Giants Split Doubleheader with High Desert

Jack Snodgrass (2-1) earned the win in game one after limiting the Mavericks to a pair of hits over six scoreless innings. Snodgrass issued just one walk and struck out three during his stint on the mound. Josh Osich then pitched the top of the seventh to close out the game and pick-up his first save of the season.

The Giants scored all three of their runs in the bottom of the second inning. Adam Duvall started the frame by drawing a walk before advancing to second when Andrew Susac grounded out. After Ricky Oropesa flied out, Carter Jurica delivered a line drive RBI single into right center field to give San Jose a 1-0 lead. The rally continued when the next batter, Devin Harris, blasted a two-run homer down the left field line. The home run was Harris' second of the season as the Giants extended their lead to 3-0.

Snodgrass began his outing by retiring the first six batters that he faced. He issued a leadoff walk to Trevor Coleman in the top of the third, but induced the next batter, Mario Martinez, to bounce into a 5-4-3 double play. The Mavericks didn't pick-up their first hit of the contest until Stefen Romero doubled with two outs in the top of the fourth inning, but he was stranded at second when Snodgrass struck out Mickey Wiswall to end the inning.

Still trailing 3-0, High Desert threatened in the top of the fifth inning as Steven Proscia reached base on an error to leadoff before Kevin Rivers singled to put runners on first and second. However, Snodgrass pitched out of trouble as Coleman grounded into a double play and Martinez flied out to keep the shutout intact.

After Snodgrass threw a 1-2-3 top of the sixth, Osich (1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO) entered the game to begin the seventh and tossed a perfect inning to seal the victory.

Jurica (2-for-3, RBI) was the only San Jose player to finish with a multi-hit game. The Giants out-hit the Mavericks by a 5-2 margin.

High Desert starter Roenis Elias (2-1) suffered the loss after surrendering three runs (all earned) on five hits over five innings of work. He walked three and struck out six.

In game two, Mavericks starting pitcher Anthony Fernandez fired a complete-game, seven-inning shutout. The left-hander allowed only two hits with one walk and seven strikeouts during his 88-pitch performance.

High Desert jumped out to a 2-0 lead with a pair of runs in the top of the second inning against San Jose hurler Shawn Sanford. John Hicks led off with a single and immediately scored when the next batter, Rivers, doubled to deep left center. Rivers then advanced to third on Martinez's fly out to right before coming home when James Jones grounded out to second.

The Mavericks extended their lead in the top of the fourth as Hicks drew a walk to begin the inning before Martinez clubbed a one-out, two- run homer to left. The home run pushed the High Desert advantage to 4-0.

Facing Giants reliever Chris Wilson, the Mavericks scored two more runs in the top of the sixth inning. Proscia led off with a double to the fence in left center before Hicks stepped to the plate and launched a two-run homer to deep left field.

Sanford (3-2) was saddled with the game two loss for San Jose after yielding four runs (all earned) on seven hits in five innings of work. He walked one and struck out one.

The Giants' only hits against Fernandez were Jurica's one-out double in the bottom of the first inning and Joe Panik's one-out single in the fourth. San Jose had only one runner advance to third base in the game as Chris Lofton drew a two-out walk in the bottom of the sixth and moved to third when the next hitter, Jurica, reached on an error. However, Fernandez kept the Giants off the scoreboard when he retired the next batter, Panik, on a groundout.

Fernandez then struck out two in a perfect bottom of the seventh inning to finish the game.

Notes: The doubleheader was San Jose's second of the season ... The Giants swept a twinbill from visiting Bakersfield on April 15 ... Snodgrass had retired 23 consecutive hitters dating back to his last start until issuing the walk to Coleman in the third inning of game one ... He had also worked 9 1/3 hitless innings going back to his most recent start before Romero's two-out double in the top of the fourth ... Snodgrass, who lowered his season ERA to 1.61, has allowed just one run over his last three starts totaling 18 innings ... Jurica (3-for-6, 2B, RBI) finished with three of San Jose's seven hits during the doubleheader ... The Giants did not score over the last 11 innings of Thursday's twinbill ... Wilson (1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 3 SO) and Stephen Harrold (1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO) both pitched out of the bullpen for San Jose in game two ... San Francisco Giants second baseman Freddy Sanchez started at DH in the first game and was 1-for-3 with a single ... Sanchez was playing in his third game with San Jose as part of a rehabilitation assignment.

On Deck: The Giants return to action on Friday evening with the opener of a three-game series at Visalia. First pitch at Recreation Park is scheduled for 7:00 PM. Taylor Rogers (2-1, 3.10 ERA) is slated to start on the mound for San Jose while the Rawhide are expected to counter with David Holmberg (1-3, 3.09 ERA). The game can be heard live on sjgiants.com with coverage beginning at 6:30 PM.

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California League Stories from April 26, 2012

• Giants Split Doubleheader with High Desert - San Jose Giants
• Musick Stays in Tune, Leads JetHawks to Win - Lancaster JetHawks
• Dodgers' Rehabbers Struggle in Quakes' Loss - Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
• 66ers Slide Grows to Four - Inland Empire 66ers

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