Big Third Helps Ports Overcome Modesto 9-7

STOCKTON, Calif. - For the second straight night, there was a come-from-behind victory at Banner Island Ballpark. On Friday night, it was the Stockton Ports doing the honors. After falling behind 5-0, the Boys of Banner Island rallied for a seven-run third inning and got a clutch hit from Tony Thompson in the sixth to beat the Modesto Nuts by a final of 9-7.

Modesto opened the scoring in the first as Tyler Massey hit his second home run in as many games, a solo blast off Ports starter Drew Granier, to give the Nuts a 1-0 lead. Granier gave up a leadoff single to Will Swanner in the second and Swanner came around to score on a two-out triple hit by Massey.

The Nuts scored three more runs in the third as Granier went on to suffer his worst outing of the season. After a double and single put runners at second and third with nobody out, Drew Beurlein hit a sac-fly to left that made it 3-0. Trevor Story came up net and tripled to center to drive in a run, and scored on an ensuing single by Swanner to give the Nuts a 5-0 advantage.

Stockton did not have a hit through the first two innings, but Nuts starter Chris Jensen got hit hard in the third. Bobby Crocker opened the inning with a double, Addison Russell singled and Max Muncy hit a three-run homer that put Stockton on the board. It was Muncy's fifth home run of the week. Thompson and Antonio Lamas followed with back-to-back singles and Rashun Dixon hit sac-fly to center that brought the Ports to within a run at 5-4. Ryan Ortiz came up next and singled, and B.A. Vollmuth followed with a three-run homer that gave Stockton a 7-5 lead and knocked Jensen from the contest.

Jensen received a no-decision, going 3.1 innings and allowing seven runs on seven hits while striking out two and walking three.

Granier pitched the fourth inning and allowed another run on a two-out RBI double hit by Brian Humphries that made it a 7-6 game. Granier also received a no-decision, going four innings and allowing a season-high six runs on 10 hits while striking out seven.

Blake Hassebrock (2-3) came on to start the fifth and gave up a leadoff home run to Story that tied the game at 7-7. Hassebrock gave up a single to the next batter, Swanner, but did not allow a hit over his remaining three innings. Hassebrock pitched around a leadoff walk to keep Modesto off the board in the sixth and retired the last six batters he faced as he picked up the win, allowing one run on two hits over three innings of work.

Stockton hadn't had a hit outside of their seven-run third inning, but got the hit they were looking for with one out in the sixth. Nick Schnaitmann (2-4), who'd come on to finish the third inning and pitched a scoreless fourth and fifth, issued back-to-back walks with one out in the sixth and was lifted in favor of left-hander Kraig Sitton. Sitton walked Muncy to load the bases and then gave up a two-run single to Thompson that gave Stockton a 9-7 lead.

Both Ports runs that scored in the sixth were charged to Schnaitmann who suffered the loss, allowing two runs over three 2 while walking three and not allowing a hit.

SItton and Russell Brewer combined to pitch the final 2.2 innings scoreless for the Nuts.

Jonathan Joseph (SV, 4) came on to pitch the eighth inning and set the side down in order. Joseph worked into the ninth to try for the save and pitched around a leadoff single by Jared Simon, retiring the final three batters in succession to pick up his fourth save of the year.

The Ports and Nuts play the third game of their four-game series on Saturday night at Banner Island Ballpark. James Simmons (2-1, 1.64 ERA) takes the hill for Stockton, opposed by Nuts right-hander Ben Alsup (3-6, 4.52 ERA). First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. PDT.