Nuts Come From Behind to Trip Ports in Extras

Box Score

STOCKTON, Ca.- The Modesto Nuts outscored the Ports 5-1 from the sixth inning on as Stockton fell to their North Division rival 6-5 in ten innings on Wednesday night at Banner Island Ballpark.

The Ports (41-72) jumped out to an early lead with three unearned runs in the bottom of the first inning. Stockton loaded the bases with nobody out thanks to an error and back-to-back walks against Modesto starter Josias De Los Santos who nearly escaped the jam with no damage after getting CJ Rodriguez on a line out to second and striking out Nick Brueser. With two outs, through, Brayan Buelvas worked a walk to force home a run and Kevin Richards reached on an error by third baseman Milkar Perez that allowed two runs to score giving the Ports a 3-0 lead.

Stockton added another run in the top of the fourth on three singles off De Los Santos. Junior Perez led off the frame with a base hit up the middle, and after stealing second base was driven in with one out on a single by Jack Winkler to make it 4-0 Stockton.

The early offense was plenty of support for Ports' starter Pedro Santos, who made his best start of the season. The right-hander fired five shutout, one-hit innings with seven strikeouts while throwing 79 pitches.

The Nuts' (61-50) offense came alive against the Stockton bullpen in the sixth inning. With Sam Romero on in relief of Santos, James Parker lined a one out double to center field and Robert Perez, Jr. followed with a two-run homer to left center to cut the Ports' lead in half at 4-2.

Modesto struck for another run in the seventh against Romero. Randy Bednar singled up the middle to start the inning and moved up to second with two outs when Milkar Perez was hit by a pitch. Parker then grounded a single up the middle to score Bednar to bring the Nuts to within one.

After firing a 1-2-3 eighth, Luis Carrasco stayed on for the Ports to try to close the game out in the top of the ninth inning. Bednar tripled down the right field line to begin the frame, and after a groundout to second base with the Stockton infield drawn in, Brett Rodriguez reached on an error by TJ Schofield-Sam that allowed Bednar to score the tying run. With two outs and Rodriguez at second after a stolen base, Parker lined a double down the right field line to give the Nuts their first lead of the day at 5-4.

With two outs and nobody on in the bottom of the ninth, Brueser sent the game to extra innings with a 440-foot solo home run to tie the game at five.

Robert Perez, Jr. began the top of the tenth at second base and advanced to third base when Ports' reliever Aaron Cohn uncorked a wild pitch on ball four to Freuddy Batista. Eric Jones then grounded into a double play to score Perez, giving the Nuts a 6-5 lead.

With Buelvas on second base to start the Ports' half of the tenth inning, Stockton went down in order against Modesto reliever Luis Curvelo to end the ballgame.

Cohn (0-2) took the loss for the Ports allowing an unearned run in the top of the tenth, while Curvelo (5-1) got the win for Modesto, despite blowing the save, allowing one run over the ninth and tenth innings.

The Ports and Nuts continue their series with game three on Thursday at Banner Island Ballpark, where it will be the second night of COPA Week 2.0 featuring the Caballos de Stockton. Tickets are still available at stocktonports.com and free tickets can be redeemed by using the promo code TMOBILE at checkout.