CalL1 Stockton Ports

Nuts Edge Ports 3-1 in Pitcher's Duel

Published on June 25, 2017 under California League (CalL1)
Stockton Ports News Release


STOCKTON, Calif. - The Stockton Ports and Modesto Nuts dueled to a scoreless tie through eight innings on Sunday afternoon. Each team scored in the ninth and Modesto plated two runs in the 10th as the Nuts earned a split of a four-game series at Banner Island Ballpark, edging the Ports by a final of 3-1.

Both starting pitchers dominated the contest. Modesto's Nathan Bannister pitched around a one-out double by Brett Siddall in the second and pitched around a one-out walk in the third. After the walk issued in the third, Bannister went on to retire his final 14 batters to take him through the seventh. He would allow just one hit and one walk while striking out eight.

Ports starter Dustin Hurlbutt gave up a one-out single to Eric Filia in the first and then proceeded to retire 13 consecutive batters, the longest such stretch by a Ports pitcher this season. Hurlbutt pitched around two-out singles in the fifth and seventh and would go on to match a career-high with eight innings worked. Hurlbutt allowed three hits and did not issue a walk while striking out five in a dominant performance.

Modesto plated the first run of the game in the ninth. Braden Bishop singled with one out off of Ports reliever Cody Stull . Filia followed and hit a ground ball to short that was misplayed by Eli White, an error that put runners at the corners. After a walk loaded the bases, Joey Curletta hit a sac-fly to center to plate Bishop and give the Nuts a 1-0 lead. The run was unearned and the only run allowed by Stull in his lone inning of work.

Matt Festa (3-2) came on to work the bottom of the ninth and gave up a one-out triple to White, who scored on an ensuing wild pitch to tie the game at 1-1. Festa was charged with his first blown save of the season.

Andrew Tomasovich (2-3) entered the game to work the 10th for Stockton and gave up a leadoff double to Willie Argo followed by an RBI single to right hit by Luis Liberato that put the Nuts in front 2-1. After back-to-back strikeouts, Bishop came up and hit a bouncing ball to the shortstop White who threw late to first base. Liberato, running from second, never slowed around third and would score ahead of the throw home by first baseman Chris Iriart to stretch the Modesto lead to 3-1. Tomasovich would suffer the loss, allowing two runs on three hits in his lone inning.

Festa, who would be credited with the victory, set the side down in order in the bottom of the 10th to close out the contest.

After splitting a four-game set with the Nuts, the Ports travel to San Jose to open a four-game series with the Giants. Brendan Butler (1-1, 2.16 ERA) gets the ball for Stockton in the series opener, opposed by San Jose southpaw Mark Reyes (3-9, 5.68 ERA). First pitch at Municipal Stadium is set for 7 p.m. PDT

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California League Stories from June 25, 2017


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