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Pitching Propels Ports To 3-1 Victory

July 12, 2013

MODESTO, Calif. - In search of a series victory on the road, the Stockton Ports leaned on some strong pitching Friday night at John Thurman Field. Stockton's offense scored a pair of runs in the first inning and they held up as the Ports held on for a 3-1 win over the Modesto Nuts.

Stockton plated a pair of runs in the first inning off Nuts starter Tyler Gagnon (7-8). Stockton loaded the bases on a leadoff double by Myrio Richard, an error by shortstop Trevor Story and a walk drawn by Max Muncy. After Gagnon struck out Josh Whitaker, B.A. Vollmuth drove in the Ports first run with a sac-fly to center. Two batters later with two outs, Tony Thompson lined a single to left that gave Stockton a 2-0 advantage.

Gagnon kept Stockton off the board for the next three innings, but the Ports were able to increase their lead in the fifth. With one out, Richard was hit by a pitch and Addison Russell doubled to put runners at second and third. Muncy came up and reached on a fielding error committed by first baseman Harold Riggins as Richard scored on the play to make it 3-0. Despite reaching on the error, Muncy was still credited with an RBI.

Gagnon suffered the loss after going six innings and allowing three runs (two earned) on five hits while striking out a season-high eight.

Ports starter Tanner Peters (8-5) allowed just two hits over the first four innings as he retired 12 of the first 14 batters he faced. Peters pitched around a two-out walk and double by Riggins in the fifth to keep Modesto out of the run column.

The Nuts plated their only run in the sixth. With one out, Story doubled to left and scored two batters later on a two-out RBI single from Ryan Casteel to cut the Ports lead to 3-1.

Peters went on to earn the win, going six innings and allowing one run on five hits while striking out six.

Modesto posed a big threat in the seventh as T.J. Walz came on in relief of Peters. Walz hit Jared Simon to start the inning and after striking out Will Swanner, hit Riggins on a 0-2 pitch to put two aboard. After striking out Jose Rivera, Walz walked Taylor Featherston to load the bases. Tucker Healy was summoned from the Ports bullpen and, on a 3-2 pitch to Story, struck him out to end the threat.

Beginning with the strikeout of Story in the seventh, Healy and Ryan Dull (SV, 4) combined to set down the final seven batters of the game. Healy worked a perfect inning-and-a-third, while Dull set the side down in order with back-to-back strikeouts to end the game for a second straight night. Dull earned his second save in as many nights for Stockton.

Ryan Buch and Scott Oberg combined on three scoreless innings down the stretch for the Nuts.

After taking two of three in Modesto, the Ports return home to begin a three-game series with the High Desert Mavericks on Saturday night. Raul Alcantara (3-0, 2.50 ERA) makes the start for Stockton, opposed by High Desert right-hander Jordan Pries (5-5, 5.04 ERA). First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. PDT.