Ports' Buschmann spins six no-hit frames

Matt Buschmann made the most of his Friday night start in the California League but can certainly be forgiven if he's happy with the brief duration of his stay.

The veteran right-hander pitched six no-hit innings, striking out seven batters and walking two, on the road back from an elbow strain as Class A Advanced Stockton took down Modesto, 5-2.

"I feel great," Buschmann (1-0) told The Modesto Bee. "In the last start, being the first one for me in a couple weeks, I was rusty. Tonight, I had no mental setbacks as far as worrying about my arm. I knew my arm was there, so I could just concentrate on competing."

Five days after allowing three runs on five hits over four innings against Rancho Cucamonga, Buschmann overwhelmed Modesto.

The Nuts didn't get a baserunner until Francisco Sosa reached on an error by Ports shortstop Daniel Robertson leading off the third. Buschmann pitched around two fourth-inning walks and retired the last eight Nuts he faced.

"I made a joke about going back out for the seventh," the 30-year-old right-hander said, "and about how this might have been my last chance to throw a no-hitter, but there was no talk about it. I know this team has struggled a little and I'm glad I gave them an opportunity to win."

Stockton lost the no-hit bid in the seventh when Derek Jones lined a one-out single to center field off Jonathan Joseph.

Buschmann is ticketed for a return to Triple-A Sacramento for his next start.

"Last year with the Rays was a great opportunity for me to show that I could pitch in Triple-A, and that opened up some avenues," he told the newspaper. "The A's are giving me a chance to reach the big leagues."

The Ports scored four times in the fourth inning, keyed by RBI singles from Matt Olson, Wade Kirkland and Bobby Crocker as well as a bases-loaded walk by A's No. 2 prospect Billy McKinney.

Modesto starter Ben Alsup (0-4) matched Buschmann through three hitless innings before running into trouble in the fourth. Alsup yielded four runs -- one earned -- on five hits while walking five and striking out five in five innings.

Although they got on the board against Joseph in the seventh, Sosa was the only Nut with a multi-hit night as Modesto went 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position.