The Modesto Nuts put up five runs in the third inning Thursday night to go ahead for good in a 10-4 win at San Jose. The visitors used six singles and a double to put up the five-spot, erasing a 1-0 deficit, and added on down the stretch to get their first win of the six-game series.
CF Colin Davis and DH Eric Jones had three hits apiece to lead the Nuts offense, and both had singles to start the 3rd-inning rally. RF Alberto Rodriguez was 2-for-5 with a double.
The Giants mounted a comeback in the fifth inning with three runs. RF Jairo Pomares launched his 13th HR of the season and that was followed by a Patrick Bailey double and a Tyler Wyatt triple to make it 5-3. LF Harrison Freed brought in another run on a groundout to make it 5-4, but that was it for the Giants’ rally.
Modesto came right back in the top of the sixth with a run on an RBI single by Jones to make it 6-4. The Nuts tacked on three in the eighth and one in the ninth to make it a comfortable 10-4 victory.
RHP Connor Phillips started for Modesto and went four IP, allowing one run on two hits with five walks and six strikeouts. RHP Leon Hunter pitched the final three innings and got the win (3-0), giving up one hit with no runs or walks and three strikeouts.
San Jose CF Luis Matos had a single and a double and knocked in his 64th run of the year, tied for second in the league.
The Giants (55-32) stayed three games back of Fresno (58-29) and six games ahead of Rancho Cucamonga (48-37) for the final playoff spot.
SCOREBOARD
STOCKTON – 2
FRESNO – 1
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VISALIA – 7
LAKE ELSINORE – 4
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RANCHO CUCAMONGA – 3
INLAND EMPIRE – 13
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