Tapia repeatedly sets table as Modesto Nuts sweep Inland Empire

The Modesto Nuts scored in four different innings in Friday night’s 7-5 California League victory over Inland Empire, and Raimel Tapia started every rally.

Tapia, Modesto’s leadoff hitter, went 3 for 3, reached base in all five plate appearances (he walked twice) and scored three runs. He also stole his 18th base of the season as the Nuts swept the four-game series and improved to 11-4 in the second half.

Tapia drew a leadoff walk in the bottom of the first inning as an announced crowd of 2,914 settled in at John Thurman Field, and he scored on Rosell Herrera’s single.

The Nuts increased their lead to 3-0 with two runs in the fifth. Tapia hit a one-out single to center but was forced out at second on Jordan Patterson’s grounder. Patterson stole second and scored on Ryan McMahon’s single, and McMahon scored on Correlle Prime’s 20th double of the season.

Inland Empire scored in the sixth on Pedro Ruiz’s solo home run, and the 66ers took a 5-3 lead in the seventh when Angel Rosa hammered a grand slam that ended the night for Nuts starter Konner Wade.

Jacob Newberry, Trent Daniel and Matt Carasiti pitched a scoreless inning each for Modesto with Newberry earning his first win and Carasiti his sixth save.

The Nuts regained the lead with three runs in the seventh. Tapia led off with a line-drive single, stole third and scored on a single by Prime, and Herrera greeted reliever Ronald Muck with a two-run double to right.

And for good measure, Tapia ignited a two-out rally in the eighth with a single and scored on a hit by McMahon.

The top five hitters in the lineup combined for 12 of Modesto’s 13 hits, including three each by McMahon and Herrera.

Modesto began a three-game series with San Jose on Saturday night. Game 2 is Sunday at 6:05 p.m.

This story was originally published July 11, 2015 at 6:31 PM with the headline "Tapia repeatedly sets table as Modesto Nuts sweep Inland Empire."