CalL1 San Jose Giants

Giants Can't Keep up with Modesto in 8-6 Loss

Published on July 28, 2012 under California League (CalL1)
San Jose Giants News Release


MODESTO - The Modesto Nuts withstood a furious San Jose rally to earn an 8-6 victory over the Giants in the opener of a three-game series on Friday evening at John Thurman Field. San Jose came back from a 5-0 deficit scoring five times in the top of the fifth to tie the game only to see Modesto plate three runs in the bottom of the inning to take the lead for good. The loss dropped the Giants' overall record to 53-52.

Carter Jurica (3-for-5, RBI) and Joe Panik (3-for-5, RBI) each knocked out three singles while Alex Burg (2-for-5, 2 RBI) had two hits and drove home a pair of runs to lead San Jose offensively.

The game was scoreless until the Nuts broke through with a five-run bottom of the fourth against Giants starter Justin Schumer. A leadoff infield single from Tim Smalling before a one-out infield single off the bat of Kyle Parker put two runners on base. Then with two outs, Jared Clark grounded a single into left to plate Smalling with the first run of the night. After a wild pitch advanced the runners to second and third, Juan Crousset singled to left field scoring both Parker and Clark for a 3-0 advantage. Schumer then plunked Jayson Langfels and issued a walk to Helder Velazquez to load the bases. Rafael Ortega was up next and he bounced a single up the middle plating Crousset and Langfels to extend the Modesto lead to 5-0.

San Jose managed only three singles over the first four innings against Christian Bergman, but then exploded with a five-run inning of their own in the top of the fifth to tie the game. With one out, consecutive doubles from Dan Burkhart and Brennan Metzger produced the first Giants run of the contest. Jurica followed with a bloop RBI single into shallow left center to make it 5-2. After Panik singled, Adam Duvall lined a single to left scoring the third San Jose run. Ricky Oropesa then advanced the runners to second and third with a groundout before Burg singled through the hole on the right side to bring home Panik and Duvall for a 5-5 tie.

The Nuts sent 11 batters to the plate in the bottom of the fourth scoring five runs on five hits before nine Giants batted in the top of the fifth with five scoring runs on six hits.

Modesto though answered in the bottom of the fifth inning against San Jose reliever Stephen Harrold. Harrold, who picked-up the final out of the fourth, issued a leadoff walk to Parker before Dallas Tarleton singled. Clark then blasted a two-RBI double off the fence in straightaway center field to put the Nuts back in the lead at 7-5. Clark later scored to make it 8-5 on Velazquez's two-out single.

The Giants got one run back in the top of the sixth as Jarrad Page led off with a single, advanced to second when Metzger was hit by a pitch and then scored on Panik's two-out single. New Modesto pitcher Michael Solbach though was able to retire Duvall on a shallow fly out to right leaving two runners on base.

Trailing 8-6, San Jose put a runner in scoring position in the top of the seventh as Jarrett Parker singled with two outs and stole second, however Page struck out to end the inning. In the eighth, consecutive two-out singles from Jurica and Panik off of Isaiah Froneberger brought the potential go-ahead run to the plate, but Duvall popped out to end the threat. Froneberger then tossed a 1-2-3 top of the ninth inning to seal the Nuts victory.

Bergman (14-5) picked-up his league-leading 14th win despite allowing a season-high six runs (all earned) on 11 hits over 5 2/3 innings. He struck out four and did not walk a batter. Froneberger earned his third save with two scoreless innings to end the game.

Harrold (1-4) took the loss for the Giants after he was charged with all three runs in the bottom of the fifth. Schumer struck out a season-high tying six batters in his 3 2/3 innings of work, but also surrendered five runs (all earned) on six hits. Schumer had retired nine straight Modesto hitters, including five via the strikeout, until Smalling's leadoff single in the bottom of the fourth.

Notes: Friday marked the midpoint of the second half with San Jose's record standing at 15-20 ... The Giants are 2-2 on their current road trip ... Bergman entered the game first in the California League in wins and second in ERA ... San Jose out-hit Modesto by a 14-10 margin ... Duvall (2-for-5, RBI) also finished with more than one hit for the Giants ... In addition to Harrold, Kelvin Marte (2 1/3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 SO) and Jose Valdez (1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO) pitched out of the San Jose bullpen ... The Giants are 12-8 against the Nuts this season.

On Deck: The Giants and Nuts continue their three-game series on Saturday evening with first pitch at John Thurman Field scheduled for 7:05 PM. Taylor Rogers (7-9, 4.45 ERA) is slated to start on the mound for San Jose while Modesto is expected to counter with Leuris Gomez (3-5, 5.42 ERA). The game can be heard live on sjgiants.com with coverage beginning at 6:35 PM.

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California League Stories from July 28, 2012


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