San Jose Giants on Deck: Giants Begin Seven-Game Homestand on Fourth of July
July 4, 2015 - California League (CalL1)
San Jose Giants News Release
At Municipal Stadium (San Jose, CA) * Saturday, July 4, 6:30 PM * Sunday, July 5, 6:30 PM * Monday, July 6, 7:00 PM
Records Visalia: 48-30 (6-2 Second Half) San Jose: 33-45 (3-5 Second Half)
Probable Starting Pitchers Saturday Visalia - Brandon Sinnery (0-0, 4.50) San Jose - Jason Forjet (2-2, 2.62)
Sunday Visalia - R.J. Hively (0-0, 4.50) San Jose - Chase Johnson (4-3, 3.36)
Monday Visalia - Blake Perry (5-3, 4.68) San Jose - Jose Reyes (0-3, 11.65)
Broadcast Information All three games will be televised live on Comcast Hometown Network, Channel 104. Joe Ritzo handles the play-by-play while color commentary duties will be provided by Joe Castellano. The entire series can also be heard live on sjgiants.com and inside Municipal Stadium on 92.9 FM with Justin Allegri calling the action. Radio broadcasts begin 30 minutes prior to first pitch with The Giants Pregame Show. All 140 games this season will be aired on the club's official website and the San Jose Giants Mobile App. Additionally, every home game is streamed live and available on demand through MiLB.TV.
Giants Begin Three-Game Series Against Visalia Tonight The San Jose Giants return home this evening to begin a three-game series against the Visalia Rawhide at Municipal Stadium. Jason Forjet (2-2, 2.62) is slated to make the start on the mound for San Jose tonight. After the current series versus Visalia, the Giants continue their homestand with a four-game set against Bakersfield beginning on Tuesday.
Split In Stockton The Giants split four games at Stockton in a series that concluded last night. San Jose earned victories of 6-3 on Tuesday and 7-3 on Thursday. The Giants pounded out a total of 32 hits in the two wins (18 hits Tuesday, 14 hits Thursday). The Ports posted a 6-3 victory on Wednesday before salvaging the split with a 5-2 triumph last night. San Jose has still yet to win a road series this season. The Giants are 7-7 in their last 14 road games (after starting the year 7-18).
At Muni Tonight begins a stretch for the Giants playing 14 out of their next 17 games at Municipal Stadium. San Jose is 19-20 at home this season. The Giants own a 3.24 team ERA at home this year compared to a 4.82 mark on the road.
Arroyo Heats Up Shortstop Christian Arroyo went 11-for-17 (.647) with three doubles, two home runs and five RBI's during the four-game series at Stockton. Arroyo raised his season batting average from .296 to .336 over the four games. Arroyo went 5-for-5 (three singles, two doubles) at the plate in Tuesday's series opener versus the Ports to tie the San Jose Giants single-game hits record. Arroyo became the 34th player in the 28-year history of the San Jose Giants to record five hits in a single game. He's then homered on Wednesday and Thursday. Arroyo, a 2013 first round draft pick, is batting .476 (20-for-42) with six doubles and two home runs over his last 10 games.
Last Series Win The Giants haven't won a series since sweeping a four-game set against Rancho Cucamonga from May 22-25 at Municipal Stadium. Since, San Jose has gone 14-19 having split five series' and lost four series'. The Giants haven't won more than two games in a row since their season-high eight-game winning streak from May 19-27. San Jose though hasn't been swept since dropping four straight to visiting Lake Elsinore from May 4-7.
Few Miscues The Giants have committed just four errors over the first eight games of the second half. San Jose led the California League with 91 errors during the first half.
Villalona's Power Surge First baseman Angel Villalona has hit three home runs over his last two games. Villalona became the first San Jose Giant to hit two homers in a game this season when he accomplished the feat two nights ago in Stockton. He then homered again yesterday. Prior to Wednesday, Villalona hadn't homered in 33 games this season between Double-A Richmond and San Jose. Overall, Villalona is batting .276 (8-for-29) with three home runs and six RBI's in seven games for the Giants this season. He joined San Jose from Richmond on June 26.
Trouble With The Rawhide, Blaze San Jose is a combined 4-17 (.190) against Visalia and Bakersfield this season - the Giants' two opponents during the current homestand. San Jose is 29-28 (.509) against the rest of the league. The Giants have dropped nine out of ten games to the Rawhide this season, including an 0-3 mark at Municipal Stadium (April 28-30).
At The Plate The Giants are third in the California League with a .268 team batting average, but are just ninth in runs scored (4.4 per game). San Jose is seventh in home runs (49), last in stolen bases (43) and have hit into the most double plays (85) of any team in the league. The Giants' .275 batting average with runners in scoring position is fifth-best in the league. San Jose has also struck out the fewest number of times (571) in the Cal League.
Opponent Notes: Visalia Rawhide The Visalia Rawhide, an affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks, have clinched a playoff berth after winning the first half North Division title. It was the franchise's first first-half championship since 1990. Visalia is off to a 6-2 start in the second half. The Rawhide lead the league in ERA (3.47) and are eighth in batting average (.257). Visalia is 25-14 on the road this season. Their overall record of 48-30 is tops in the California League.
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California League Stories from July 4, 2015
- San Jose Giants on Deck: Giants Begin Seven-Game Homestand on Fourth of July - San Jose Giants
- Three-Run Sixth Nets Ports 5-2 Win - Stockton Ports
- Giants Split in Stockton After 5-2 Loss - San Jose Giants
- Quakes Drop Extra-Inning Thriller to Mavs - Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
- Late Comeback Thwarted by 'D' in 3-2 Loss - Modesto Nuts
- Wik Leads Charge over Inland Empire - Lancaster JetHawks
- Banana Split, with Nuts; Blaze Take Two Straight in Modesto, 3-2 - Bakersfield Blaze
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