Giants Offense Continues To Shine In 14-5 Victory
Published on July 19, 2009 under California League (CalL1)
San Jose Giants News Release
C.J. Ziegler was a perfect 5-for-5 at the plate while Roger Kieschnick added four hits and four RBI's leading the San Jose Giants to a 14-5 victory over the Bakersfield Blaze on Sunday evening at Municipal Stadium. In the opener of a three-game series, the Giants pounded out 22 hits and used three separate four-run innings to cruise to the win. The victory, San Jose's third in a row on the homestand, improved the Giants' second half record to 19-5.
Ziegler (5-for-5, 2B, RBI) became the first San Jose player to record five hits in a game this season to lead the offensive attack. Kieschnick (4-for-5, HR, 4 RBI) belted his team-leading 19th home run while Conor Gillaspie (3-for-5, 2B, 2 RBI) contributed three hits. Sunday's outburst marked the eighth time in the last 19 games that the Giants have reached double figures in runs.
San Jose tagged Blaze starter Tim Murphy for nine runs jumping out to a 9-0 lead after just four innings. Kieschnick scored the first run of the contest for the Giants when he led off the bottom of the second with a line drive homer to right field. Consecutive singles from Ziegler and Gillaspie followed the home run before Nick Noonan drew a walk to load the bases. Murphy then uncorked a wild pitch to score the second run of the frame and then Aaron Lowenstein delivered an RBI ground out to make it 3-0. Darren Ford followed with a double down the left field line plating Noonan with the fourth and final run of the inning.
A pair of doubles from Thomas Neal and Ziegler produced a single run in the bottom of the third for San Jose before four more runs in the fourth. Three straight singles from Lowenstein, Ford and Tyler Graham loaded the bases with none out bringing Ryan Lormand to the plate, who smacked a double off of the fence in left center field to score two runs. Two batters later, Kieschnick stroked a two-run single into right extending the Giants lead to 9-0.
Oliver Odle (6-7) was credited with the victory for San Jose despite allowing five runs (all earned) on nine hits over 5 2/3 innings. Odle struck out two and walked none during his stint on the mound. The Giants starter began his outing with four dominant innings allowing just one hit and retiring 10 consecutive hitters until Mike Bianucci led off the top of the fifth with a home run to left center field. Two batters later, Joey Butler singled and then Elio Sarmiento belted his first home run of the season, a two-run shot to left center, bringing the Blaze to within 9-3.
Bakersfield kept the pressure on in the top of the sixth against Odle when Greene led off with a single before Bianucci's one-out double put runners on second and third. Ian Gac followed with a sacrifice fly before Butler hammered an RBI double off of the fence in deep right center field to make it 9-5. T.J. Brewer was then summoned from the bullpen and he promptly retired Sarmiento on a ground out to limit the damage.
San Jose took back the momentum in the bottom of the sixth inning when three consecutive one-out singles from Kieschnick, Ziegler and Gillaspie led to a run. Then in the eighth, the Giants scored four more times to again take control of the game.
Neal led off the bottom of the eighth with a double down the left field line before scoring on Kieschnick's single. After Ziegler reached on an infield single to third - his fifth hit of the evening - Gillaspie ripped a double to the fence in right center field bringing home a run. Noonan followed with a sacrifice fly to the warning track in right center while pinch-hitter Shane Jordan delivered San Jose's 22nd and final hit of the night with a bloop RBI single into shallow right center field.
Despite allowing 14 runs and 22 hits, the Blaze only used three pitchers in the contest. Murphy (6-8) suffered the loss after yielding nine runs (all earned) on 10 hits over three-plus innings. Hector Nelo also struggled while working out of the bullpen surrendering five runs (all earned) on nine hits during his three-inning stint on the mound.
Graham (2-for-6), Neal (2-for-6, 2 2B), Lowenstein (2-for-5, RBI) and Ford (2-for-4, 2B, RBI) also produced multi-hit games at the plate for the Giants.
Brewer (1 1/3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 SO) retired all four hitters that he faced in relief of Odle while Craig Whitaker (1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 SO) and Mike Musgrave (1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO) tossed scoreless eighth and ninth innings respectively.
Notes: Ziegler tied the single-game San Jose Giants record for hits ... The 22 hits marked the highest total of the season in a home game for the Giants ... San Jose's overall season-high is 24 hits (April 28 at Lancaster) ... Ziegler is 13-for-27 (.481) with seven RBI's in seven games since returning to the club from Salem-Keizer (Short-Season) ... Every Giants starter scored at least one run with only Noonan (0-for-3, RBI) not picking-up a hit ... San Jose out-hit Bakersfield by a 22-10 margin ... Kieschnick was in a 4-for-32 slump over his past nine games before Sunday's four-hit performance ... The Giants are averaging 7.6 runs per game in July ... San Jose improved their overall record to a season-high 28 games over .500 at 61-33.
On Deck: The Giants and Blaze continue their three-game series on Monday evening with first pitch at Municipal Stadium scheduled for 7:00 PM. Clayton Tanner (7-4, 3.33 ERA) is slated to start on the mound for San Jose while Bakersfield is expected to counter with Kennil Gomez (3-7, 4.96 ERA). Tickets are available and can be purchased by calling (408)297-1435 or by visiting www.sjgiants.com.
California League Stories from July 19, 2009
- Storm Slugs Past Sixers, Wins 8-5 In 10 Innings - Inland Empire 66ers
- Giants Offense Continues To Shine In 14-5 Victory - San Jose Giants
- Quakes Blast Mavs 10-3 - Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
- Quakes Begin Homestand Sunday - Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
- Bakersfield Blaze at San Jose Giants, July 19-21 - San Jose Giants
- Early Innings Decisive as Mavericks Beat JetHawks 7-4 - Lancaster JetHawks
- 66ers Drop Series Finale to Quakes - Inland Empire 66ers
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
