Ports Edge Nuts 2-1 for Third Straight Win
August 23, 2015 - California League (CalL1)
Stockton Ports News Release
MODESTO, Calif. - Modesto Nuts starter Konner Wade (7-8), threw his second complete game of the season on Saturday night, but the Stockton Ports came out on top at John Thurman Field. The Ports scored a run in the fourth and fifth innings after falling behind early to beat the Nuts by a final of 2-1, increasing their lead in the Wild Card standings to two games over Modesto and San Jose.
Modesto's lone tally of the night came in the first inning and with a bit of controversy. Raimel Tapia singled to open the inning and with one out, was ruled safe on a steal of second base. Ports skipper Rick Magnante came out to argue the call and was ejected for the first time on the season. The steal proved to be key as Rosell Herrera delivered an RBI single to right to put Modesto in front early 1-0.
Ports starter Raul Alcantara pitched around a leadoff single in the second and a single and walk that began the third and was lifted after three innings, allowing one run on four hits while walking one and not recording a strikeout.
Wade pitched around an error in the second and a one-out single in the third, inducing double-plays in both innings to keep the Ports out of the run column. In the fourth, Brett Vertigan opened the inning with a single. Melvin Mercedes followed by lining out to the second baseman Wilson Soriano. Soriano, in an attempt to double off Vertigan at first, threw wide of the bag, an error that allowed Vertigan to take second. Two batters later with two outs, Jake Nottingham tied the game on a single to right.
Stockton's second run came the next inning. B.J. Boyd led off with a double, one of two for Boyd on the night, and two batters later Trent Gilbert drove Boyd home on a double to left to give the Ports a 2-1 lead.
Wade surrendered just two hits the remainder of the contest following the Gilbert double. Wade went on to pitch his second complete game of the season and suffered his second complete game loss, allowing two runs (one earned) on seven hits while striking out four and not issuing a walk.
Kyle Finnegan (8-8) came on in relief of Alcantara to begin the fourth and gave up a two-out double to Wilfredo Rodriguez, but retired Correlle Prime to end the inning. The double was the only hit allowed by Finnegan in four strong innings as he went on to pick up the win while striking out five in his four innings of work, retiring 12 of the 14 batters he faced.
Joel Seddon was summoned to pitch the eighth and gave up a leadoff single to Soriano, but benefitted from a strike-out throw-out double-play that ensued as Tapia struck out and Soriano was caught trying to advance to second on a pitch in the dirt.
Corey Walter (SV, 6) entered to pitch the ninth and, after Herrera reached on a fielding error to start the inning, induced a 6-4-3 double-play and got Michael Benjamin, Jr. to strike out to end the ballgame and earn his sixth save of the season and his second in as many nights.
The Ports will try for a series sweep of the Nuts when the two teams wrap up their four-game set on Sunday night at John Thurman Field. Dylan Covey (6-8, 3.93 ERA) makes the start for Stockton, opposed by Modesto left-hander Kyle Freeland (1-1, 3.13 ERA). First pitch is set for 6:05 p.m. PDT. This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.
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