Giants Shutout 66ers to Win Series
Published on May 22, 2013 under California League (CalL1)
San Jose Giants News Release
SAN BERNARDINO - Ty Blach struck out 11 over eight shutout innings and the San Jose Giants crushed the Inland Empire 66ers by an 8-0 score on Tuesday evening at San Manuel Stadium. Blach and reliever Bryce Bandilla combined on a three-hit shutout as the Giants took two out of three games in the series. With the victory, San Jose has now won all seven of their road series' this season while improving their overall record to a league-best 30-15.
Blach (6-1) won his team-leading sixth game of the season with a dominant performance on the mound. The left-hander allowed just three singles and issued one walk during his 98-pitch performance. Blach, who at one point retired 20 out of 21 batters, lowered his ERA to a California League-best 1.89.
Every Giants player finished the game with at least one hit in a balanced offensive attack. Chris Lofton (3-for-4, 3B) and Mac Williamson (2-for-5) each recorded multi-hit efforts while Jeff Arnold (1-for-4, HR, 2 RBI) smacked his seventh home run of the season.
San Jose took an early 3-0 lead with three runs in the top of the third inning against 66ers starter Mark Sappington. Consecutive singles from Lofton and Elliott Blair started the frame. Bobby Haney then attempted to advance the runners with a bunt, but Sappington threw out Lofton at third for the first out. Brock Bond though followed with a line drive double into the right center field gap to bring home Blair with the first run of the night. Shawn Payne then doubled into left center to plate Haney and Bond for a 3-0 advantage.
Meanwhile, Blach pitched around a pair of two-out singles in the bottom of the first inning to keep the game scoreless. The Giants starter then retired Inland Empire 1-2-3 in the second, third, fourth and fifth frames. Blach struck out two batters in each of the second, third and fifth innings.
San Jose blew the game open with a four-run top of the sixth knocking Sappington out of the contest. Ryan Cavan led off with a single before coming home on Angel Villalona's one-out double into the left field corner. Arnold then belted the first pitch of his at-bat over the fence in left center field for a two-run homer and a 6-0 lead. The rally restarted when Lofton singled before Blair walked and then Haney grounded an RBI single into right to make it 7-0.
Blach allowed a leadoff single to Trevor Hairgrove in the bottom of the sixth to snap a string of 13 consecutive batters retired. Blach though recovered to set down the next three hitters before another 1-2-3 frame in the seventh.
The Giants scored their final run of the night in the top of the eighth when Lofton led off with a triple into left center and came home two batters later on Haney's sacrifice fly.
In the bottom of the eighth, Blach pitched around a one-out walk and an error to keep the 66ers off the scoreboard. Blach finished his night with a swinging strikeout of pinch-hitter Matt Scioscia.
Bandilla (1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 SO) then struck out the side in a perfect bottom of the ninth to complete the shutout.
Sappington (5-1), who entered the game with the second-lowest ERA in the California League, suffered his first loss of the year. The right-hander allowed a season-high seven runs (all earned) on nine hits over 5 1/3 innings. Sappington walked three and struck out three.
Notes: San Jose out-hit Inland Empire 12-3 ... Blach has struck out 44 and walked just four in 47 2/3 innings this season ... His streak of consecutive innings without issuing a walk ended at 23 2/3 after his eighth-inning walk on Tuesday ... Blach's outing was the longest start from a Giants pitcher this season ... His 11 strikeouts were also the most by a San Jose hurler this year ... Arnold's home run achieved a new career-high ... The Giants outscored the 66ers by a 13-1 margin over the last two games of the series ... Sappington had not allowed more than two runs in a start this season (9 GS) prior to Tuesday ... San Jose is 5-2 on their current road trip ... The Giants increased their first half North Division lead to two games over the Visalia Rawhide (28-17).
On Deck: The Giants continue their road trip on Wednesday evening with the opener of a four-game series against the High Desert Mavericks. First pitch at Mavericks Stadium is scheduled for 7:05 PM. Jason Forjet (0-0, 0.00 ERA) is slated to start on the mound for San Jose while High Desert is expected to counter with Bobby Shore (2-1, 4.66 ERA). The game can be heard live on sjgiants.com with coverage beginning at 6:35 PM.
California League Stories from May 22, 2013
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