Lancaster Takes Series Opener From Giants, 8-4
Published on April 28, 2009 under California League (CalL1)
San Jose Giants News Release
Lancaster's Jason Castro and T.J. Steele both homered as part of a 15-hit offensive attack to lead the JetHawks to an 8-4 victory over the San Jose Giants on a windy Monday night at Clear Channel Stadium. In the opener of a three-game series, Steele put Lancaster ahead for good with a two-run blast off of Tim Alderson in the bottom of the fifth inning while JetHawks pitchers weathered a 13-hit Giants outburst to claim the win. With the defeat, San Jose's record drops to 12-7.
Roger Kieschnick (2-for-4, 3B, HR, RBI) hit his third home run of the season for the Giants in the loss. Thomas Neal (3-for-4), Brandon Crawford (2-for-5, 3B) and Michael Ambort (2-for-4, RBI) also finished with more than one hit.
Trailing 1-0, Ambort began the top of the third inning for San Jose with a single before consecutive one-out singles from Darren Ford and Crawford loaded the bases. Nick Noonan then delivered a sacrifice fly to left plating Ambort with the tying run. Lancaster's Chris Hicks though managed to limit the damage in the inning as he retired the next batter, Buster Posey, on a ground out to second base stranding runners at second and third.
The Giants took their first lead of the evening in the top of the fourth when Kieschnick tripled into the right field corner with one out before scoring on Ambort's two-out single down the left field line.
The lead though would be short-lived as Castro led off the bottom of the fourth for the JetHawks with a home run to deep right center field. Two batters later, Jon Gaston doubled before David Flores produced an RBI single to move Lancaster back in front, 3-2.
San Jose immediately answered in the top of the fifth inning when Crawford led off with a triple high off the fence in right before scoring when the next batter, Noonan, grounded out to first base.
Alderson began the bottom of the fifth inning by allowing a single to J.B. Shuck before Steele stepped to the plate with one out and launched a two-run homer to give the JetHawks a 5-3 advantage.
Alderson (0-1), who was removed from the contest after surrendering a two-out single to Brian Pellegrini in the bottom of the fifth, suffered his first loss of the season. The right-hander was charged with five runs (all earned) on eight hits over 4 2/3 innings while walking one and striking out two.
Kieschnick cut the Lancaster lead in half when he led off the top of the sixth with a home run to deep right center field. The homer brought the Giants to within 5-4.
The JetHawks though kept the pressure on with single tallies in the sixth, seventh and eighth frames against the San Jose bullpen. In the bottom of the sixth, reliever Garrett Broshuis yielded a two-out, RBI double from Shuck. In the next inning, back-to-back one-out singles from Steele and Castro preceded an RBI double off the wall in right from Pellegrini. Then in the eighth, Craig Whitaker allowed an RBI single off the bat of Marcos Cabral.
Trailing 8-4, the Giants threatened in the top of the ninth inning when Neal singled with one out before Ford drew a walk. Then with two outs, Noonan walked to bring the potential tying run to the plate. However, JetHawks relief pitcher Chia-Jen Lo needed just one pitch to retire Posey on a routine fly out to right field ending the game.
Hicks (3-1) was credited with the victory after scattering 12 hits and allowing four runs (all earned) over 6 1/3 innings. He struck out two and walked none. Lo earned his first save of the year with 2 2/3 scoreless innings of work and four strikeouts.
Notes: The Giants are 2-3 on their current seven-game road trip ... San Jose's pitching staff has allowed 25 home runs this season - tied for the most in the California League ... Neal is 15-for-31 (.484 AVG) spanning his last nine games ... Posey (0-for-5) was the only Giants player without a hit ... Broshuis (2 1/3 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO) and Whitaker (1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 0 SO) both pitched out of the San Jose bullpen ... The five runs allowed by Alderson matched his career-high.
On Deck: The Giants and JetHawks continue this three-game series on Tuesday evening with first pitch at Clear Channel Stadium scheduled for 7:00 PM. Madison Bumgarner (3-0, 0.56 ERA) is slated to start on the mound for San Jose while Lancaster is expected to counter with David Duncan (0-3, 11.25 ERA). The game can be heard live on www.sjgiants.com.
California League Stories from April 28, 2009
- Quakes Recycle Tuesday!!! - Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
- Lancaster Takes Series Opener From Giants, 8-4 - San Jose Giants
- JetHawks Stun San Jose in 8-4 Win - Lancaster JetHawks
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