Nightmare of a California League trip continues for Modesto Nuts

Troy Stein’s two home runs went for naught as the host Lancaster JetHawks scratched out a run in the bottom of the ninth inning for an 8-7 victory over the Modesto Nuts on Monday night at The Hangar.

With the score tied 7-7, Antonio Nunez drove in the winning run with a two-out RBI single, handing the Nuts their seventh loss in eight games on this season-long nine-game trip.

Stein (3 for 5) got the Nuts off to a good start with his first homer of the season, a three-run bomb in the second inning. Lancaster cut the deficit to 3-2, but Stein doubled the margin with an RBI single in the fifth.

After the Nuts added a run in the sixth on an error, the JetHawks took their first lead with a five-run seventh. Reliever Troy Neiman allowed a tying three-run homer to Ramon Laureano, and Jason Martin and Jamie Ritchie smacked back-to-back, two-out RBI doubles to cap the rally.

Wilson Soriano drove in a run for Modesto in the top of the eighth, and Stein knotted the score at 7 with his second homer of the night, a blast to left field.

Starter Yency Almonte gave up four hits in 5 2/3 innings but walked six.

The series and trip concluded Tuesday night. The Nuts are off Wednesday, then return to John Thurman Field to open a four-game set against the San Jose Giants.

This story was originally published June 7, 2016 at 4:41 PM with the headline "Nightmare of a California League trip continues for Modesto Nuts."