Bullpen Holds Tough as Rawhide Win 7-3

VISALIA, CA - Visalia starter Matt Peacock only lasted 3.2 innings and left with the bases loaded for Robby Sexton. Sexton picked took two pitches to induce a groundout from Jake Larsen to get out of the jam.

Sexton (W, 1-3) dished two more shutout innings to bridge the gap to the back end of the bullpen while striking out three and inducing a double play. He retired the final five hitters that he faced in a row.
After Breckin Williams and Carlos Bustamante combined to allow three runs while loading the bases with two outs in the eighth before Joe Mather called upon Matt Brill to get out of the jam. With the Rawhide leading 7-3 and the tying run at the plate, he needed just two pitches to induce a lineout from Louis Boyd to end the inning.
Brill (SV, 2) then worked around a leadoff walk to lock down the ninth to secure the 7-3 win for Visalia (59-61/22-29).
The Rawhide jumped to a lead in the bottom of the first inning when Jazz Chisholm, Renae Martinez, and Pavin Smith all doubled to put the Visalia up 2-0. After the first, Nuts starter Darren McCaughan settled down and retired the final ten, and 12 of the final 13, hitters he faced. But McCaughan (L, 6-9) didn't receive any offensive support and lost to the Rawhide for the fourth time this year.
Visalia added two more runs on in the sixth when Smith hit a bases-loaded, two-run single. Then Chisholm blasted a three-run moonshot to put Visalia up 7-0.
Chisholm finished with three hits, his fourth straight multi-hit game, and three runs batted in on his sixth home run with the Rawhide (his 21^st overall this season). It was his second blast in the last three games.
Smith also put up three hits and drove home three as well. Martinez picked up the other RBI with his first-inning double. Ramon Hernandez also added a pair of hits and scored a run on Chisholm's blast.
Modesto (50-70/20-30) rallied for three runs in the eighth on a two-run double by Nick Zamarelli and a bases-loaded walk by Bustamante.
The Rawhide will take a day off tomorrow before hitting the road for a six-game trip, starting with Modesto on Tuesday night. Visalia will send RHP Jeff Bain (2-1, 3.71) against Modesto RHP Austin Hutchison (2-3, 4.27).