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Sports - Modesto Nuts

Thursday, Aug. 20, 2009

Latest lineup is a big hit for Nuts

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STOCKTON — Thursday marked the 123rd game of the season for the Modesto Nuts, and — remarkably — the 117th unique batting order concocted by manager Jerry Weinstein.

That means he has only 17 regular season games remaining to teach, evaluate and shuffle.

On the other hand, he might want to give lineup No. 117 another shot. While it didn't exactly light up the night sky offensively, it did get the Nuts a win.

Kenny Durst threw 6 2/3 strong innings, and Modesto made a four-run second inning off Stockton ace Carlos Hernandez hold up for a 4-3 victory.

In winning two of the series' three games, the Nuts moved 13 games over .500 for the first time this season and continued their steady march toward the California League playoffs.

Call it habit, superstition, or even laziness, but the vast majority of managers at every level try to find a lineup early in the season and stick with it — changing only for injury, slumps or the chance to rest a regular.

"We would prefer to have a set lineup," Weinstein said. "But I'm just trying to figure out what gives us the best combination and the best chance to counter what the other team is trying to do."

Of course, he's basing that research not only on the strength of the opposing bullpen, but also on trying to be successful the first and second times through the lineup against the other team's starter.

And on this night, lineup No. 117 struck for all its runs on its first cycle — one of Modesto's best cluster-hitting efforts in weeks.

Matt Repec and Scott Beerer lined back-to-back singles to open the second against Hernandez (9-6,) then Hector Gomez's cue shot toward third base stayed fair as it hugged the line to load the bases.

Lars Davis followed with a ground ball to first baseman Daric Barton — in Stockton on a major league rehabilitation assignment — and Barton chose to get the out at second instead of coming home for the force.

Warren Schaeffer fell behind 0-2 before lofting a sacrifice fly to center for a 2-1 lead, Michael Mitchell singled and Charlie Blackmon completed the uprising with a two-run off-field double to left — the fifth hit of the inning.

"When I write the lineup, I'm thinking about who is hot and about matchups," Weinstein said. "We've played these guys so many times, we know how to bunch our offense or spread it out.

"We look a what our guys are doing and where they are likely to have the best success in a particular part of the lineup. We look at potential situations, and the pitches they're likely to see in those situations."

Grant Desme's solo homer shaved one run off the 4-1 lead, and the rest was poised to disappear when Durst (4-12) ran into trouble in the seventh. He got the first two outs quickly before walking two and allowing an RBI single to Jermaine Mitchell.

Austin Chambliss came on and walked Shane Keough to load the bases for Barton, who got ahead 2-0 in the count before Chambliss retired him on a broken bat infield pop.

After Chambliss walked a batter with one out in the eighth, Craig Baker came on to get the last five outs for his league-best 31st save, and his sixth against Stockton.

It wasn't completely smooth. After getting a line-drive double play to end the eighth, Baker walked Frank Martinez and Kala Ka'aihue to open the ninth.

But Martinez was picked off second base by catcher Lars Davis, with Schaeffer faking Martinez into not sliding and applying a quick tag. Baker then fanned Dusty Coleman and got Jermaine Mitchell on a ground ball to end the game.

"Baker's bailed us out countless times this season, and this was a rare chance for us to bail him out," Weinstein said.

For the record, the Nuts are 68-55. But lineup No. 117 is 1-0.

• NUTS NOTES — Modesto went 15-6 against the Ports this season, winning six of the seven series. ... Hernandez entered the game with 15 wins between Stockton and low-A Kane County, the most wins of any pitcher in the Oakland organization. ... Barton, who was hitless in four at-bats, has been on Oakland's disabled list since July 27 with a left hamstring pull. ... Modesto goes to Bakersfield today to start a three-game series against the Blaze. The Nuts return home Monday to begin a seven-game homestand.

Bee staff writer Brian VanderBeek can be reached at bvanderbeek@modbee.com or 578-2300.