Modesto Nuts start fast, beat Visalia for second night in a row

The Modesto Nuts scored three runs in the top of the first inning, and three pitchers combined on a five-hitter in a 5-2 victory over host Visalia on Monday night.

Modesto (25-26) has won two of three in the four-game series with Visalia (34-17), the California League’s North Division leader. The Nuts trail the Rawhide by nine games with 19 remaining in the first half.

The series finale is at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Rawhide Ballpark. Modesto has Wednesday off, then plays Stockton on Thursday at 7:05 p.m. to start a seven-game homestand. The Nuts play 14 of their last 19 in the first half at John Thurman Field.

Modesto got off to its fast start in the first inning despite striking out three times and having a runner picked off. Leadoff hitter Raimel Tapia struck out but ended up at second on a wild pitch on strike three and a throwing error. Ryan McMahon singled Tapia to third, then Correlle Prime singled Tapia home in front of an announced crowd of 1,015. McMahon scored when Wilfredo Rodriguez reached on an error, and Prime scored from third on a play in which Rodriguez was picked off at first and then thrown out at second.

The Nuts made it 5-1 in the fifth. Wilson Soriano hit a leadoff double, went to third on a sacrifice bunt by Cesar Galvez and scored on Tapia’s sacrifice fly. Singles by Jordan Patterson and McMahon, and another Visalia throwing error on a ball hit by Prime loaded the bases. Patterson then scored on a walk to Rosell Herrera.

Nuts pitching did the rest. Grahamm Wiest (2-3) allowed one run, one walk and two hits – including Kevin Cron’s 10th homer of the season, a leadoff shot in the second – in five innings. Wiest struck out eight.

Sam Moll allowed a run and three hits, including Jamie Westbrook’s leadoff bomb in the seventh, in three innings and struck out four. Matt Carasiti pitched a perfect ninth for his first save.

This story was originally published June 1, 2015 at 10:39 PM with the headline "Modesto Nuts start fast, beat Visalia for second night in a row."