Modesto Nuts rally from 5-0 deficit to beat San Jose 7-6

Dom Nunez, the pride of Elk Grove High School, put to good use baseball’s most important lesson: Leave yesterday behind.

The night before, Nunez’s two-run throwing error plated the decisive runs in San Jose’s 5-3 win. Twenty-four hours later, the Modesto Nuts catcher was a hero.

His single up the middle in the ninth inning brought home Josh Fuentes for an emotional 7-6 win. Not only was it Modesto’s biggest comeback win this season – it trailed 5-0 – it also was the Nuts’ first walk-off victory since mid-May. The Nuts mobbed Nunez, who deserved a pat on the back.

Nunez, who chose pro ball over a scholarship to UCLA, launched the rally with a two-run double in the sixth and finished it in the ninth. Fuentes doubled off the wall in center, then – after an intentional pass to Drew Weeks – Nunez cracked a 2-2 fastball off San Jose lefty Carlos Diaz (0-1). Fuentes, running on the pitch, scored easily to entertain 3,397 at Thurman Field.

“You feel the weight on your shoulders when something like that happens, especially as a catcher. You always feel a little more pressure,” Nunez said in reference to his mistake Thursday night. “I handled it the best I could. Like what we’ve been saying in here (the Modesto clubhouse), the way the season is going, every day is a new day, it’s a new game, a fresh start. You have to move on from it.”

The first five innings played out like another Modesto loss. The Nuts managed only one hit, while the Giants, squaring up several pitches from starter Jack Wynkoop, built their five-run lead. Wynkoop, who beat the Giants earlier in the month, surrendered a solo shot to Robbie Garvey – his first homer of the season.

The Nuts gained momentum by finally solving Giants starter Jose Reyes in the sixth inning and the San Jose bullpen in the seventh. Modesto ignited its four-run seventh with singles by Emerson Jimenez and Wes Rogers and a wild pitch for a run.

Omar Carrizales, batting third for only the third time in his career, stroked an RBI single to center to further close the gap. His stolen base preceded Weeks’ broken-bat flare to right for two RBIs and a 6-5 Modesto lead.

San Jose tied it in the eighth on Jonah Arenado’s 400-foot bomb to left-center off Troy Neiman (4-3), who pitched the final two innings. Six of Arenado’s 12 home runs have come off Modesto pitching.

Checking in with the Nuts on Friday was Chris Forbes, the Rockies’ manager of player development. Before the game, he addressed the importance of the daily grind during a long and – in Modesto’s case – difficult season.

“It’s about the tools turning into skill. They’re refining,” Forbes said. “In the minors, the struggle is a huge part of development. Offensively, they have not had the season they wanted. But as long as they go out there with a plan, the right kind of plan, that’s all we can ask.”

Notes – Former Rockies pitcher Tyler Matzek, Colorado’s top draft pick in 2009 whose career was derailed by anxiety problems, was promoted to Double-A Hartford. In 21 innings and 25 appearances for the Nuts, he struck out 28, walked 19 and compiled a 4.71 ERA. Matzek, who underwent treatment for anxiety in spring training, thanked pitching coach Brandon Emanuel and the Nuts’ pitchers for support. “He (Emanuel) has done a great job of helping me realize what I’m doing right when I’m good and what I’m doing wrong when I’m bad. He’s been great for me.” The Nuts replaced Matzek with catcher Robbie Perkins from Canberra, Australia.

This story was originally published July 29, 2016 at 11:37 PM with the headline "Modesto Nuts rally from 5-0 deficit to beat San Jose 7-6."