Craig Clark won his 13th consecutive decision and Ryan Lormand collected four RBI's to lead the San Jose Giants to an 8-3 victory over the Visalia Rawhide on Thursday afternoon at Municipal Stadium. In the rubber game of the series, Clark matched a career-high with eight innings pitched while the Giants went ahead for good with a four-run bottom of the sixth. The victory improves San Jose's second half record to 30-11.Clark (14-2) became the first 14-game winner in the California League after holding the Rawhide to three runs (all earned) on seven hits during his stint on the mound. The left-hander struck out six and walked one while he's now tied for the minor league lead in wins.
Lormand (2-for-4, HR, 4 RBI) led an 11-hit offensive attack for the Giants as the shortstop connected for his first home run of the season. Conor Gillaspie (2-for-4, 2 RBI) and Nick Noonan (2-for-4, 2B) also finished with multi-hit games for San Jose.
With the score tied at 3-3, Skyler Stromsmoe led off the key sixth-inning rally with a line drive single into left field. Noonan followed with a bunt single before C.J. Ziegler walked to load the bases. T.J. Hose was then summoned from the bullpen replacing starter Josh Collmenter and he promptly allowed a line drive single into center to Gillaspie easily scoring Stromsmoe and Noonan for a 5-3 Giants lead. A passed ball then advanced the runners to second and third before David Maroul lined a two-run single into left pushing the San Jose advantage to 7-3.
Collmenter (8-7) was charged with the loss surrendering a season-high six runs (all earned) on five hits over five-plus innings. Collmenter, a California League All-Star, walked three and struck out four.
The Giants initially took a 3-0 lead with three runs in the bottom of the second inning against Collmenter. With one out, Gillaspie singled before Maroul drew a walk to put runners on first and second. After Trent Kline hit into a fielder's choice, Lormand stepped to the plate and hammered a 3-2 pitch over the fence in left field for a three-run homer.
Clark began his outing with four scoreless innings not allowing a hit until Konrad Schmidt doubled with one out in the top of the fourth. The Rawhide finally broke through in the fifth as Ed Easley and Eli Rumler began the frame with back-to-back solo home runs bringing Visalia to within 3-2. David Cooper followed with a single before advancing to second on Ollie Linton's sacrifice bunt. Then with two outs, James Skelton grounded a single into right field bringing home Cooper to tie the game at 3-3.
The Rawhide threatened to take their first lead of the contest in the top of the sixth as Schmidt led off with a double, but he was stranded at second when Clark retired Ryne White on a pop out, Andrew Fie on a fly out and Easley on a pop out to end the inning.
After the Giants went back in front, Clark worked a perfect top of the seventh before pitching around a leadoff single in the eighth. Mike Musgrave (1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 0 SO) relieved Clark to begin the top of the ninth and kept Visalia off the scoreboard to seal the victory.
Notes: The Giants finished their six-game homestand with a 4-2 record ... San Jose has won 11 out of their last 12 games against the Rawhide ... San Jose has not lost a game that Clark has started since May 7 (16 outings) ... He is second in the California League with a 2.72 ERA ... Clark is 4-0 in four starts against Visalia ... Thursday marked the Giants' first day game since June 21 at Stockton - the final day of the first half ... San Jose is 13-4 in day games this season ... Regulars Thomas Neal, Roger Kieschnick, Darren Ford and Brian Bocock were all given days off ... The Giants improved their overall record to 72-39 ... Relief pitcher Dan Runzler (1-0, 0.84 ERA, 5 SV) was promoted to Double-A Connecticut before the game ... Relievers David Mixon (2-1, 3.40 ERA, 2 SV) and Daniel Turpen (3-1, 1.40 ERA, 5 SV) have returned to San Jose from Fresno (AAA).
On Deck: The Giants embark on a six-game road trip Friday evening with first of three straight contests against the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes. First pitch at The Epicenter is scheduled for 7:35 PM. Kyle Nicholson (0-0, 3.60 ERA) is slated to start on the mound for San Jose while Rancho Cucamonga is expected to counter with Manuel Flores (0-0, 1.29 ERA). The game can be heard live on www.sjgiants.com.
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