Giants Pitchers Strikeout 19 in 4-3 Victory
April 16, 2014 - California League (CalL1)
San Jose Giants News Release
SAN JOSE - Four Giants pitchers combined to strikeout 19 Inland Empire batters in a 4-3 victory over the 66ers on Wednesday afternoon at Municipal Stadium. San Jose jumped out to an early 4-0 lead and then held off Inland Empire late to secure the win and take two out of three games in the series.
Joan Gregorio (2-0) picked-up the win for the Giants after setting a career-high with 11 strikeouts over 5 1/3 innings. The right-hander allowed two runs (both earned) on five hits while issuing two walks during his overpowering performance on the mound. Gregorio fanned two batters in each of the first five innings before finishing his afternoon with a strikeout in the top of the sixth.
Jorge Bucardo (1 2/3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 SO) and Ryan Bradley (1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO) maintained the San Jose lead over the sixth, seventh and eighth innings before Steven Okert (1 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 3 SO) pitched the ninth to earn the save. The 66ers scored once in the top of the ninth inning, but Okert struck out Cal Towey swinging to end the game and leave the potential tying and go-ahead runs on base.
Offensively, Brian Ragira (1-for-3, HR, 2 RBI) smacked a two-run home run, Chris Lofton (2-for-3) contributed two singles and Ben Turner (0-for-2, 2 RBI) hit a pair of sacrifice flies to lead the way.
San Jose took an early lead with a three-run bottom of the first inning against Sixers starter Alex Keudell. Lofton began the frame with a single up the middle before taking second on a wild pitch. A groundout from Alberto Robles then advanced to Lofton to third. After Mac Williamson drew a walk, Turner delivered a sacrifice fly to center plating the first run of the day. Ragira was up next and he blasted a 2-2 pitch from Keudell over the fence in left for a two-run homer. The home run, Ragira's first of the season, gave the Giants a 3-0 advantage.
San Jose increased their lead to 4-0 in the bottom of the third when Lofton led off with a single, moved to second on Robles' sacrifice bunt, advanced to third on Williamson's fielder's choice grounder and scored when Turner hit a sacrifice fly.
Meanwhile, Gregorio began his afternoon by setting down the first nine Inland Empire batters, including six strikeouts. The 66ers finally broke through in the top of the fourth when Rolando Gomez drew a leadoff walk and stole second. Then with two outs, Brian Hernandez lined an RBI single into center - Inland Empire's first hit of the game.
Gregorio escaped a bases loaded, none out jam in the top of the fifth registering consecutive strikeouts of Chevy Clarke and Gomez before Jose Rondon grounded out to end the threat. In the sixth, Towey led off with a single, stole second, moved to third on a wild pitch and came home when the next batter, Hernandez, lined a single to center. Gregorio then struck out Wade Hinkle to end his afternoon.
With a runner at second and one out, Bucardo was summoned from the bullpen and he promptly struck out Zach Wright and then after a walk to Andrew Ray, retired Alex Allbritton on a groundout. Bucardo returned to the mound in the seventh and fanned two more in a 1-2-3 inning.
In the eighth, Bradley struck out two and pitched around a two-out single to keep the lead at 4-2.
The 66ers rallied in the ninth against Okert as Ray led off with a double to deep left and then a one-out bloop single from Clarke put runners on the corners. Okert recovered to strikeout Gomez for the second out, but then pinch-hitter Sherman Johnson lined an RBI single to right bringing Inland Empire to within 4-3. However with the tying run at second and the go-ahead run at first, Okert struck out Towey on a 1-2 pitch to end the game.
Keudell (0-2) suffered the loss after yielding four runs (all earned) on three hits in four innings. He walked two and struck out five.
Notes: The Giants finished their opening homestand with a 3-4 record ... San Jose (6-8) has won back-to-back games for the first time since the first two days of the season (April 3-4) ... The Giants won on Wednesday despite being out-hit 9-4 ... Inland Empire was 5-for-15 with runners in scoring position compared to 0-for-5 for San Jose ... Through three starts this season, Gregorio owns a 1.88 ERA with 22 strikeouts in 14 1/3 innings ... Okert is 2-for-2 in save chances this year - both in the last two games.
On Deck: The Giants open a three-game series in Bakersfield on Thursday evening with first pitch at Sam Lynn Ballpark scheduled for 7:15 PM. Martin Agosta (0-1, 3.00 ERA) is slated to start on the mound for San Jose while the Blaze are expected to counter with Wandy Peralta (0-1, 5.19 ERA). The game can be heard live on sjgiants.com with coverage beginning at 6:45 PM.
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