Four-Run Ninth Lifts Ports to Walk-Off Win
Box Score STOCKTON, Ca. – Nick Brueser lined a two-out single to right center field to score Danny Bautista from second base with the winning run in the bottom of the ninth, capping a four-run ninth to deliver the Ports an 8-7 victory over the Modesto Nuts on Sunday evening
STOCKTON, Ca. – Nick Brueser lined a two-out single to right center field to score Danny Bautista from second base with the winning run in the bottom of the ninth, capping a four-run ninth to deliver the Ports an 8-7 victory over the Modesto Nuts on Sunday evening at Banner Island Ballpark.
It was just the Ports’ second win this season when trailing after the eighth inning.
Down 6-0 after three innings, the Ports (35-67) got on the board with a single run in the bottom of the fourth. Kevin Richards walked with one out and advanced to third base when Danny Bautista lined a double down the left field line. T.J. Schofield-Sam then lifted a sacrifice fly to left center to score Richards from third and reduce the deficit to 6-1.
After the Nuts (52-50) tallied another in the top of the sixth to take a 7-1 lead, the Ports scored seven unanswered to finish the ballgame. Stockton got started in the bottom of the sixth when Richards followed a one-out single by Wilson Alvarez with a two-run homer to left center to cut the Modesto lead to 7-3.
Down 7-4 after an RBI fielders’ choice by Jhoan Paulino in the seventh, the Ports then completed their comeback in the bottom of the ninth. Back-to-back singles by Marcos Brito and Cooper Uhl began the frame, and Paulino grounded into a fielders’ choice to put runners on the corners with one out. Alvarez then sent a sacrifice fly to right field to score Brito from third base, reducing the Medesto advantage to 7-5. With Paulino still at first, Kevin Richards then hit an 0-1 pitch from Nuts’ reliever Brayan Perez over the wall in right into the Jackson Rancheria Back Port for a two-run homer to tie the game at seven. New Nuts’ pitcher Gabriel Sosa then hit Danny Bautista with his first pitch and after a wild pitch and intentional walk, Brueser lifted a 1-1 pitch into right center field that eluded the diving try of Modesto right fielder Walking Cabrera allowing Bautista to score the winning run from second base igniting a celebration in shallow right field.
Ports’ reliever Serafino Brito (1-2) got the win striking out the side in a scoreless top of the ninth, while Sosa (0-1) took the loss for Modesto.
Winners of two straight, the Ports head back on the road to begin a six-game series with the Giants in San Jose on Tuesday night at Excite Ballpark. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 pm.