Hoelscher's Three-Run Blast Takes Nuts Past Ports
April 15, 2016 - California League (CalL1)
Stockton Ports News Release
MODESTO, Calif. - Thursday night's game between the Stockton Ports and Modesto Nuts hinged on one big swing of the bat by Modesto's Shane Hoelscher. Hoelscher clubbed a three-run homer to left with two outs in the third that opened the scoring and helped vault the Nuts to a 5-2 victory over the Ports on Opening Night at John Thurman Field.
Ports starter Brett Graves (0-2) worked around a pair of hits and a walk allowed over the first two innings. In the third, however, Graves gave up a one-out single to Wes Rogers and then a walk to Forrest Wall. Two batters later with two outs, Hoelscher came up and drove a 3-0 pitch over the left field fence to give the Nuts a 3-0 lead.
Graves ran into more trouble in the fourth as he allowed a one-out double to Roberto Ramos and then back-to-back walks to Max White and Emerson Jimenez to load the bases. Wes Rogers would reach on a fielder's choice groundout to plate a run and make it 4-0. With runners at the corners, a balk was called on Ports catcher Argenis Raga, who left the catcher's box early to receive a pitch-out prior to Graves releasing the ball. The balk allowed White to score from third and give the Nuts a 5-0 cushion.
Graves suffered the loss, going 3.2 innings and allowing five runs on five hits while walking five and striking out two.
Nuts starter Sam Howard (1-0) allowed just one hit over his first five innings of work. In the sixth, Howard yielded back-to-back one-out walks and was lifted from the game for Colin Welman. After a passed ball advanced the runners to second and third, Tyler Marincov grounded out to second to plate Stockton's first run of the game. The run was unearned and charged to Howard who picked up his first California League victory, going 5.1 innings and allowing one hit while walking three and striking out five.
Welman pitched into the seventh and, with two on and two out, gave up an RBI single to James Harris to make it 5-2. Logan Cozart then took over for Welman and recorded the final out of the seventh.
Jerry Vasto (SV, 1) came on to pitch the ninth for Modesto and gave up a leadoff single to B.J. Boyd and a one-out single to Mikey White to bring the possible-tying run to the plate. Vasto, though, would get Jose Brizuela to fly out to right and Harris to strike out to end the ballgame and pick up his first save of the season.
Stockton's bullpen, a combination of Lou Trivino, Kyle Finnegan and Carlos Navas, combined to pitch 4.1 innings without allowing a run or a hit.
The Ports and Nuts play the second game of their four-game set on Friday night at John Thurman Field. Heath Fillmyer (1-0, 1.59 ERA) makes the start for Stockton, opposed by Jon Gray (0-1, 3.86 ERA) who makes his second start on Major League rehab for Modesto. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. PDT.
California League Stories from April 15, 2016
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- Cody Regis RBI Double in the Ninth Gives Rawhide Walk-Off Win - Visalia Rawhide
- Herb's 9 K's Not Enough in Loss - Bakersfield Blaze
- Sixers Drop Home Opener, Fall to 0-8 on the Year - Inland Empire 66ers
- Giants Pitching Shines in Road Trip Opener - San Jose Giants
- JetHawks Fall in Home Opener - Lancaster JetHawks
- Hoelscher's Three-Run Blast Takes Nuts Past Ports - Stockton Ports
- Hoelscher, Howard Lead Nuts to Home-Opening 5-2 Win - Modesto Nuts
- Quakes Take Fourth Straight - Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
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