CalL1 Modesto Nuts

Modesto sweeps a pair from Oaks

Published on June 10, 2005 under California League (CalL1)
Modesto Nuts News Release


The Modesto Nuts swept a pair from the Visalia Oaks Thursday night, winning the first game 8-1 and capturing the nightcap 7-2.

Alberto Arias pitched five shutout innings in game one to gain his second victory of the season. He scattered seven hits, did not walk a batter and struck out four. Visalia scored their lone run in the sixth inning when reliever Jason Burch walked four batters. Joe Gaetti smashed a grand slam in the second inning, his team-leading ninth home run of the season, off Oaks starter and losing pitcher, Jean Machi. Luis Guance added a two run single in the third and the Nuts added an unearned run in the fifth. The final run scored on a wild pitch in the sixth inning.

In the second game Manual Corpas picked up the win in relief. Corpas got two outs in the sixth inning with two runners aboard to get starter Juan Morillo out of a jam. Morillo was cruising and had struck out ten batters before giving up two runs in the sixth. He was unable to hold on to a 2-0 lead the Nuts gained in the fourth inning on RBI's by Ian Stewart and Randy Blood. After the Oaks tied the game the Nuts scored five times in the sixth inning off Visalia reliever Jeff Ridgeway who walked five batters in the inning.

The win puts Modesto five games over .500 for the second time this season. They host the Lake Elsinore Storm in a three game series beginning Friday night. Aaron Marsden goes to the mound for Modesto against the Storm's Javier Martinez. Game time at John Thurman Field is 7:05 p.m.

Thigpen Headed for AAA Colorado Springs

Following Thursday night's doubleheader sweep over the Visalia Oaks, Modesto Nuts Manger Stu Cole called outfielder Jud Thigpen into his office and told him to clean out his locker. He had been reassigned to the Rockies AAA affiliate in Colorado Springs. It is not known how long the organization plans on keeping Thigpen at their highest minor league outpost, but it is a great opportunity for the southern gentleman from Cleveland, Mississippi who was one of the lone bright spots offensively for Modesto throughout the first month of the season.

"I don't how long it is for or what's going to happen," Thigpen said after hearing the news. "But I'm glad to get the opportunity to go to AAA. This is just unbelievable."

During the first month of April when Modesto was 11-12 and batted just .253 as a team, Thigpen was the dominant force in the Nuts' lineup, batting .368 for the month with three home runs and 17 runs batted in. He kept the Modesto club afloat with his bat until the rest of the squad started to produce.

Thigpen tailed off in May and also missed 11 games with a hamstring injury. His final statistics at the time of the call up: a team-leading .310 batting average, four home runs and 27 runs batted in.

Thigpen, who played baseball last season at Delta State University in Cleveland, Mississippi, was signed as a non-drafted free agent by the Colorado Rockies last June and assigned to their short season affiliate in the Northwest League, the Tri City Dust Devils. Thigpen finished sixth in the Northwest League with a .310 batting average. He was fourth in the league with a .568 slugging percentage and second in the league with five triples.

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California League Stories from June 10, 2005


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