Modesto Nuts walk off with marathon win over San Jose Giants
The Modesto Nuts’ Luis Jean placed far greater value in his winning infield hit in the 14th inning over his two-run triple in the third.
Why? You can figure it out.
“Because the team won,” he said.
Jean beat out a roller to shortstop, sending Emerson Jimenez to the plate and the rest of the Nuts streaming out of the dugout to celebrate their 4-3 victory over San Jose on Sunday at Thurman Field.
It hardly mattered that only a few hundred, from an announced crowd of 3,775, stayed for the end. Modesto, 1-4 in extra innings before Sunday, could use some positive reinforcement.
That said, the Nuts (15-21) have won two of three over a San Jose team (20-14) that had 10 wins in its previous 12 games. Even better, manager Fred Ocasio and his staff can brief their bosses on some 14th-inning efficiency.
Jimenez singled to left with one out off reliever Jeff Soptic (0-2), then stole his 11th consecutive base (he hasn’t been caught). Omar Carrizales advanced Jimenez with a fly ball, leading to Jean’s walkoff.
The afternoon game lasted more than four hours, nearly as long as the sleep the teams got. The schedule maker, who clearly has a mean streak, asked them to bus to Modesto after the Giants’ 11-7 Saturday night at San Jose.
“My legs were tired. My upper body was tired. I felt sore,” Carrizales said. “But we won.”
Modesto received no sympathy from the Giants, whose mood wasn’t improved by a marathon start to their 14-game trip.
My legs were tired. My upper body was tired. I felt sore. But we won.
Omar Carrizales
Nuts starter Ryan Castellani, who was stubborn after a slow start, departed with a 3-2 lead after seven innings thanks to Jean’s third-inning drive over left fielder Junior Arias. Dom Nunez’s sacrifice fly put Modesto in front.
San Jose tied it in the eighth on Steven Dugger’s triple and Chris Shaw’s ringing double to right-center off reliever Troy Neiman. But that was the only run yielded by the Modesto bullpen. Neiman, Jerry Vasto, Logan Cozart and Logan Sawyer (1-1) tamed the Giants.
Notes – Nuts second baseman Forrest Wall, sidelined since he was struck on the wrist by a pitch April 30 against Stockton, said he expected to return to the lineup Tuesday night against Visalia. He was placed on the seven-day disabled list last Wednesday. Wall is batting .231, but he’s tied with Shane Hoelscher for the team lead in RBIs with 21. ... Pitcher Parker French and San Jose shortstop C.J. Hinojosa were teammates for three years with the Texas Longhorns. French figures their matchup at the plate won’t happen until the teams’ four-game series May 27-30. It will be a Cal League summit meeting. French is 2-0 with an 0.93 ERA in three starts since his callup from Low-A Asheville. Hinojosa is batting, .348, third in the California League. ... The Nuts and the Giants close their four-game series Monday night at Thurman at 7:05.
Ron Agostini: 209-578-2302, @ModBeeSports
This story was originally published May 15, 2016 at 7:36 PM with the headline "Modesto Nuts walk off with marathon win over San Jose Giants."