Modesto Nuts blank Inland Empire 66ers, improve to 9-4 in second half

Before Wednesday night’s game was three innings old, the Modesto Nuts’ Dillon Thomas already had answered the question, “How hot are you?”

Answer: En fuego.

Thomas swatted a run-scoring double in the first and, two innings later, lined a three-run homer toward the trees beyond the right-field fence. Pitcher Alex Balog took care of the rest in an impressive 7-0 win over the Inland Empire 66ers at John Thurman Field.

The night’s only uncertainty, after Thomas’ triple in the fifth, stemmed from his chances of hitting for the cycle. He needed only a single to become the first Nut to go single-double-triple-homer since Trevor Story in April 2014 at Visalia.

Alas, Thomas struck out in the seventh, one of the few sobering moments for the Nuts, who improved their California League second-half record to 9-4.

“I was sniffing it (the cycle),” Thomas said. “When I was on deck, I was thinking, ‘Stick with the same approach and don’t get too excited.’”

Thomas, a Houston native, started slowly this season but gradually has found his form. He’s 15 for his last 34, and his homer off Inland Empire starter Jordan Kipper (3-6) was a tonic for a team that rarely overpowers opponents with power.

“I’m just doing my early work in the cage every day and staying with my routine,” Thomas said. “When the game comes, I try to slow everything down and enjoy the game.”

Balog (1-2), the former Archbishop Mitty and USF star out of Los Gatos, worked long and hard for his first win. His season stalled after he suffered a groin injury on his third pitch of spring training. The 6-foot-5 right-hander did not report to Modesto until mid-June.

“You just trust the process,” Balog said. “Baseball doesn’t always work out the way you would like.”

He didn’t quibble about the early innings this night. The Nuts, seeing Kipper for the third time, struck for three runs in the first, keynoted by Ryan McMahon’s triple to right-center after a walk to Jordan Patterson, who was a double shy of the cycle the night before. With two out, Rosell Herrera and Thomas brought in runs with opposite-field hits to left.

There’s no question Balog has recovered from his springtime setback. Encouraged by his parents among the announced crowd of 1,089, he retired the 66ers on only one hit – a solid double in the second by Andrew Daniel – in 90 efficient pitches through seven innings. He struck out five and benefited from crisp defense.

Daniel, the only Inland Empire base runner to reach scoring position, was stranded when shortstop Emerson Jimenez roamed far to his right to deny Angel Rosa.

“I commanded my fastball and dictated the at-bats rather than them dictating to me,” Balog said. “Emerson made an unbelievable play.”

Reliever Devin Burke completed the two-hit shutout as Modesto notched its second consecutive win of the four-game series.

Notes – Visalia won the first-half title in the North Division, which means Modesto must either win the second half or secure a wild-card berth to qualify for the playoffs. Through Wednesday night, Modesto is in second place, one game behind Visalia. The Nuts, 42-41 overall, trail the Stockton Ports by two games in the wild-card race. Most of the Modesto roster was in Asheville, N.C., last season, when the Asheville Tourists won the South Atlantic League title.

This story was originally published July 8, 2015 at 10:38 PM with the headline "Modesto Nuts blank Inland Empire 66ers, improve to 9-4 in second half."