Nuts Score Early, Often in Rout of Ports
Box Score STOCKTON, Ca. – The Modesto Nuts scored six runs in the top of the first inning the Ports didn’t collect their first hit until the bottom of the seventh as Stockton dropped its ninth straight with a 13-1 loss on Friday night at Banner Island Ballpark. With their
STOCKTON, Ca. – The Modesto Nuts scored six runs in the top of the first inning the Ports didn’t collect their first hit until the bottom of the seventh as Stockton dropped its ninth straight with a 13-1 loss on Friday night at Banner Island Ballpark.
With their ninth consecutive defeat, the Ports (33-67) have matched their longest losing streak of the season and have now dropped 14 of their last 15. The Nuts (42-48), on the other hand, have won six in a row and nine of ten.
Modesto exploded in the top of the first inning with a six-run frame to take a commanding lead right out of the gate. Harry Ford began the ballgame with a leadoff walk against Carlos Guarate, who was making his Ports debut, and moved up to second when Gabriel Gonzalez singled. After a flyout to center, Jonatan Clase singled to left field to score Ford from second making it 1-0 Modesto. The next hitter, Hogan Windish, then launched a three-run homer to left field to make it 4-0. Three straight singles extended Nuts’ lead to 5-0 and an RBI groundout by Amador Arias drove in another with an RBI groundout to increase the advantage to 6-0.
After the Ports failed to score in the bottom of the first, the Nuts tallied two more in the second. Gonzalez began the inning with a single and Gabriel Moncada lined a single up the middle to put runners on first and second. After a hit by pitch loaded the bases, Windish drew a force home Gonzalez from third base to make it 7-0. After a strikeout, Guarate was lifted in favor of Tyler Baum who walked Axel Sanchez to force in another run increasing the Modesto lead to 8-0.
The Nuts tallied single runs in the fourth and seventh and three more in the ninth.
After breaking up the no-hit bid by Nuts’ right-hander Joseph Hernandez with a one-out single by T.J. Schofield-Sam in the seventh, the Ports finally got on the board in the bottom of the ninth when Danny Bautista, who reached with a one-out single, scored from third base on a wild pitch by Nathaniel Garabitos.
Hernandez (6-4) got the win for the Nuts, cruising through 6.2 shutout innings allowing just one hit while racking up nine strikeouts. Guarate (0-1) took the loss for Stockton, surrendering eight runs on eight hits over 1.1 innings.
The Ports and Nuts continue their six-game series on Saturday night at Banner Island Ballpark with first pitch at 7:05 pm. Tickets are available at stocktonports.com or by calling (209) 644-1900.