Final Score: Modesto Nuts 8, Stockton Ports 7
By: Mario Ramos
MODESTO, Calif. — Matthew Ellis delivered the decisive blow on Saturday night at John Thurman Field, launching a two-run walk-off homer in the bottom of the ninth to lift the Modesto Nuts to an 8-7 victory over the Stockton
Final Score: Modesto Nuts 8, Stockton Ports 7
By: Mario Ramos
MODESTO, Calif. — Matthew Ellis delivered the decisive blow on Saturday night at John Thurman Field, launching a two-run walk-off homer in the bottom of the ninth to lift the Modesto Nuts to an 8-7 victory over the Stockton Ports. The dramatic win gave Modesto a 3-2 lead in the six-game series, with the finale set for Sunday.
The back-and-forth contest saw both teams trade momentum throughout the night. Modesto jumped ahead early with a three-run homer from Ricardo Cova in the first and a solo shot from Carlos Jimenez (his team leading 12th on the season) in the third. Stockton answered with a pair of doubles from Carlos Franco and a two-run seventh to take the lead at 7-6. But with one out in the ninth, Ellis crushed a fastball from reliever Riley Huge over the center-field wall, sending the crowd of over 1,000 fans into celebration.
Ellis reached base four times in the win, finishing 2-for-3 with two RBIs, while Cova tallied three RBIs and Jimenez scored twice. Modesto’s bullpen bent but didn’t break, with Anyelo Ovando earning the win after tossing a scoreless top of the ninth. Modesto Starter Chia-Shi Shen went the first 5 innings, allowing 4 runs (2 earned) on 7 hits with two strikeouts. The Nuts pounded out 11 hits and went 4-for-12 with runners in scoring position.
Despite a strong offensive showing with 10 hits of their own, the Ports couldn’t hold the lead, and Huge took the loss after surrendering the game-winning blast. With the victory, Modesto improves to 48-38 on the season and 10-10 in the second half, while Stockton drops to 38-48 and 6-14. The series wraps up tomorrow afternoon in Modesto.
