Modesto Nuts competitive, but have home opener spoiled by San Jose Giants

The Modesto Nuts started the season undefeated despite committing seven errors in their first three games. But mistakes caught up with them in their home opener, a 6-2 loss to the San Jose Giants on Tuesday at John Thurman Field.

“They were excited,” said first-year manager Zach Vincej. “I think they were ready to play. Overall, I think we made too many mistakes tonight.”

The Giants struck first, scoring one run in the second and third innings each to open up a 2-0 lead. Center fielder Bill Knight knocked in the Nuts’ first two runs of the season at John Thurman Field on a line drive two-RBI single to center in the bottom of the fourth inning.

Freuddy Bautista, who led off the frame with a single, and Milkar Perez, who walked on four straight pitches, came in to score as Knight picked up his seventh RBI of the season.

The game remained tied at 2-2 until the top of the eighth inning, when the Nuts committed two errors and the Giants scored three runs. In addition to the two errors, the Nuts gave up a double, a single and a sacrifice fly, allowing the visitors to open up a 5-2 lead by the end of the inning. The Giants scored their final run in the top of the ninth.

The Nuts finished with more walks (10) than strikeouts (9) but struggled to get runners across. A pair of base runners were caught stealing and one was picked off at first base taking potential runs off the bases.

“We did a great job dominating the zone and we were working our walks,” Vincej said. “We just made some mistakes on the base paths, we gave them free outs, which was tough.”

Right-handed submarine pitcher Tyler Cleveland, the Mariners’ 2022 14th-round draft pick, pitched five innings in his first professional start, striking out a game-high six batters and allowing five hits.

“He competed really well, he was landing his slider when he needed to, getting ahead on some guys and keeping them off balance was big with him,” Vincej said. “He kept us in the game … so I was very proud of him.”

The Nuts have 17 players unfamiliar with the home crowd at John Thurman Field. The newcomers got their first taste of professional baseball against the Single-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants in front of 2,054 fans who littered the 4,000-seat venue.

Tuesday was also Ichiro Suzuki bobblehead night. The first 500 fans redeemed their figurine of the Seattle Mariners’ all-time hits leader at the end of the fifth inning.

The Nuts continue the six-game series through Sunday and will look for their offense to return to form.

In their season-opening three-game series against the Stockton Ports, the Nuts produced 30 runs on 43 hits and added four home runs.

“We came out swinging in the first three games, which was awesome, it’s always nice to get the bats going early,” Vincej said. “In a marathon, we’re probably 20 steps in right now this season, so it’s so early, but it was nice coming out hot with the bats.”