Latest news with #ModestoNuts
Yahoo
06-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Modesto Nuts start season by handing out rings, winning first home series
Fans lined up outside John Thurman Field, home of the Modesto Nuts, more than two hours before Saturday's 6:40 scheduled first pitch, hoping to receive a piece of history. The second game of the Nuts' season-opening home series against the San Jose Giants was ring night. The Nuts partnered with Valley First Credit Union to provide replica 2024 California League championship rings to the first 500 fans to receive vouchers upon entry. The Nuts — the Seattle Mariners Single-A affiliate — say the 2024 replica is closer than any other championship clone to its corresponding ring handed out to the players and staff. It includes the years of other championships, including Nuts titles won in 2004, 2017, 2023 and 2024. The top is ruby red with an embossed 'M' logo. The words 'Back-2-Back' are on one side, denoting the 2023 and 2024 championships. 'I think it's great,' said Nuts fan Jaime Cox, a Nuts season-ticket holder for 20 seasons. 'I have a (replica) ring from 2017, last year and then again this year. It's much nicer than last year. They did a really good job on it.' It was the second of three straight days of fan engagement for the Nuts' first home series of the year. Friday, not only were fans treated to a 6-3 Nuts win, but the ballpark hosted Cancer Awareness Night. Sutter Health provided information about cancer and support groups and helped raise funds for cancer patient programs. Sunday, the Nuts continued another partnership, honoring a decades-long tradition by hosting the reading program, which has been in Stanislaus County since 2002. 'We talk a lot about focusing on the process and how that's going to lead to good results,' said first-year manager Luis Caballero, 'and obviously you want those results to show as soon as possible. Just getting that first win was so emotional.' On a team full of Low-A first-timers, the returners got things underway in the season opener. Walter Ford got the ball first, starting the game after posting a 1-2 record with 32 strikeouts in 38.2 innings pitched in 2024. He went 4.2 innings Friday evening, striking out three and giving up three earned runs. Second-year Nuts pitcher Adrian Quintana was credited with the win after coming in as one of three arms out of the bullpen. Two-time California League champion with the Nuts Curtis Washington Jr. recorded Modesto's only extra-base hit, a double in the bottom of the third with a runner on first, putting a pair of runners in scoring position. In the next at bat, Felnin Celesten drove in one of his two RBI with a single to left field. That hit was part of an outstanding, highly anticipated debut for Celesten, the No. 5 prospect in the Mariners organization. The 19-year-old has battled through injuries during his time in rookie ball but collected two hits in four at bats, two RBI and a run. 'He's been excited just at the fact that he gets to play at the affiliate this year,' Caballero said. 'That's all he wanted to do. He's excited about playing in front of fans. ... The whole atmosphere gets him going.' The Nuts secured the series win Saturday night in dramatic fashion. With two outs and a 1-2 count, Matthew Ellis drilled an inside pitch over the right field fence for a no-doubt walk-off, two-run home run as John Thurman Field erupted. It provided the perfect inning to a close contest that looked like it would go the Giants' way. After the Giants jumped on starting pitcher in the first inning, opening with a leadoff single and RBI single, Celesten drove in the equalizer in the bottom of the third, scoring Dervy Ventura, who walked to lead off the inning. The Giants scored a run in the top of the eighth and kept the Nuts off the board in the bottom half of the inning. In the bottom of the ninth, the first two batters grounded out. Cesare Quintas was hit by a pitch to keep the inning alive. Ellis took a first-pitch ball, got two called strikes and fouled a pitch off before the game-winning blast. The series ends Sunday at home before the Nuts travel to Lake Elsinore for a six-game set. They return to John Thurman Field April 15-20 against the Inland Empire 66ers.
CBS News
05-04-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Modesto Nuts kick off final season in city before San Bernadino move
MODESTO — After nearly 80 years, the Modesto Nuts, the Single-A affiliate of the Seattle Mariners, are playing their final season in the city before moving to San Bernadino. The Mariners announced at the end of last year that they sold the team to Diamond Baseball Holdings . The Nuts' general manager, Veronica Hernandez, the lead up to this final home opener has been "a roller coaster." "One day you're happy and you're like, 'yeah,' and then the other day, you're like, 'this is going to be over soon,' " she said. Hernandez made history in 2022 by becoming the first Latina general manager in minor league baseball. Now, she's focused on preserving her team's history. "We have almost 80 years to reflect back on, and we want to do it do that justice," she said. Aside from coaches and players, Hernandez leads roughly 215 staff members. "It's not like a thing that we try to hide or not have conversations about," she said of the team's impending move. "We know that this is our last year. We know there's a job security issue because nobody's going to have a job come October 1, and that's just something that we're not blind to." Now, Hernandez is hoping the city keeps baseball inside John Thurman Field. "My way of respecting all of their work that they've done over the years is really trying to hope that the City of Modesto has some occupants here come October 1, 2025," she said. There is hope in the city that another team can eventually fill that void. Mayor Sue Zwahlen said the city has had conversations with other leagues about bringing a team to Modesto. But when it comes to a timeline, Zwahlen says "nothing is firm." For Hernandez, a goal is to make this final season another full of memories. "Let's have fun with it, and let's cherish it," she said. "Don't count us out just yet, right? We have 66 games to go as of today, and we're going to have fun." The Modesto Nuts final opening day game in the city starts at 6:40 p.m. Friday at John Thurman Field against the San Jose Giants. If you forgot to buy tickets, you can buy them at the door, but they expect this game to be a near sellout.
