Late rally doesn’t prevent Modesto Nuts’ fifth straight loss

The Modesto Nuts made a gutsy last-ditch attempt to avoid a five-game losing streak Friday night. It fell barely short.

Four runs in the bottom of the ninth inning were not enough as the Nuts lost to the Stockton Ports 9-8. Wes Rogers, who homered earlier in the game, flied out with a runner on to end it. The only consolation for the remainder of 4,429 at Thurman Field were postgame fireworks.

Modesto (8-13) threatened the Ports after Emerson Jimenez’s double closed the deficit to 9-6. Forrest Wall greeted Stockton closer Kyle Finnegan with a two-run single to left, setting up the final at-bat.

Triples by Max White and Drew Weeks spiced Modesto’s first-inning rally for a 3-1 lead, but Yency Almonte (2-1) – acquired last winter in a trade with the White Sox for Rockies right-handed pitcher Tommy Kahnle – struggled for the second straight start.

Stockton (9-12) rocked Almonte for six runs (five earned) and 11 hits in 4 2/3 innings. Seth Brown, Joe Bennie and John Nogowski had three hits apiece as the Ports totaled 17 hits and scored in all but three innings.

Meanwhile, Modesto committed four errors, managed only four hits through seven innings and hit into three double plays. Rogers touched Stockton reliever Brendan Butler (1-0) for his solo homer in the sixth.

This story was originally published April 29, 2016 at 11:15 PM with the headline "Late rally doesn’t prevent Modesto Nuts’ fifth straight loss."