Ports Derailed by Big Innings in 11-4 Loss to Nuts
August 18, 2021 - California League (CalL)
Stockton Ports News Release
MODESTO, Ca. - The Modesto Nuts scored five runs in the fifth inning and four in the eighth as the Ports dropped the series opener to their North Division rival 11-4 on Tuesday night at John Thurman Field in Modesto.
After two scoreless innings to start the ballgame, the Ports (38-53) jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the third. With one out, Modesto starter Josias De Los Santos issued walks to Sahid Valenzuela and Robert Puason, and after Lawrence Butler flew out to left field, Zack Gelof lined a double to right center field to score Valenzuela and give the Ports the early lead.
The Nuts (48-43) took the lead for the first time in the top of the fourth. Ports' starter Pedro Santos was pulled after a leadoff walk to Colin Davis, and Corey Rosier greeted Stockton reliever Daniel Martinez by hitting the first pitch he saw over the wall in right center field to give the Nuts a 2-1 advantage.
Modesto put another crooked number on the scoreboard with a five-run fifth. After Martinez retired Noelvi Marte on a ground ball to third, Alberto Rodriguez launched a solo home run over the batters' eye in straight away center field to double the Nuts' lead to 3-1. The Nuts then loaded the bases on a wild pitch on strike three, a single and a walk for Rosier, who lifted a sacrifice fly to center field to make it 4-1. With two outs and runners on second and third, Eric Jones lined a single to center and Ty Duvall followed with a double down the right field line to extend the Nuts' advantage to 7-1.
Trailing 7-2 after scoring a run on an error in the sixth, the Ports' opportunity for a big inning came in the seventh. De Los Santos was pulled in favor of left-hander Peyton Alford after walking the bases loaded to start the inning. Butler then greeted the left-hander with an RBI single to right center to cut the Modesto lead to 7-3. With the bases still loaded and nobody out, Alford got Gelof to ground into a double play that scored a run to make it 7-4, and T.J. Schofield-Sam flew out to left field to end the inning.
The Nuts put the game away with a four-run bottom of the eighth inning against relievers Sam Romero and Oscar Tovar.
De Los Santos (4-6) got the win for Modesto, giving up four runs on five hits in six innings while walking five and striking out two, while Martinez (3-5) took the loss for Stockton allowing six runs on five hits in two innings. Alford threw the final three innings for his first save of the season.
The Ports and Nuts continue their six game series with game two at John Thurman Field on Wednesday. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 pm.
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- Ports Derailed by Big Innings in 11-4 Loss to Nuts - Stockton Ports
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- Nuts Lift a Pair of Home Runs in Fifth Straight Win - Modesto Nuts
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