CalL1 Stockton Ports

Pitching Powers Ports Past Nuts 2-1

Published on August 12, 2015 under California League (CalL1)
Stockton Ports News Release


MODESTO, Calif. - Coming off back-to-back shutout victories over the weekend, the Stockton Ports pitching staff showed no signs of a letup on Tuesday night at John Thurman Field. The Ports held the Modesto Nuts to just one run while inducing a game-ending double-play with the bases loaded in the ninth to preserve a 2-1 victory to open a three-game series.

Modesto stole the first run of the game in the first inning. Michael Benjamin reached on a single with one out. With two outs, Benjamin made it to third on back-to-back wild pitches. After Ports starter Daniel Mengden (4-3) walked Ryan McMahon to put runners at the corners, McMahon had a hard bluff of a steal towards second that coaxed a throw down by Ports catcher Jake Nottingham. On the throw to second, Benjamin came down the line to score from third and give the Nuts a 1-0 lead. Benjamin would be tagged out in a rundown to end the inning after the run scored.

Stockton's offense, meanwhile, was getting runners on base but failing to score as they stranded five men over the first five innings. Nuts starter Zach Jemiola was lifted from the game due to an apparent shoulder injury with one out in the fourth. Devin Burke took over and kept the Ports out of the run column through the fifth.

The Ports tied the game thanks to a Modesto error in the sixth. With one out, Burke issued back-to-back walks to Nottingham and Tyler Marincov. After a deep fly-out by B.J. Boyd advanced Nottingham to third, Burke made an errant pick-off throw to first that allowed Nottingham to score to tie the game at 1-1. The run was unearned for Burke and the only run he allowed in 3.2 innings of work.

Mengden would find himself in a jam to begin the sixth after allowing a leadoff single to Wilson Soriano and walking Raimel Tapia. Mengden, though, would go on to retire the next six batters he faced to get him through the seventh and through his outing. He went on to earn the win, going seven innings and allowing one run on three hits while walking two and striking out six.

Stockton took its first lead in the eighth facing Nuts reliever Matt Pierpont (5-4). After a leadoff single by Melvin Mercedes, Yairo Munoz hit what looked to be a tailor-made double-play ball to second. The ball was missed by the second baseman Soriano, putting runners at second and third with nobody out. Nottingham came up next and hit a sac-fly to center that gave the Ports a 2-1 advantage. The run was unearned for Pierpont who would suffer the loss on the night.

After a scoreless eighth inning worked by Ben Bracewell, Corey Walter (SV, 3) came on to try and save the game in the ninth. Walter gave up back-to-back one out singles to McMahon and Rosell Herrera and Herrera advanced to second on the throw from Boyd that went towards third. After intentionally walking Drew Weeks to load the bases, Walter got Correlle Prime to hit into a game-ending 5-4-3 double-play to preserve the win and notch his third save of the season.

Over their last 27 innings, the Ports pitching staff has allowed one run on nine singles.

The Ports and Nuts play the middle game of their three-game set on Wednesday night at John Thurman Field. Raul Alcantara (0-2, 4.67 ERA) makes the start for Stockton, opposed by Modesto right-hander Konner Wade (7-7, 4.09 ERA). First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. PDT.

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California League Stories from August 12, 2015


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