Nuts Hand Ports 8-1 Loss in Opener
June 28, 2016 - California League (CalL1)
Stockton Ports News Release
MODESTO, Calif. - The Stockton Ports had more errors than hits on Monday night at John Thurman Field. The Modesto Nuts, meanwhile, had 15 hits and plated eight runs in a lopsided 8-1 win over the Ports to open a three-game series that kicks off a seven-game road trip for Stockton.
The Ports opened the scoring in the top of the third while taking advantage of the only hiccup of the night for Modesto pitching. After Nuts starter Ryan Castellani (4-6) retired the first eight batters he faced, he issued back-to-back walks to Melvin Mercedes and Seth Brown. Richie Martin followed with Stockton's first hit of the night, an RBI single to center, to make it a 1-0 ballgame.
Castellani gave up a leadoff double to Joe Bennie in the fourth and Bennie reached third base as the ball was bobbled in left field by Omar Carrizales. With a runner at third and nobody out, Castellani recorded three straight strikeout to escape the jam and went on to retire nine of the final 10 batters he faced to close out his start. He would earn the win, allowing the one run on three hits over six innings while striking out six.
Rich Hill started the game for Stockton on a Major League rehab assignment. After keeping Modesto out of the run column over three innings, Hill came out to face one batter in the fourth. Shane Hoelscher would reach on an infield single and advance to second on an ensuing throwing error by the third baseman Mercedes. Hill was then lifted for Heath Fillmyer (4-5), who gave up a single do Dom Nunez that put runners at the corners. Two batters later with one out, Max White tied the game with a single to right field. Josh Fuentes followed with an RBI single on the infield and Luis Jean would reach on a bunt single. With two on, Carrizales came up and hit an RBI single to left field. The ball bounced by Bennie, an error that allowed Jean to score and make it a 4-1 game. Carrizales would later score on a passed ball to make it a 5-1 Modesto lead.
The first run of the inning was earned and allowed by Hill, who did not factor into the decision. Hill went three-plus innings and allowed four hits while not issuing a walk and striking out six. He threw 66 pitches, 44 for strikes.
Fillmyer did not allow a run innings five through seven, but was tagged or three more runs in the eighth. White opened the frame with a home run to right, just the third homer allowed by Fillmyer on the season. Later in the inning with two on and two out, Wes Rogers delivered his first hit of the night, a two-run double to left to make it an 8-1 Modesto advantage.
Fillmyer suffered the loss, going five innings and allowing seven runs (five earned) on a career-high 11 hits allowed while walking one and striking out two.
Troy Neiman and Tyler Matzek combined for three scoreless innings of relief for Modesto to close out the ballgame.
The Nuts and Ports will play the middle game of their three-game series on Tuesday night at John Thurman Field. Right-hander Kyle Friedrichs (3-1, 5.40 ERA) will make the start for Stockton, opposed by Modesto right-hander Yency Almonte (5-5, 3.96 ERA). First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. PDT.
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