Ports Drop Wild One in Extras, 7-6

MODESTO, Calif. — The Stockton Ports lost in their first extra-inning game of the season on Wednesday night, dropping 7-6 decision in 11 innings to the Modesto Nuts (12-3).

The Ports (3-12) never trailed in the game until it ended, striking first and keeping the dangerous Nuts offense in check until the 10th inning.

Nate Nankil drove in Luke Mann with an RBI single to right in the first inning to put the Ports up 1-0. It would stay that way until the fifth when an errant pickoff attempt to first by starting pitcher Jackson Finley allowed a runner to score from third to make it 1-1.

It was one of the few mistakes by Finley, who allowed just that one run in 4.2 innings with four strikeouts and two walks. He would leave with the bases loaded in the fifth before Diego Berrera came in and ended the threat with a strikeout.

Stockton would reclaim the lead in the top of the eighth when Myles Naylor hit his first triple of the season to score Cole Conn and put the Ports up 2-1. But Modesto would answer in the bottom of the inning. It would again be an error by the Ports that would plate a run, which is uncharacteristic of the 2024 team who had committed the fewest errors in the Cal League so far this season.

For the second night in a row, Naylor would drift out into shallow left in an attempt to field a pop up and not be able to make the play, this time with the ball hitting his glove and getting charged an error that allowed a run to come in and tie the game at 2-2.

In the 10th, the Ports would score three runs without a hit to take the lead. Two walks would join the “ghost runner” on base to start the inning, before Nankil was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to plate the first run. An error at first led to another and Robert Puason was hit by a pitch for the third time on the night, this time with the bases still loaded and it was a 5-2 Ports lead.

Modesto would come out swinging in the bottom of the 10th, with a triple to plate the first run and a single to make it a 5-4 game. The Ports attempted to turn a double play on a comeback to pitcher Corey Avant, but after getting the out at second, Casey Yamauchi’s throw to first was wild and the error allowed the Nuts to tie the game at 5-5.

A Mann sac fly to center in the 11th would plate Yamauchi to put Stockton back up 6-5. But in the bottom of the inning, Nuts catcher Jacob Sharp doubled home the runner at second to tie the game at 6-6. After a bouncer in the dirt, the Ports tried to back-pick Sharp at second, but when he broke for third Yamauchi’s throw was off target again, putting him 90 feet away from scoring the go-ahead run.

It would end up a critical 90 feet, as a wild pitch would get away from Conn towards the Nuts on deck circle, allowing the winning run to score on a walk-off wild pitch for a 7-6 Modesto victory. The Ports coaching staff attempted to argue that the ball was foul tipped on the swing of the Nuts batter, but the call of a wild pitch would stand.

UP NEXT:
Game three is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. at John Thurman Field. Stockton’s Tzu-Chen Sha (0-0, 7.45) will face off against Tyler Gough (2-0, 2.57) of Modesto.

Single game tickets, mini plans, and group outings are all on sale for the 2024 season. For more information, call the Ports front office at 209-644-1900 or email at [email protected].