ADELANTO -- The Modesto Nuts had 24 hits in their highest-scoring game of the season Monday, an 18-5 win over High Desert -- the leading team in the California League's Southern Division.
It was impressive, but meaningless in the bigger picture.
Bakersfield won by a much more modest 3-2, securing the homefield advantage when the North Division playoffs begin Wednesday at John Thurman Field.
The Nuts will host the Blaze in the first game at 7:05 p.m., with the next game (or two, if necessary) in the best-of-three series in Bakersfield.
Warren Schaeffer hit a two-run homer in the second and Hector Gomez had a four-run shot in the eighth. Schaeffer and Lars Davis both had five RBIs.
Turlock's Tommy Mendonca plays for the Blaze. Free vouchers for tickets to all playoff games are available at Prime Shine Express Car Wash locations, Boyett Petroleum and Cruisers restaurants.