STOCKTON, Calif. - The Stockton Ports wasted no time in setting the tone for a series sweep of the Modesto Nuts on Sunday afternoon. Stockton scored eight runs in the opening stanza, highlighted by a grand slam off the bat of Collin Theroux, on its way to a lopsided 13-3
STOCKTON, Calif. - The Stockton Ports wasted no time in setting the tone for a series sweep of the Modesto Nuts on Sunday afternoon. Stockton scored eight runs in the opening stanza, highlighted by a grand slam off the bat of Collin Theroux, on its way to a lopsided 13-3 win over Modesto, their fifth consecutive victory and their fourth series sweep of the year. In the victory, the Ports set new season-high totals for runs and hits (19) in a game while matching their largest margin of victory on the year.
The Ports offered a rude welcome to Nuts starter Nick Wells (0-1) who was making his California League debut. Stockton loaded the bases on three straight singles and Jonah Heim opened the scoring with a two-run single to right field. After Will Toffey walked to load the bases again, Luke Persico drew a bases-loaded walk to make it 3-0. Luis Barrera came up next and singled to make it a 4-0 lead. Two batters later, with the bases loaded and one out, Theroux delivered the most decisive blow of the frame, a grand slam to right field that ballooned the Stockton lead to 8-0. The grand slam was Stockton's second of the series and fifth of the season.
Wells would suffer the loss, going just one third of an inning and allowing eight runs on six hits while walking two.
Jefferson Medina took over for Modesto and would allow two runs in the second inning. With one on and two out, Medina surrendered back-to-back doubles to Barrera and Sandber Pimentel to make it a 10-0 contest. Those were the only two runs allowed by Medina in two-and-two-thirds innings of work.
Meanwhile, Stockton starter Xavier Altamirano (1-0), who was also making his California League debut, set down the first nine batters he faced on his way to a spectacular performance. Altamirano set the side down in order in five of his seven innings, including striking out the side in the sixth. Altamirano earned the victory in his debut, matching a career-high with seven scoreless innings worked, allowing just two hits while matching a career-best with eight strikeouts.
The Ports added to their lead in the sixth with a solo homer off the bat of Persico, his third of the season. It was the only run allowed by Nuts reliever Michael Koval in three innings of work. Stockton added two more runs in the seventh on an RBI single by Toffey and a throwing error committed by Nuts second baseman Kevin Santa. Those two runs were charged to Jack Anderson, who worked just the seventh for Modesto.
Brendan Butler took over for Altamirano in the eighth and gave up a leadoff single to Manuel Pazos, who then went to second on a balk. Pazos scored two batters later on a throwing error committed by Brallan Perez to spoil Stockton's shutout bid. Butler would work into the ninth and see Modesto score two more runs as they took advantage of a walk and two fielding errors committed on the same play by Perez. Joe Rizzo lined an RBI single to center field to score the first of the two Nuts runs and chase Butler from the game. Pat Krall came on in relief and would throw a wild pitch that allowed a second run to score, but Krall would get Kevin Santa to line out to end the ballgame.
Butler allowed three runs (one earned) on two hits while walking two in an inning-and-a-third. Krall did not allow a run of his own in two-thirds of an inning.
Winners of five straight, the Ports travel to San Jose on Monday night to open a four-game series with the Giants. Left-hander Evan Manarino (1-0, 3.27 ERA) makes the start in the series opener for Stockton, opposed by San Jose right-hander Jason Bahr (0-0 ,0.00 ERA), who makes his California League debut. First pitch at Municipal Stadium is set for 7 p.m. PDT.
