Two out Rallies Hurt Ports in Series Opening Defeat against Modesto
July 6, 2023 - California League (CalL)
Stockton Ports News Release
MODESTO, Calif. - The Stockton Ports hit the road one final time before the All-Star break, beginning a six-games series on Independence Day against the Modesto Nuts. In front of a packed crowd ready to celebrate with fireworks after the game, the Nuts made sure those fans saw plenty of action on the field. Ports pitching came close to escaping danger on several accounts but couldn't keep runs off the board with two outs, leading to an 8-3 defeat in game one of the series.
Things got off to a rocky start for Ports starter Eduardo Rivera right away in the first inning, but he could have gotten out of the inning without any runs scoring. He had two outs and a man on first before the flood gates opened to the tune of three runs scoring with two outs. First it was Gabe Moncada scoring the game's first run with a single, and then Josh Hood followed with a two-run double to plate a pair and make it a quick 3-0 lead in favor of the home team.
Rivera seemed to settle down the next two innings before running into more trouble in the bottom of the fourth, when Cole Young got to him for a two-out, run-scoring single, making it 4-0. In the fifth, Gabriel Gonzalez cranked his eighth homer of the season leading off the inning, making it 5-0. Rivera took his second loss on the season, allowing 10 hits and those five runs.
The Ports were able to get to Modesto starter Tyler Cleveland in the top of the sixth inning, when they put together all three of their runs. The inning started with a leadoff double from Colby Thomas, and he moved to third on a single to left by Brennan Milone. With runners on the corners, Henry Bolte hit a bouncer back to the mound that resulted in Thomas being nabbed at the plate for the first out. However, TJ Schofield-Sam followed with a base hit, snapping an 0-12 streak, scoring Milone and making it 5-1. After a pitching change and a strikeout, Cam Masterman delivered with a ringing double to right field that scored both runners on base, but he was thrown out trying to stretch it to a triple. Still, that made it a 5-3 game and gave the Ports plenty of momentum.
The bottom of the seventh inning was the final blow from Modesto, and again, it came with two outs. Yunior Tur was out of the bullpen for Stockton, and he walked a pair of hitters before reaching the two-out point. That led to Justin Lavey hitting a ball into the left field corner to score both runners, but the ball took a funky bounce off the wall and rolled away from Schofield-Sam in left. Lavey turned on the jets and motored all the way around for an inside-the-park home run, scoring three, and making it 8-3.
Stockton will look to erase a four-game losing streak on Wednesday night in game two of the series in Modesto. Gunnar Hogland will take the mound for the Ports, looking for his first win of the season. He will be opposed by right-handed pitcher Darren Bowen. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 pm from John Thurman Field.
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