Giants Complete Sweep Of Modesto With 11-5 Win
Published on June 14, 2009 under California League (CalL1)
San Jose Giants News Release
David Maroul and Thomas Neal both smacked home runs and the Giants rapped out nine extra-base hits in an 11-5 victory over the Modesto Nuts on Sunday afternoon at Municipal Stadium to complete a sweep of the three-game series. Neal finished a single shy of the cycle while Buster Posey added three hits as San Jose earned their season-high fifth consecutive win. Maroul and Ryan Lormand added three RBI's apiece as part of the 14-hit offensive attack.
With the victory, the eighth in their last nine contests, the Giants improve their record to 37-26 and move within one game of the Visalia Rawhide (38-25) for the top spot in the first half North Division race. San Jose will host Visalia in a three-game series at Municipal Stadium beginning on Monday night. Only seven games remain in the first half.
Neal (3-for-5, 2B, 3B, HR, 2 RBI) and Posey (3-for-5, 2B, RBI) both enjoyed big days at the plate in the middle of the lineup while Maroul (2-for-5, HR, 3 RBI) and Gillaspie (2-for-4, 2 2B) also finished with multi-hit games.
The Giants took control of the game early scoring six runs in the first three frames against Modesto starter Bruce Billings to jump ahead by a 6-0 margin. In the bottom of the first, consecutive walks to Tyler Graham and Brian Bocock began the inning before Neal lined an RBI double into the right center field gap.
Gillaspie started the bottom of the second with a double before eventually scoring on Graham's two-out single up the middle.
In the third, San Jose sent 10 batters to the plate and scored four runs on five hits against Billings. Neal began the inning with a triple into right field before Posey delivered an RBI double into the gap in left center. After Roger Kieschnick singled, Maroul stepped to the plate and lined a three-run homer to deep left field. The home run, Maroul's first this season since joining the club, gave the Giants a 6-0 advantage.
Oliver Odle (3-6) was credited with the victory for San Jose despite matching a career-high with nine hits allowed over 5 1/3 innings. Odle surrendered four runs (all earned) with two walks and one strikeout.
Modesto stranded the bases loaded in the second inning against Odle and had runners at second and third with one out in the top of the third, but again failed to score. The Nuts finally broke through in the top of the fifth when Maikol Gonzalez singled with two outs before Jay Cox connected for a two-run homer to left.
Then in the sixth, Jason Van Kooten brought the Nuts closer when he belted a one-out, solo home run to left field. After Odle walked the next hitter, Jeff Cunningham, he was removed from the game in favor of T.J. Brewer. Michael Mitchell then greeted Brewer with an RBI double off of the fence in center field to make it a 6-4 contest, however the reliever recovered to strike out Charlie Blackmon before Gonzalez grounded out on a diving play made by Gillaspie at third.
The Giants reclaimed the momentum in the game during the bottom of the sixth as they again batted around, this time against Modesto reliever Randall Taylor. With one out, Neal crushed a solo home run to straightaway center field to make it 7-4. After Posey singled and Kieschnick flied out, Maroul blooped a single into shallow right to put runners on at the corners. A Taylor wild pitch advanced Maroul to second before Gillaspie was intentionally walked to load the bases. Lormand followed by lining an 0-1 pitch over the head of Cox and to the fence in left field for a double as Posey, Maroul and Gillaspie all scored on the play. The hit pushed the Giants lead up to 10-4.
Nick Noonan brought home San Jose's final run of the afternoon when he followed Lormand's double with a double of his own.
Brewer (2 2/3 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 6 SO) allowed his only run in the top of the seventh inning on a leadoff homer to Cox. Brewer would then strike out the next five hitters and completed the top of the eighth before David Mixon (1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 SO) worked a scoreless ninth to seal the victory.
The Giants outscored Modesto by a 23-10 margin during the series as San Jose achieved their first series sweep since the opening four games of the season against the Stockton Ports (April 9-12).
Billings (5-6) suffered the loss for the Nuts after he was tagged for six runs (all earned) on nine hits over 4 2/3 innings. Billings walked four and struck out six.
California League Stories from June 14, 2009
- Lancaster Falls 13-2 at High Desert - Lancaster JetHawks
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- Giants Complete Sweep Of Modesto With 11-5 Win - San Jose Giants
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- Sixers Bats Awaken To Take Series - Inland Empire 66ers
- Bocock's Slam Propels Giants To Fourth Straight Win - San Jose Giants
- Storm Pitching Shuts Down Sixers' Bats - Inland Empire 66ers
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