Nuts' Two-Out Hitting Sinks Ports in 6-1 Loss

Box Score

STOCKTON, Ca.- The Ports went just 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position and the Modesto Nuts scored five times with two outs as Stockton fell 6-1 in the penultimate game of the 2021 season on Saturday night at Banner Island Ballpark.

The Nuts (63-51) jumped ahead with three two-out runs in the top of the third inning. Brett Rodriguez led off with a bunt single off Ports' starter Joe DeMers and advanced to third on a one-out single to center by Milkar Perez. After a pop out to shortstop, Trent Tinglestad blooped a single to center field to score Rodriguez to give the Nuts a 1-0 lead. With runners on first and second, James Parker followed with a double down the right field line to make it 2-0, and Tinglestad scored on a wild pitch by DeMers with Spencer Packard at the plate to give the Nuts a three run lead.

With two outs in the bottom of the fifth, the Ports (42-74) struck back with a two out run of their own. With two outs and nobody on, Nuts' starter Sam Carlson hit Sahid Valenzuela with a pitch and Jack Winkler followed with an RBI double to right center to make it 3-1.

The Nuts answered right back with two runs in the sixth and one in the seventh. A double and a single with one out in the sixth by Parker and Packard out put runners on first and third and Parker came home to score when Ports' reliever Luis Carrasco balked, making it 4-1. After a ground ball to first base moved Packard to third, Ty Duvall served a broken-bat single to right field to give the Nuts a 5-1 lead.

Modesto's tally in the seventh also came with two outs. With Milkar Perez on second base after a leadoff double, Parker followed two fly outs with a double to left center to score Perez increasing the Nuts' lead to 6-1.

The Ports got runners to third base with one out in both the eighth and ninth but failed to score against Nuts' reliever Luis Curvelo who got the final six outs to seal the win for Modesto.

Carlson (6-4) got the win for the Nuts allowing just one run on four hits over 5 2/3 innings pitched, while DeMers (1-2) took the loss for the Ports giving up three runs on six hits in four innings.

The Ports and Nuts will conclude the 2021 season on Sunday afternoon at Banner Island Ballpark, with first pitch at 2:09 pm. Tickets are still available at stocktonports.com and two free tickets can be redeemed by using the promo code TMOBILE at checkout.