Nuts defeat Mavs in 11 to get sweep

By BRIAN VanderBEEK
bvanderbeek@modbee.com

E-Mail

Comments (0)

Text Size:

tool goes here

Victor Ferrante had a chance to win a game for the Modesto Nuts in the ninth inning Wednesday night and let it slip by, grounding into a bases-loaded double play.

When he got a second chance to produce in the same situation, he wasn't about to let it slip by.

Ferrante timed an 0-2 pitch from High Desert reliever David Asher and drilled it up the middle for the single that scored Travis Becktel from third base in the Nuts' 6-5 victory in 11 innings.

CLICK FOR MORE PHOTOS

IN A NUTSHELL ...

• Next Game: The Nuts are off today. They return to action Friday to open a four-game set against Stockton, with right-hander Esmil Rogers (5-4, 4.00) going for Modesto against a Ports pitcher yet to be named.

• Online: Jason Van Kooten has four hits on Tuesday and sits on Wednesday. What's up with that? For details, read Brian VanderBeek's blog at thehive.modbee.com/insidetheshell.

After nearly four hours of play, the Nuts won it after Becktel led off the 11th with his second double of the game. Nick Haley then pushed a sacrifice bunt to third and was safe on a throwing error and Daniel Mayora was walked intentionally to load the bases.

Asher got a called strike and a swing-through to get ahead in the count against Ferrante before the Modesto right fielder made Asher get out of the way of a line drive back at his knees.

The run capped Modesto's rally from a 5-1 deficit and made a winner of David Patton (1-1). Patton was the sixth Modesto pitcher and the last remaining arm in the Nuts' bullpen.

The win allowed the Nuts to sweep the four-game set from the Mavericks and improve their first-half action against the South Division with a 15-2 record. Despite that success, Modesto remains only a loss or a San Jose victory away from being mathematically eliminated in the California League's first-half North Division race.

The Mavericks built an early 4-0 lead against Modesto starter Simon Ferrer, collecting seven hits — including a solo homer to right by Carlos Pequero — off the knuckleballer.

Modesto began to peck away at the lead with a run in the fourth on Mike Paulk's leadoff double — the first of his four hits — and Matt Repec's two-out single. Repec had three hits for Modesto, which outhit High Desert 16-15.

High Desert got a run off Nuts reliever Brandon Durden in the fifth for a 5-1 lead, but the Nuts tied it with a wild four-run fifth inning.

Nelson Robledo walked to start the uprising and scooted to third when Becktel's fly to right was misplayed into a double. One out later, a run scored when Mayora reached on an infield error, then Paulk delivered a two-run double to cut the gap to 5-4.

Ferrante walked to end the night of High Desert starter Anthony Varvero, and reliever Bryan Harris was greeted by a single to right by Jay Cox. Paulk was gunned down at home on the play, but Ferrante scored the tying run when Repec singled to right.

The Nuts had a great chance to win the game in the ninth, loading the bases with one out. Ferrante reached out and hit a two-hop grounder behind second base that was snared on a lunge by shortstop Ogai Diaz and turned into a double play.

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