Nuts’ freefall continues – eighth straight loss

The Modesto Nuts believe the schedule favors them by closing the regular season with four games at Stockton.

By the way, so do the Ports. And both teams are right.

Fact is, Stockton owns an airplane hangar’s worth of momentum after completing a four-game sweep 9-1 Sunday night at Thurman Field. The Ports, 6-1 over the Nuts this month, strafed Modesto for seven third-inning runs, five on consecutive two-out RBI hits.

The nightmare continued for the Nuts, losers of eight straight and 16 of their last 20. They trail both Stockton and San Jose in the wildcard race with 14 games left – still time if the Nuts ever hit bottom.

One problem: They’re still falling. At this rate, those final four games at Stockton Ballpark will amount to set decoration.

“Got to play better baseball,” third baseman Ryan McMahon summarized said in an ultra-quiet Nuts clubhouse. “Not good enough to win right now.”

Modesto, out-hit 16-5, advanced only three base runners into scoring position. Not good enough, indeed, when you give up a seven-spot in the third.

Lefty Kyle Freeland (1-2), the No. 8 overall pick of the 2014 draft, could not escape Stockton’s third-inning eruption. Run-scoring hits by Jacob Nottingham (3 for 5, 3 RBIs) and Tyler Marincov finished Freeland’s night, and reliever Devin Burke allowed three straight RBI hits to B.J. Boyd, John Nogowski and Michael Soto to make it 7-0.

Some balls were struck hard. Some weren’t. They all seemed to open places in the Modesto defense. Stockton sent 12 batters to the plate, eight chalked up hits and seven scored in the inning that rendered the rest of the night moot.

“It’s very hard to do what we just did,” Ports manager Rick Magnante said. “Our guys pitched well the whole series and we had timely hitting.”

Ports 6-foot-2 right-hander Dylan Covey (7-8) handled Modesto for the third time without a loss this season. He went seven innings, struck out eight and yielded only four hits. The Nuts averted a shutout only via a triple by Emerson Jimenez and a groundout by Drew Weeks in the third.

Then again, most everyone sets down the Nuts these days. The loss marked the 12th time during their 20-game deep freeze that they scored two or fewer runs.

Modesto’s defense held firm this night, though it’s committed 145 errors, second-worst in the California League. That said, the silent bats have triggered the nasty August.

The Nuts board a bus early Monday morning for the long trip to Lake Elsinore. Perhaps the road will awaken the bats.

“We have to pick it up on offense,” Nuts manager Fred Ocasio said. “That is the bottom line.”

Notes – Antonio Senzatela (8-7, 2.0), the Cal League Pitcher of the Year, starts for Modesto against Michael Kelley (0-3, 7.31) as the Nuts begin the four-game series Monday night at Lake Elsinore. ... Zach Jemiola, who hasn’t pitched since Aug. 11 (shoulder), will close the series for Modesto on Thursday night. ... Stockton’s ascent started by winning nine straight and 15 of 18 during the mid-season. The Ports lead San Jose by two games and Modesto by three games in the wildcard race. If Visalia holds on to win the North Division second half, two of the wildcard contenders will advance.

Ron Agostini: 209-578-2302, @ModBeeSports

This story was originally published August 23, 2015 at 9:44 PM with the headline "Nuts’ freefall continues – eighth straight loss."