Modesto Nuts claim back-to-back California League championships after Game 3 win

After not closing out the California League Championship series in Game 2 on Tuesday, the Modesto Nuts came through in front of the home crowd in Wednesday’s Game 3, sealing the title with a one-run win.

The Lake Elsinore Storm went ahead in the second inning but a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth were enough to put the Nuts ahead for good in the 2-1 win. The Nuts won the series 2-1.

The Nuts won Game 1 of the series in Southern California Sunday, 10-8, but fell to the Storm 9-2 in Game 2. The team quickly regrouped for the third game of the best-of-three series. In both of the final two games, one key inning went a long way in determining the final score. A six-run inning in Game 2 propelled the Storm to a Game 2 win and the fifth inning won the game for Modesto Wednesday.

“You don’t know what moments are going to come up in the game,” Nuts manager Zach Vincej said. “We try to teach our guys that throughout the whole year. Every little moment means something and it could turn into something. They did an unbelievable job.”

With the win, the Nuts secured back-to-back California League championships for the first time in team history. According to MLB.com, it is the first time in 14 years a California League team has repeated.

In 2023, the Nuts clinched the series on the road. Winning the series this year at home is sweeter. Immediately after the game, players celebrated by hugging each other and waving their arms at the stands, egging on the fans’ cheers. Fans lined the backstop at John Thurman Field chanting “Lets go Nuts!” as the team was presented the championship trophy and posed for a picture with the championship banner.

“To celebrate at home is amazing,” said Nuts’ general manager Veronica Hernandez. “I know the fans felt a little robbed last year, celebrating it on the road, but now we got to do it at home and got to go back-to-back. It feels amazing.”

“We can’t wait to celebrate this championship with (the fans) in 2025.”

Seattle Mariners No. 11 prospect Tai Peete sat in the dugout after Tuesday’s loss, something he says he’s done after many games this season. He looked like he was deep in thought, but was instead using the moment to gather himself. What was going through his mind?

“Nothing,” he said. “I was just kind of sitting there, feeling the moment. I want this team to be successful, I want me to be successful. We do it as a family. That’s what I was thinking about. Just knowing there’s another day.”

Peete, Josh Caron, Carson Jones and Carter Dorighi each recorded hits. Caron finished with a pair of singles and Jones had a single and a double. Peete and Dorighi singled.

Vincej added that winning at home was “super exciting”: “The last couple of nights, the place was loud and it was a really fun, cool atmosphere to play in front of. They’ve been great all year. It’s been awesome to see them show out.”

The second-year manager said pregame, the team was surprisingly unphased by the game’s magnitude. He said they did the same thing they usually do in the clubhouse, playing ping pong, cards and blaring music. On the field pregame some players tossed around a football.

“That was the craziest thing, it was just like another game,” Vincej said. “I think that’s what helped them play and execute like they did, and play relaxed today.”

The Nuts used six pitchers in the win, but none were better than Jack White.

The left hander from Bethesda, Maryland pitched just two innings but recorded five strikeouts and did not allow a hit, a run or a walk. White has been with the Nuts the entire 2024 season.

“He’s been that way all year, he’s a competitor on the mound,” Vincej said. “He’s a huge part of our bullpen, especially against left-handed hitters. And then he was able to get righties out too tonight, filling up the zone. It was just truly incredible to see him progress throughout the year. I’m so proud of him. He’s been here since day one. He’s really grown in a great way.”

Pedro Da Costa Lemos earned the start and went two innings before Brock Moore, Trevor Long, White, Brayan Perez and Hunter Cranton allowed just three singles and struck out 11 total batters over the final seven innings.

Trailing 1-0 with one out in the fifth, Dorighi, Charlie Paglairini and Peete drew three consecutive walks to load bases. Milkar Perez walked, scoring Dorighi from third and two batters later, Josh Caron singled to the shortstop to score the game-winning run.

“We had a great couple of at bats that started that whole inning,” Vincej said. “We had some mistakes earlier on in the game … but we battled the whole way. We learned from our mistakes. It’s just really, really fun to see them execute when they need to.”

Peete, Vincej, Curtis Washington Jr. and a handful of other members of this year’s team only know winning championships. They all arrived at some point during last season and have called Modesto home. They celebrated harder than anyone postgame.

“I’ve never felt anything like that before,” Peete said of winning the series-clinching game at home. “Having the fans in the game was amazing. In one of my final at-bats, just going up there I know everyone’s rooting for me, everyone’s going for the team. It was great motivation.”

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