Ports' Comeback Falls Short in 10-7 Loss to Nuts

Box Score

MODESTO, Ca.- The Ports scored seven of the game's last eight runs and limited Modesto just one run over the final four innings, but Stockton's comeback fell just short in a 10-7 loss to their North Division rival on Saturday evening at John Thurman Field.

After registering 35 hits in their previous two games, the Nuts' (51-43) hit parade continued in the first four innings against Ports' starter Angello Infante en route to a 9-0 start. Modesto collected three hits to score twice in the bottom of the first on RBIs by James Packard (double) and Colin Davis (single). The Nuts kept it going in the bottom of the third, manufacturing three runs on just two hits with the help of a walk and to sacrifice flies to make increase their lead to 5-0.

Modesto then padded their lead with a four-run fourth with assistance from two Ports defensive miscues. Back-to-back singles with one out put runners on first and third for James Parker who hit a ground ball to shortstop that Robert Puason fielded and threw wide to second base, allowing two runs to score. A single then put runners on the corners for Robert Perez, Jr., whose ground ball to third was mishandled by Zack Gelof, allowing another run to score increasing Modesto's lead to 8-0. The Nuts then got an RBI single from Colin Davis to make it 9-0.

The Ports' (38-56) began to come back in the top of the fifth. CJ Rodriguez reached first on a throwing error by Perez, Jr. with one out and advanced to third base on a single by Junior Perez. Danny Bautista then lined a double to the gap in right-center field to drive in two, getting the Ports on the board and cutting the Modesto lead to 9-2. Bautista then scored on a single to center by Puason to make it 9-3.

Trailing 10-3 after the Nuts scored a run in the sixth, the Ports got closer with a four-run seventh. The inning started with three straight singles by Rodriguez, Perez, and Bautista, whose base hit to left scored a run to make it 10-4. After Perez scored on a wild pitch, the Ports got three straight singles from Gelof, TJ Schofield-Sam, and Joshwan Wright to cut the Modesto lead to 10-7. With runners on the corners and Brayan Buelvas at the plate representing the tying run, Wright was caught trying to steal second base by Nuts reliever Matthew Willrodt to end the threat.

The Ports were retired 1-2-3 in the eighth and ninth innings to end the ballgame.

Infante (2-1) took the loss for Stockton, allowing nine runs (six earned) on ten hits in four innings pitched. Modesto starter Sam Carlson (5-3) got the win giving up three runs in five innings while striking out eight. Robert Winslow pitched a scoreless ninth for the Nuts to pick up his second save of the season.

The Ports and Nuts conclude their six-game series in Modesto with a doubleheader beginning at 2:05 pm at John Thurman Field. The second game will begin approximately 30 minutes after the conclusion of the first.