Modesto JC can’t deliver winning hit against American River

Robert Steves’ eye-black was properly smudged by game’s end. He seemingly wore half the Modesto Junior College infield dirt on his pant legs. Sunglasses hid his eyes but not his disappointment.

“It’s been a tough year. We’ve lost a lot of close games,” the two-year Pirates infielder said. “This team still has a lot of fight. It’s just tough losing games like this a lot.”

About 15 minutes earlier, Steves’ swinging strikeout against submarine-throwing reliever Ian Codina ended host Modesto’s 4-3 loss to American River College on Saturday. The Pirates stranded two runners in the ninth, raising their total to 13.

Steves singled home the Pirates’ first run in the second inning, but he was retired between third and home on an attempted double steal. His day exemplified Modesto’s season – grinding hard, applying pressure but waiting in vain for the game-breaking hit.

The Beavers (13-21, 7-12 Big 8 Conference) scored the winning run in the ninth on Cade Parker’s two-out single to left. The loss for Modesto (11-23, 5-14) was its fifth by one run in conference play with two games left.

“It’s been that kind of year,” Pirates coach Zeb Brayton said. “We competed our tails off, but we can’t break through.”

Modesto threatened most of the game. Bringing in the runners from scoring position was the issue. The Pirates tried everything – the double steal and even two safety squeezes. Balls were hit hard but found gloves. Others were popped up or missed.

Fleet Modesto center fielder Mason Washington (3 for 5) tripled to right with one out in the seventh and doubled to right to start the ninth. He was left on the basepaths both times.

Pirates right-hander Matt Burrows (2-2) again pitched well enough to win. While ARC coach Doug Jumelet carefully paced three Beavers pitchers through nine innings, Burrows fell one out short of going the distance. Two runs off Burrows were unearned because of three Modesto errors. Burrows was one strike from escaping the ninth before Parker’s hit, which drove in Justin Jordan from second.

The Pirates twice erased deficits to tie – a run-scoring single to right by Carlo Del Real to bring in William Reeder in the sixth, and a high-hop single over the infield by Jaden Alsop to score Carlos Lino in the eighth.

Modesto closes the season with two games against ARC: Tuesday in Sacramento and Thursday at home for Sophomore Day.

This story was originally published April 23, 2016 at 6:28 PM with the headline "Modesto JC can’t deliver winning hit against American River."