gave up three straight singles to Kevin Santa, Anthony Jimenez and White, with Santa and White each driving in runs to make it 5-4. After White's single, Modesto had runners at the corners with one out and Joe Rizzo delivered a sac-fly to center that tied the game at 5-5. With White still at first base and two away, Liberato delivered the game-winning double to right-center to give the Nuts a 6-5 walk-off win.
Duno would suffer the loss after allowing four runs (three earned) in the 10th. Kober would pick up the win despite allowing three runs (two earned) in the top of the 10th.
Modesto won the game despite making five outs on the basepaths, including a runner thrown out at home plate on two occasions.
The Nuts head on the road to start a three-game series against the Rawhide on Friday night. First pitch is at 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.
