Ports Offense Explosive in 12-4 Win
April 18, 2017 - California League (CalL1)
Stockton Ports News Release
MODESTO, Calif. - The Stockton Ports earned their first come-from-behind win of the season on Monday night at John Thurman Field, and they did so with an impressive offensive outburst. Trailing 4-0 entering the sixth inning, the Ports scored 12 runs on 11 hits innings six through eight to overwhelm the Modesto Nuts in a 12-4 victory.
Modesto's offense got off to a good start early facing Ports starter Logan Shore amidst a rainy start to the contest. After back-to-back hits opened the bottom of the first, Modesto got an RBI groundout from Logan Taylor and back-to-back two-out RBI hits from Donnie Walton and Ricky Eusebio to take a 3-0 lead.
Shore, who threw 31 pitches in the first inning, recovered nicely and kept Modesto out of the run column over the next three innings. Shore would allow there runs on six hits over four innings of work.
Angel Duno (2-0) took over for Shore in the fifth and gave up a leadoff single to Braden Bishop, who went on to score later in the inning on a wild pitch to make it a 4-0 Nuts lead. Duno, beginning with the second out of the fifth inning, began a stretch of 14 consecutive Nuts hitters retired by Ports pitching to end the ballgame. Duno would retire 11 of those 14 and go on to pick up the victory as he allowed just the one run on two hits over four innings while striking out four.
Nuts starter Nick Neidert, who'd kept Stockton out of the run column over the first five frames, gave up a leadoff double to Eli White to open the sixth and then issued back-to-back walks to Seth Brown and Sean Murphy. Joey Strain (0-1) was summoned with the bases loaded and nobody out and got pinch-hitter Branden Cogswell to fly out to shallow center. Tyler Ramirez followed with a sac-fly to right that brought in Stockton's first run of the contest. With runners at first and second and two outs in a 4-1 game, Chris Iriart came to the plate and delivered a three-run homer to left that tied the game at 4-4.
Neidert would be charged with there runs on five hits over five-plus innings and he did not factor into the decision.
Strain stayed in to work the seventh and gave up a leadoff single to Josh Vidales followed by a walk to Eli White. Two batters later, Murphy gave the Ports the lead for good with an RBI single to left to make it a 5-4 contest. Strain was then lifted for Matt Festa, who walked Cogswell and then gave up a two-run single to Ramirez and an RBI single to Iriart. Two batters later with two outs, Brett Siddall drove in his first runs of the season with a two-run single to right to give the Ports a 10-4 cushion.
Strain suffered the loss after allowing four runs on four hits in an inning-and-a-third.
The Ports offense added two more runs off Festa in the eighth as Murphy launched a two-run homer down the right field line to stretch the lead to 12-4. Festa allowed five runs on six hits in an inning of work.
After Duno retired his final 11 batters of the night, Carlos Navas finished the game with a perfect ninth inning, punctuated with a strikeout to end the ballgame.
The Ports and Nuts continue their four-game set on Tuesday night at John Thurman Field. Left-hander Evan Manarino (0-1, 2.25 ERA) makes the start for Stockton, opposed by Modesto right-hander Pablo Lopez (0-2, 12.00 ERA). First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. PDT.
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California League Stories from April 18, 2017
- 66ers Big Inning Blows by Storm - Inland Empire 66ers
- Ports Offense Explosive in 12-4 Win - Stockton Ports
- Bullpen Gives up Four-Run Lead in 12-4 Loss - Modesto Nuts
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- Rancho's Winning Streak Ends in Lancaster - Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
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