Musgrave, Modesto Nuts please Rockies bosses by beating Bakersfield

The Modesto Nuts understood the importance of Wednesday night’s game. And wouldn’t you want to impress your bosses?

Sitting behind the plate at Thurman Field were the brain trust of the Colorado Rockies: Owner Dick Monfort, Vice President and General Manager Jeff Bridich, Senior Director of Player Development Zach Wilson and General Counsel Hal Roth.

Clearly, pitcher Harrison Musgrave, left fielder Dillon Thomas, right fielder Jordan Patterson and third baseman Ryan McMahon saw an opportunity to leave an impression. Their contributions anchored a 8-1 victory over the Bakersfield Blaze, Modesto’s fifth win in six games to start the California League’s second half.

Musgrave (10-1), the Nuts’ dart-throwing left-hander who somehow was left off the Cal League All-Star team, dipped his ERA to 2.76 with his ninth consecutive win.

“It’s nice to pitch (a good game) in front of them,” Musgrave said in reference to the Rockies’ leaders among the announced crowd of 890. “I’m just trying to get better ... but it doesn’t hurt.”

The former West Virginia star struck out eight in an overpowering seven-inning performance. Austin Wilson, who doubled in the third and was hit by a pitch in the fifth, was the only Bakersfield batter to reach base against Musgrave. He was lifted after 77 pitches, 13 below his maximum pitch count.

Another testimonial to his dominance: Musgrave hasn’t allowed more than two runs in a game since May 9.

Musgrave was rattled once – when an exploding neighborhood firework prompted his stepping off the rubber.

“I didn’t have an issue with the all-star thing,” he said. “I struggled early and got better near the end.”

McMahon, one of the top prospects in the Colorado farm system, all but forced the Rockies’ brass to take notice.

He set up the Nuts’ first run in the first inning when, after he was picked off first by Bakersfield starter Eddie Campbell (3-4), dodged the tag by second baseman Nelson Ward. Correlle Prime singled to left on the next pitch as McMahon raced home.

In the fourth, McMahon doubled – his league-leading 28th – to left-center to plate Jordan Patterson from first and increase the Nuts’ lead to 5-0.

Thomas, who circled the bases on a triple and an error to tie the score in the ninth inning Tuesday night – Modesto won it 5-4 in the 10th – doubled to keynote the Nuts’ three-run second.

Patterson doubled, belted his Cal League-best 11th triple and drove in three for Modesto, which sealed the first two games of the four-game series.

Relievers Troy Neiman and Trent Daniel finished for the Nuts. The win raised Modesto’s season record to 38-38.

Monfort and his entourage left their seats before the ninth inning. They had seen enough.

This story was originally published July 1, 2015 at 10:43 PM with the headline "Musgrave, Modesto Nuts please Rockies bosses by beating Bakersfield."