Milburn Near-Perfect in 2-0 Victory
August 24, 2018 - California League (CalL1)
Stockton Ports News Release
STOCKTON, Calif. - Stockton Ports starter Matt Milburn (8-5) retired 27 of 28 batters on Thursday night at Banner Island Ballpark and threw his second complete-game shutout of the season. Milburn, who also threw a complete-game shutout on June 26 at San Jose, sparkled again in a 2-0 victory over the Modesto Nuts to help the Ports salvage the finale of a three-game series.
The lone runs of the contest came in the bottom of the third. With one out, Trace Loehr and Luke Persico hit back-to-back singles. Both scored on a two-out, two-run double by Sandber Pimentel that gave the Ports a 2-0 lead.
Modesto starter Darren McCaughan (6-10) allowed both runs and suffered the loss in the contest, going 5 2/3 innings and allowing six hits while matching a career-high with nine strikeouts. Danny Garcia and Jake Haberer combined to pitch the final 2 1/3 innings scoreless for the Nuts.
Milburn would set down the first 17 batters he faced to go two-outs deep into the sixth. Beau Branton came up and delivered a clean double to right-center, becoming Modesto's lone baserunner of the night. Milburn would go on to retire the final 10 batters he faced to make it 27 of 28 set down for the contest in picking up his eighth win of the season.
Milburn's second complete-game shutout comes in a season where he is the only California League pitcher to have thrown a complete game. Coming into the season, only Kevin Deaton had thrown a complete-game shutout since the Ports became an Oakland A's affiliate in 2005 as he accomplished the feat in August of 2007.
The Ports embark on a seven-game road trip on Friday, their final road trip of the season, as they open a four-game series in Visalia. Wyatt Marks (1-0, 2.12 ERA) makes the start in the series opener for Stockton, opposed by Rawhide right-hander Matt Peacock (4-3, 4.30 ERA). First pitch at Recreation Ballpark is set for 7 p.m. PDT.
California League Stories from August 24, 2018
- Sixers Overcome Self-Immolation, Surge Back in Ninth over Storm - Inland Empire 66ers
- Milburn Near-Perfect in 2-0 Victory - Stockton Ports
- Riley Smith Delivers Again in Rawhide Win - Visalia Rawhide
- Sweep Bid Falls Short with 3-1 Loss - San Jose Giants
- Matt Milburn Prevents Sweep of Ports - Modesto Nuts
- 'Hawks Drop One-Run Game, Get Swept - Lancaster JetHawks
- Champions of the Second Half - Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
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