Modesto wins consecutive games for first time since May 15-16

Modesto Nuts third baseman Shane Hoelscher connected for a three-run home run that propelled his club to a 10-5 California League victory over the San Jose Giants on Saturday night at John Thurman Field.

After a disastrous 1-8 road trip, and a loss to San Jose Thursday in the opener of this four-game set, the Nuts were able to put back-to-back wins together for the first time since May 15-16, when they beat these same Giants at John Thurman.

And the 10 runs scored are tied for the most at home in any game this season.

“It’s nice to get the offense going,” said Nuts skipper Fred Ocasio. “Our pitching has been pretty consistent all season, we just haven’t been able to score many runs. It’s good to come out and swing the bats the way we did tonight.”

Trailing 5-3 in the bottom of the fifth, Luis Jean led off with a walk and, after Wes Roger flew out to right, Max White doubled to put runners at second and third.

At that point, Giants skipper Lipso Nava went to the bullpen, replacing starter Martin Agosta with Jose Morel, whose first three pitches were out of the strike zone.

“I was looking for a fastball,” said Hoelscher, who now leads the team with seven home runs. “Just looking for something I could get out in front of and hit hard.”

Hoelscher put a charge into a thigh-high fastball, depositing it over the fence just to the center-field side of the scoreboard.

“We kind of owed our pitchers because they’ve been doing so well,” said Hoelscher, a native of Cameron, Texas. “It was nice to prove to ourselves that we can score when we need to.”

The Nuts (23-38) will now look to close out the San Jose series by winning three straight games for the first time this season.

“I didn’t know we hadn’t won back-to-back games in nearly a month,” said Hoelscher. “We haven’t been getting the breaks, and that’s how baseball works. But tonight we got the breaks, and that’s how it’s been going the last couple of days.”

Drew Weeks gave the Nuts a 2-0 lead in the first inning with his second home run of the season.

But Nuts starter Ryan Castellani, who was named to the California League All-Star team this week, gave it back with single runs in the second and third and then fell behind with three runs in the fourth. He settled in, however, and posted zeroes over his final three innings of work.

“For a 20-year-old kid, he’s been pitching outstanding in this league,” said Ocasio. “He throws strikes and he’s aggressive in the strike zone. He challenges hitters and sometimes he gets hit. But he settled in and finished strong.”

This story was originally published June 11, 2016 at 10:41 PM with the headline "Modesto wins consecutive games for first time since May 15-16."