CalL1 San Jose Giants

Giants Remain In First Place With 6-3 Win Over Visalia

Published on June 14, 2007 under California League (CalL1)
San Jose Giants News Release


The San Jose Giants remained in sole possession of first place in the North Division after a 6-3 victory over the Visalia Oaks on Wednesday night. In front of 2,822 fans at Municipal Stadium, Joe Martinez fired 6 2/3 effective innings to record the win on the mound. Offensively, the Giants scored runs in four of their first five innings to take a 6-2 lead before finishing the contest with 11 hits. San Jose has now taken two of the first three games in the series.

The Giants (36-30) remained one game ahead of second-place Stockton (35-31) after the Ports defeated Modesto 6-2 on Wednesday. Only four games remain in the First Half with division winners clinching a playoff berth and a first round bye.

Martinez, winless in his previous four starts, was solid during his stint on the mound yielding three runs (all earned) on eight hits. The right-hander struck out three and didn't walk a batter in improving his record to 5-5.

Sergio Romo (1 1/3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO) retired all four Oaks batters that he faced in relief of Martinez before Brian Wilson (1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO) worked a scoreless top of the ninth for his second California League save.

At the plate, Antoan Richardson (2-for-4), Brian Bocock (2-for-4), Adam Witter (2-for-4, 2B, RBI), and Mike Mooney (2-for-4, 2B) each finished with more than one hit for the Giants. Witter extended his hitting streak to 13 games.

San Jose jumped on Visalia starting pitcher Matt Torra (2-7) for a pair of runs in the bottom of the first inning to take an early 2-0 lead. Consecutive singles from Richardson and Bocock started the frame before Ben Copeland drew a walk to load the bases. Tyler Von Schell then grounded into a 5-4-3 double play scoring Richardson with the first run of the night. Witter followed with a bloop double down the left field line plating Bocock for a 2-0 advantage.

Visalia tied the score in the third inning with two runs against Martinez. Leyson Septimo started the rally with a single and scored two batters later on Greg Thomson's one-out single. After Derek Bruce doubled to put runners on second and third, Rusty Ryal stepped to the plate and crushed a double off the fence in left center field. The hit scored Thomson with the tying run, but left fielder Ben Copeland made a strong throw to the cut-off man Bocock at shortstop who then fired a strike to the plate to nail Bruce who was attempting to score the go-ahead run.

Martinez recovered by setting down the next hitter, Cyle Hankerd, on a ground out to end the inning.

The Giants went back in front with two runs in the bottom of the third inning when Bocock led off with a single and Copeland blooped a double into shallow center field. The center fielder Thomson made a throw into third base in an effort to retire Bocock, but the throw was low and bounced past the third baseman Brandon Burgess and out of play for an error. Bocock scored to put the Giants ahead and Copeland was granted third base. Von Schell followed with a sacrifice fly to center field scoring Copeland to make it 4-2.

San Jose added single runs in the fourth and fifth innings to extend their lead. In the fourth, Mooney led off with a double and scored two batters later on Brad Boyer's sacrifice fly. In the fifth, Copeland drew a leadoff walk, moved to second on Von Schell's single, and scored when Pablo Sandoval bounced a one-out single through the middle.

Martinez retired ten straight Visalia hitters in the fourth through the seventh innings. He was pulled from the game after allowing a two-out, RBI single to Orlando Mercado in the top of the seventh to cut the Giants lead down to 6-3. Romo entered and promptly struck out Thomson on three pitches before a perfect top of the eighth.

Wilson pitched through a two-out single off the bat of Jereme Milons in the ninth to seal the San Jose victory. The closer struck out Septimo on three pitches for the final out.

Notes: Wilson is on a rehabilitation assignment with the San Jose Giants ... The right-hander has recorded three saves with Fresno (AAA) this season and is only expected to stay with the Giants for the remainder of the homestand (Sunday) ... Wilson threw a perfect ninth inning in the series-opener on Monday for a save ... Martinez lowered his ERA to 3.56 ... San Jose pitchers did not walk a single Visalia hitter ... The Giants are 4-2 against the Oaks this season ... Mooney returned to the lineup after missing five games with a strained left hamstring ... San Jose out-hit Visalia 11-9 ... Torra took the loss after surrendering six runs (all earned) on ten hits in five innings ... The fourth-place Oaks (31-35) were officially eliminated from First Half contention with the defeat.

On Deck: The Giants and Oaks conclude this four-game series Thursday afternoon with first pitch at Municipal Stadium scheduled for 12:20 P.M. Darren Sack (0-0, 5.59 ERA) is slated to start on the mound for San Jose while Visalia is expected to counter with Dallas Buck (3-3, 3.87 ERA). It's a KRTY Country Thursday at the ballpark and tickets can be purchased by calling (408)297-1435 or by visiting www.sjgiants.com.

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California League Stories from June 14, 2007


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