CalL Stockton Ports

Big Innings Spell Trouble, Ports Fall 10-2

April 26, 2023 - California League (CalL)
Stockton Ports News Release


Modesto, CA - The Modesto Nuts scored 10 unanswered runs and the Ports' pitching staff issued nine walks as Stockton fell to their North Division rival 10-2 in the series opener on Tuesday night at John Thurman Field.

The Ports (3-13) got off to a great start thanks to Colby Thomas, who followed a leadoff single by Clark Elliott with a no-doubt two-run homer to left field to give Stockton a 2-0 lead in the top of the first.

Stockton starter Wander Guante made the two-run lead stand through 4.1 innings, retiring 11 in a row at one point, but the Nuts (9-7) got to the right-hander with a two-run rally in the bottom of the fifth. With two outs, Milkar Perez doubled down the right field line to score Tatum Levins from first base to cut the Ports' lead to 2-1. Guante then walked Curtis Washington, Jr. to put runners on first and second for Cole Young who lined a single up the middle to score Perez from second base, tying the game at two. Bill Knight followed with an infield single off new pitcher Aaron Cohn to score Washington from third base to give the Nuts a 3-2 lead.

Modesto broke the game open with a five-run top of the seventh. Perez greeted new Stockton pitcher Charlie Cerny with a single up the middle to start the inning, and three straight walks followed to force in a run to make it 4-2. After an error on Ports' shortstop Robert Puason allowed another run to score to make it 5-2, Cerny struck out Josh Hood but walked Freuddy Batista to force in another run increasing the Nuts lead to 6-2. TJ Czyz then came on for Stockton and struck out Levins for the second out, but then allowed a single and issued a walk to score two more, giving Modesto an 8-2 lead.

The Nuts got two more in the bottom of the eighth to increase their advantage to 10-2.

The Ports, meanwhile, went just 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position. Stockton got a leadoff double from Luis Marinez in the fourth but failed to score, and loaded the bases with one out in the fifth but could not push any runs across.

Modesto starter Michael Morales (2-0) picked up the win scattering seven hits over five innings with six strikeouts, while Guante (0-2) took the loss allowing three runs on just three hits over 4.2 innings with a season-high seven strikeouts.

The Ports will look to even the series on Wednesday afternoon in game two of the series in Modesto with first pitch at 4:05 pm at John Thurman Field.

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California League Stories from April 26, 2023


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