Ports Fall 12-10 in Home Run Derby
May 29, 2018 - California League (CalL1)
Stockton Ports News Release
STOCKTON, Calif. - The Stockton Ports banged out a season-high 16 hits on Monday night, but the Modesto Nuts got more bang for their buck at Banner Island Ballpark. On a night when the teams fell one home run shy of matching a league record for the most combined home runs in a game, the Modesto Nuts scored 12 runs on six homers to take the first of a four-game series with the Ports by a final of 12-10.
Modesto got off to a fast start in the top of the first facing Ports starter Jake Bray (1-3), who after not allowing a home run in his first 28.1 innings on the season has allowed eight in his last three outings. With two on and one out, Nick Zammarelli hit a three-run homer to right to score the first runs of the game. Luis Liberato followed with a solo homer to right to make it a 4-0 contest.
Stockton's first run came in the bottom of the second on a sac-fly by Luke Persico to make it 4-1. Modesto, however, pushed back with two more runs in the top of the third on another homer, this time a two-run blast by Zammarelli to make it 6-1.
The Ports once again cut their deficit to three in the third inning as Skye Bolt came up with one on and one out and hit a two-run homer to center to make it 6-3. The Nuts returned fire in the top of the fourth with a four-run frame and two more homers. Kevin Santa hit a solo homer to right with one out and, three batters later with two aboard, Kyle Lewis cranked the first of his two homers on the night out to right field to make it a 10-3 ballgame.
Bray was lifted after the Lewis home run and would suffer the loss, going 3.1 innings and allowing 10 runs on nine hits, including a career-high five homers allowed.
Stockton stayed resilient in the bottom of the fourth. With one on and one out, Collin Theroux homered to left to make it 10-5. Kevin Merrell followed with a single to right and scored on an ensuing triple by Nate Mondou to cut the Nuts lead to 10-7. Mondou scored on a groundout by Bolt to once again draw the Ports to within three runs at 10-7.
Nuts starter Randy Bell would not factor into the decision as he went four innings and allowed seven runs on eight hits while striking out two.
Brendan Butler took over for Bray in the fourth and retired the first six batters he faced. With one out in the sixth, Butler gave up an infield single to Evan White who scored two batters later on Lewis' second homer of the night, this time a two-run shot to widen the Modesto lead to 12-7. Those were the only runs allowed by Butler in his 3.2 innings of work.
Jefferson Medina (3-0) took over in the fifth for Modesto and allowed an unearned run in the sixth as the Ports loaded the bases with one out on two singles and a fielding error. Dairon Blanco would reach on an infield single that scored a run to make it 12-8. Medina, however, would avoid further damage with back-to-back strikeouts of Persico and Sandber Pimentel to keep the Nuts lead at four runs.
Medina would earn the win, going two innings and allowing an unearned run on four hits while striking out five.
The Ports would get solo homers in the seventh and eighth innings from Persico and Edwin Diaz, but Wyatt Mills (SV, 5) came on in the ninth and set the side down in order to notch his fifth save of the season.
The Ports and Nuts play the second game of their four-game series on Tuesday night at Banner Island Ballpark. Dustin Hurlbutt (0-0, 0.00 ERA) gets the start for Stockton, opposed by Modesto right-hander Ljay Newsome (3-2, 4.25 ERA). First pitch is set for 7:10 p.m. PDT.
California League Stories from May 29, 2018
- 66ers Down JetHawks 7-3, Kruger Notches Four-Hit Day - Inland Empire 66ers
- Ports Fall 12-10 in Home Run Derby - Stockton Ports
- Miller Powers Giants Past Rawhide - San Jose Giants
- Ten Homers Sail out During 12-10 Win - Modesto Nuts
- Madison Bumgarner Scheduled to Pitch May 31 with the San Jose Giants - San Jose Giants
- Miller, De La Rosa Blast Giants Past Rawhide - Visalia Rawhide
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
