MODESTO, Calif. - The Stockton Ports punctuated their best first half as an Oakland A's affiliate by matching their largest come-from-behind win of the season on Sunday at John Thurman Field. The Boys of Banner Island erased a four-run deficit after the first inning and marched to a 7-5 win
MODESTO, Calif. - The Stockton Ports punctuated their best first half as an Oakland A's affiliate by matching their largest come-from-behind win of the season on Sunday at John Thurman Field. The Boys of Banner Island erased a four-run deficit after the first inning and marched to a 7-5 win over the Modesto Nuts to earn a series victory and finish the half with a record of 44-26.
Modesto got off to a fast start in the bottom of the first facing Peter Bayer, who started the game on a bullpen day for Stockton. After retiring the first batter of the inning, Bayer saw six consecutive batters reach base. Luis Liberato walked, went to second on a wild pitch and scored on a single by Evan White. Kyle Lewis followed with a double and Nick Zammarelli clubbed a three-run homer to give the Nuts a 4-0 lead. After a hit batter and a walk, Bayer was lifted for Pat Krall (1-0), who escaped a bases-loaded spot with two outs to avoid further damage.
Stockton began its comeback in the third inning facing Austin Hutchison, also starting in a bullpen game for Modesto. Kevin Merrell singled to open the frame and Nate Mondou and Dairon Blanco followed with back-to-back RBI doubles to cut the Nuts lead in half at 4-2. After Will Toffey flew out, Hutchison was lifted for Jefferson Medina (3-2), who gave up an RBI single to Luke Persico to make it 4-3. Hutchison did not factor into the decision as he allowed three runs on four hits over 2.1 innings pitched.
Medina would struggle in the fourth inning as he gave up a leadoff double to Collin Theroux. After back-to-back outs were recorded, Mondou walked and Blanco tied the game with an RBI single to center. Toffey and Persico followed with two more RBI singles to give the Ports a 6-4 advantage they would not relinquish.
Stockton's final run of the afternoon came off Medina in the fifth inning as Luis Barrera singled to open the inning and scored on a two-out double by Merrell to make it 7-4. Medina would suffer the loss as he allowed four runs on seven hits over 2.2 innings worked.
Danny Garcia, Michael Koval and Jack Anderson combined to shut out the Ports over the final four frames.
Krall, meanwhile, would go on to work 2.2 scoreless innings for the Ports in relief of Bayer to pick up the victory for Stockton. Will Gilbert would work two scoreless frames and Sam Sheehan a scoreless inning-and-a-third after that in preserving the Stockton lead.
Andrew Tomasovich recorded the final out of the seventh and would be tagged for an unearned run in the eighth. With runners at first and second with one out, a passed ball would be charged to catcher Jason Goldstein that allowed the runners to advance and set up Aaron Stroosma for an RBI groundout to make it 7-5. After Tomasovich walked Bryson Brigman, he was lifted for Angel Duno (SV, 5) who stranded his inherited runners by getting Luis Liberato to fly out to left.
Duno would pitch the ninth inning and work around a two-out single to earn his fifth save of the season.
Persico finished the afternoon 4-for-5 with two RBI as he became the sixth different Ports player to register four hits in a game.
Following the All-Star break, the Ports and Nuts will open the second half of the season with a four-game series at Banner Island Ballpark beginning on Thursday night. First pitch for Thursday's game is set for 7:10 p.m. PDT with the starting pitchers still to be determined.
