Monday, December 01, 2008

Nuts get crafty, then rally in 10th to take series lead

By BRIAN VanderBEEK
bvanderbeek @ modbee.com

last updated: September 04, 2008 04:00:28 PM

The calendar says 2008, but the Modesto Nuts' 6-5, 10-inning playoff victory over the Stockton Ports on Wednesday night brought back baseball memories of 1962 and 1972.

The 1960's memory was delivered by the Ports, who looked very much like the 1962 Mets, committing three errors that contributed to five Nuts runs -- including the game-winning tally that allowed Modesto to take the first game in this best-of-three series.

The 1970's memory was thanks to the Nuts, who pulled off a play not seen in these parts since the 1972 A's-Reds World Series to steal away a Stockton rally in the top of the 10th.

First, the game-deciding Stockton blunder. Sam Demel, the fourth Ports pitcher, hit Daniel Mayora to open the 10th, and Mike Paulk delivered a sacrifice bunt. Lino Garcia was walked to set up the double play, and the strategy appeared to work when Nick Haley hit a hard two-hopper to shortstop.

Garcia was forced at second, but the relay from second baseman Frank Martinez pulled Matt Spencer off first base. Spencer then looked toward third and thought he had a chance at throwing behind Mayora, who wandered perhaps five feet off the base.

But Spencer's throw sailed well over the glove of third baseman Chris Carter and bounced hard off the front of the grandstand, allowing Mayora to stroll home with the winning run.

"I was close to the base, not too far away," Mayora said. "But I guess the first baseman thought I was off the base. I don't think the third baseman ever saw the ball."

The Nuts' celebration came just minutes after Stockton had its best chance to win the game. The Ports, who trailed 4-0 and 5-1 early, tied the game in the eighth and got their leadoff runner aboard in the 10th.

Jonathan George struck out Carter, but uncorked a wild pitch on a 1-2 delivery to Spencer. Nuts manager Jerry Weinstein visited the mound.

"I told the guys that if we don't strike Spencer out on an inside fastball, then we're going to set up for an intentional walk and throw a breaking ball instead," Weinstein said.

It worked in Game 3 of the 1972 World Series, when Oakland's Rollie Fingers struck out Cincinnati's Johnny Bench on a slider with one out and the tying run at third base after catcher Gene Tenace had signaled for an intentional ball four.

"We had never practiced that, but Jerry had faith in us and faith in Jon to throw that breaking ball," said catcher Mike McKenry. "Spencer did a heck of a job putting it in play."

But it was a harmless comebacker to George for the second out, followed by a popup to end the inning.

Stockton looked like the more nervous team at the start, committing errors in each of the first two innings that helped the Nuts jump to a 4-0 lead.

Ports starter Scott Mitchinson walked Anthony Jackson on four pitches to open the first inning, and Jackson took second on a passed ball. Mayora hit a hard single to left that was bobbled by Archie Gilbert, allowing Jackson to score and Mayora to take second base. Mayora eventually scored on Haley's ground ball.

Victor Ferrante led off the second with a single, but appeared to be dead when Jason Van Kooten followed with a double-play ground ball to shortstop Josh Horton. But Horton booted the ball, and the Nuts went on to get two runs on Paulk's two-out single.

Staking Jhoulys Chacin to a 4-0 lead has been an automatic win for the Nuts this season, but Stockton pecked away for a run in the fourth on Carter's sacrifice fly.

The Nuts got the run back to take a 5-1 lead when Van Kooten homered to left on the first pitch in the bottom of the fifth.

Chacin, who was limited to five innings in his last eight outings of the regular season, took that four-run lead into the sixth and almost gave it all up.

The Ports got three runs in the inning, scoring two on Carter's homer to left and the third on Jermaine Mitchell's two-out single to center.

Chris Malone entered to get the final out of the sixth and salvage the one-run lead for Modesto, but the Ports were able to tie the game against the Beyer High grad in the eighth.

That set the stage for the crowd of 1,635 to relive some great baseball memories from decades past.

"We pressured them and were able to take advantage of some things," Weinstein said. "We won, and that's all that counts."

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

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