Homers Help Ports To 9-1 Win Over Nuts
STOCKTON, Calif. - The Stockton Ports hit four home runs over two innings on Friday night at Banner Island Ballpark, helping them to a 9-1 victory over the Modesto Nuts. With the win, the Ports even up their four game series with Modesto and improve to 10-6 on the season.
Ports starter Drew Granier was able to escape an early jam in the first inning. With the bases loaded and nobody out, Granier recorded three strikeouts in a row, en route to striking out a season-high 10 batters.
Granier, however, would give up the game's first run in the third inning. With a runner at second and two out, Trevor Story doubled high off the left field wall to give the Nuts a 1-0 lead. It was the only run allowed by Granier, and the only run Modesto would score on the night. Granier went five innings and received a no-decision, allowing a run on four hits while striking out a season-high 10.
The Ports scored their first run in the fourth off Nuts starter Tyler Anderson (0-1). Adam Rosales doubled to left to open the frame and scored on a two-out RBI single from Antonio Lamas, knotting the game at 1-1.
Stockton took the lead using the long ball in the sixth. Rosales and Max Muncy started the inning with back-to-back home runs on consecutive pitches, giving the Ports a 3-1 lead. With one out, Lamas singled to chase Anderson from the game. William Rankin was summoned from the Modesto bullpen and after getting the second out, allowed a two-run homer to Tony Thompson to make it a 5-1 game.
Anderson took the loss after going 5.1 innings and allowing four runs on six hits while striking out two.
Rankin started the seventh inning and with one on and one out, Muncy came up and launched his second home run of the game to make it a 7-1 Stockton lead. Dusty Robinson followed with a triple and Lamas drove him in with a single to the left side. Lamas would score later in the inning on an RBI single from Ryan Ortiz.
Rankin went 1.1 innings and allowed five runs on four hits while walking two.
T.J. Walz (2-0) pitched a scoreless sixth and seventh innings and received the win tonight for the Ports. David Mota pitched a scoreless eighth and Omar Duran tossed a scoreless ninth.
For Muncy, Friday's contest marked his second multi-home run game of the season, as he also homered twice on April 7th versus Bakersfield.
The Ports and Nuts play the third game of their four-game set on Saturday night at Banner Island Ballpark. Blake Hassebrock (0-1, 8.49 ERA) will make the start for Stockton, opposed by Modesto right-hander Chris Jensen (0-2, 4.76 ERA). First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. PDT.