Ports Crush Nuts, 16-8
July 31, 2010 - California League (CalL1)
Stockton Ports News Release
STOCKTON, Calif. - The Stockton Ports (50-55) collected a season-high 16 runs on Friday night en route to their fiftieth win on the year, defeating the Modesto Nuts (53-52), 16-8, at Banner Island Ballpark.
Southpaw Ben Hornbeck collected his fourth win on the year, and Justin Murray collected his first save this season in the contest. The Ports had 16 hits in the game-eight of which were doubles. Most Ports had multi-hit evenings. Yusuf Carter finished 3x3 with four RBI while Jeremy Barfield went 3x4 with three RBI in the contest. Grant Green extended his hitting streak to 14 games, going 2x5 with a pair of doubles and an RBI.
Modesto pulled ahead to their first lead in the first inning. Second baseman Erik Wetzel singled to start the game. He moved to second as center fielder Tim Wheeler walked. Wetzel scored on an RBI single by first baseman Ben Paulsen. Wheeler scored on a wild pitch by Hornbeck while shortstop Thomas Field was batting.
The Ports tied the game in the second inning. Carter singled to start the inning, and first baseman Mike Spina walked. An RBI single by Barfield made it 2-1, and later designated hitter Jermaine Mitchell hit an RBI single to tie the game.
Modesto collected two more runs off Hornbeck in the third inning. With one out, designated hitter Jordan Pacheco walked. Paulsen doubled to center field to but two on for Field. Field singled to short, which scored Pacheco. Right fielder Michael Zuanich followed that with an RBI single to give the Nuts a 4-2 lead.
That lead was short-lived, as the Ports pounded out five runs in the bottom of the inning. Green led off with a double to right field. Stephen Parker next walked. Carter collected his first RBI of the game with a double to left field. Spina was then hit by a pitch to load the bases with no out. Left fielder Todd Johnson then doubled down the right field line to bring home two more runs and make it 5-4. Barfield hit a long sacrifice fly to Wheeler to score Spina. Mitchell later hit an RBI single to put Stockton ahead, 7-4.
The Ports kept on rolling in the fourth and fifth innings. Spina hit a two-run home run, his twentieth home run of the season, in the fourth inning. Barfield scored the tenth Ports run as Thomas reached on an error by third baseman Ryan Peisel. In the fifth, an RBI double by Green scored Tyler Ladendorf, and Carter collected his second RBI on a sacrifice fly to give Stockton a 12-4 lead.
But Modesto wasn't finished. Peisel hit a solo shot to left-center field, dropping it just in the far corner near the Ports bullpen in left field to make it 12-5. The Nuts scored their sixth run in the seventh inning.
The Ports pulled ahead, 16-6, in the bottom of the seventh on RBI doubles by Parker and Carter, and an RBI single by Barfield.
The Nuts got their final two more runs off Murray in the top of the ninth. Paulsen reached on an error by Green. Murray then retired the next two batters before giving up a double to Peisel. Catcher Beau Seabury brought both runners home by singling to left field. Murray got left fielder Scott Robinson to fly out to end the game.
The Ports will take on the Nuts in Game 2 of the series on Saturday at 7:05 PM. LHP Justin Marks (0-0, 0.00) will make his Stockton debut, after joining the Ports from Single-A Kane County on July 30. RHP Rob Scahill (7-5, 5.25) will start for Modesto. Fans can follow the game live on Comcast Hometown Network (Channel 104) or on KWSX 1280 AM.
California League Stories from July 31, 2010
- Mavs Move into First-Place Tie with Quakes - Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
- Ports Crush Nuts, 16-8 - Stockton Ports
- Big Inning Lifts Bakersfield Past Lancaster - Lancaster JetHawks
- Big Seventh Lifts Mavs into First in Horner's Finale - High Desert Mavericks
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