MODESTO, Calif. - The Stockton Ports continued their dominance over the Modesto Nuts on Friday night at John Thurman Field. The Ports improved to 12-3 on the season versus Modesto with a 4-2 victory to open a four-game set as they took advantage of a key Modesto error in the
MODESTO, Calif. - The Stockton Ports continued their dominance over the Modesto Nuts on Friday night at John Thurman Field. The Ports improved to 12-3 on the season versus Modesto with a 4-2 victory to open a four-game set as they took advantage of a key Modesto error in the fifth inning that led to three unearned runs.
The Ports opened the scoring in the first on an RBI double by Nate Mondou, scoring Louis Barrera who'd reached base on an infield single. Modesto countered with a run in the bottom of the second. With runners at the corners and two outs, Louis Boyd hit a comebacker towards the mound that deflected off the glove of Ports starter Kyle Friedrichs (1-0) and to the grass back of the mound, scoring Luis Liberato and knotting the game at 1-1.
Stockton broke the tie in the fifth inning with three unearned runs off Nuts starter Reggie McClain (3-7). With two outs and the bases empty, Barrera and Mondou reached on back-to-back singles to get Luke Persico to the plate. Persico hit a sharp ground ball at the third baseman Boyd, who had the ball go through his glove and into left field, scoring Barrera and making it a 2-1 Ports lead. Chase Calabuig followed with a two-run double to the right field fence that increased the Stockton lead to 4-1.
McClain would suffer the loss, going five innings and allowing four runs (one earned) on seven hits while matching a career-high with four walks issued.
Friedrichs, meanwhile, did not allow a run out side of the second inning and cruised through six innings as he picked up the win in his return to the California League, going six innings and allowing five hits while walking one and striking out five.
Pat Krall took over for the Ports in the seventh and found himself in a bases-loaded jam with nobody out after a pair of singles and a catcher's interference. Krall would escape trouble by getting Bryson Brigman to hit into a 6-4-3 double-play which brought a run in but stopped the Modesto momentum. Krall got Kevin Santa to ground out to end the inning and then proceeded to set the side down in order in the eighth.
Sam Sheehan (SV, 1) took over in the ninth and issued a leadoff walk to Nick Zammarelli. Two batters later with one out, Sheehan committed a fielding error on a ball hit back towards the mound by pinch-hitter Anthony Jimenez. After a passed ball allowed both runners to advance into scoring position, Sheehan would strike out Bobby Honeyman and then get Brigman to ground out to end the ballgame and earn his first California League save.
Nuts relievers Danny Garcia and AJ Franks combined to hold the Ports offense hitless over the final four innings of the contest.
The Ports and Nuts play the second game of their four-game set on Saturday night at John Thurman Field. Xavier Altamirano (3-0, 5.40 ERA) makes the start for Stockton, opposed by Modesto left-hander Nick Wells (2-2, 9.19 ERA). First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. PDT.
