CalL1 Stockton Ports

Rally Short-Lived as Ports Fall 10-9

Published on July 26, 2018 under California League (CalL1)
Stockton Ports News Release


MODESTO, Calif. - For a second straight night the Modesto Nuts scored the game-winning run in the bottom of the ninth. On Wednesday night at John Thurman Field, the winning run came after the Stockton Ports had rallied to score three runs in the top of the ninth to tie the ballgame. Beau Branton's game-winning RBI, his second in as many nights, dealt the Ports a 10-9 loss in which they erased a seven-run deficit, at one point trailing 7-0.

Modesto amassed a 7-0 lead over the first two frames as they scored four in the first on RBI singles from Nick Zammarelli and Joe Rizzo and added a two-run single with two outs from Kevin Santa, a frame in which they sent all nine batters to the plate. The Nuts added three more in the second on an RBI single by Evan White and a two-run homer by Bryson Brigman, his second of the season.

After coming up empty in the first three innings, the Ports got themselves back into the contest with a six-run fourth. After back-to-back singles and a walk loaded the bases, Edwin Diaz hit a sacrifice fly to right field that put the Ports on the board. Brett Siddall followed with an RBI single and Trace Loehr with an RBI double to make it 7-3. After Cobie Vance was hit by a pitch, Santiago Chavez singled to right to drive in a fourth run. Brallan Perez reached on a fielder's choice force play on which a run scored to make it 7-5 and Chase Calabuig singled to center to score Chavez and make it a 7-6 contest. Calabuig's single knocked Nuts starter Nick Wells from the game. He allowed six runs on eight hits over 3.2 innings of work.

Ports starter Xavier Altamirano pitched a scoreless third but was tagged for a run in the fourth and a run in the fifth. With the bases loaded in the fifth, Altamirano yielded a bases-loaded walk to Evan White that made it a 9-6 Modesto lead. Altamirano at that point was lifted for Brendan Butler who went on to strand the bases loaded and pitch 2.1 innings without allowing a hit.

Altamirano went 4.2 innings and allowed a career-high nine runs on 10 hits while walking a career-high four, hitting four batters and striking out two.

Danny Garcia came on in relief for Wells in the fourth and went on to pitch 3.1 scoreless frames and allowed just one hit in that span. J.T. Salter pitched a scoreless eighth for the Nuts.

Trey Cochran-Gill (0-1) came on to pitch the eighth for Stockton and escaped a bases-loaded jam with one out by recording back-to-back strikeouts of Rizzo and Gareth Morgan.

Jefferson Medina (5-2) came on to pitch the ninth and try to save the game for the Nuts. Medina, though, would issue back-to-back walks to Chavez and Perez. Two batters later with runners at the corners and one out, Luke Persico drove in a run with a single to left to bring the Ports to within two at 9-7. Sandber Pimentel followed with a game-tying two-run double to right-center, knotting the contest at 9-9.

Cochran-Gill would come back out to work the bottom of the ninth for Stockton. Santa opened the inning with an infield single and Manny Pazos lined an 0-2 pitch into center field that put runners at the corners with nobody out. After an intentional walk loaded the bases, Branton came up and hit a sharp ground ball to Pimentel at first. Pimentel made a diving stop but threw late and off-line to the plate as Santa scored the game-winning run to give the Nuts a 10-9 walk-off victory.

Cochran-Gill would suffer the loss while Medina picked up the win despite blowing the save.

The Ports and Nuts wrap up their three-game series on Thursday night at John Thurman Field. Left-hander Evan Manarino (3-3, 4.91 ERA) makes the start for Stockton, opposed by Modesto right-hander Darren McCaughan (4-8, 3.60 ERA). First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. PDT.

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California League Stories from July 26, 2018


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