Giants Clinch Playoff Berth with 3-2 Walk-Off Win
September 3, 2015 - California League (CalL1)
San Jose Giants News Release
SAN JOSE, CA - Brandon Bednar's two-out RBI single in the bottom of the ninth inning lifted the San Jose Giants to a 3-2 victory over the Modesto Nuts on Wednesday evening at Municipal Stadium. San Jose's win, combined with Stockton's loss in Visalia, clinched a playoff berth for the Giants. It marks the 11th time in the last 12 years that San Jose has reached the postseason.
The Giants (71-64) have secured at least a Wild Card spot and will play in the best-of-three North Mini-Series beginning on Wednesday, September 9. The opponent is still to be determined. San Jose (41-24) also maintains their one-game lead over Visalia (40-25) for first place in the second half North Division race. Five games remain in the regular season.
Tyler Horan (2-for-4, HR, RBI) and Daniel Carbonell (2-for-4, HR, RBI) each hit a solo home run for the Giants in Wednesday's walk-off victory. Relievers Tyler Rogers (2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 SO) and Ian Gardeck (2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 SO) combined for four scoreless innings out of the bullpen from the sixth through the ninth to keep the game tied before San Jose rallied in the final frame.
The Giants jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second when Horan crushed a solo home run over the fence in straightaway center field. It was Horan's 12th homer of the season.
Andrew Suarez started on the mound for San Jose and began his night with 2 2/3 hitless innings. Then with two down in the top of the third, Nuts All-Star Raimel Tapia connected for a solo homer to deep right center tying the game 1-1.
Modesto took their first lead of the series with a single run in the top of the fourth. A one-out infield single from Ryan McMahon started the rally before Ashley Graeter singled to put runners on the corners. Drew Weeks then grounded a single into right plating McMahon for a 2-1 Nuts advantage. Suarez recovered to strikeout Correlle Prime before a wild pitch advanced the runners to second and third. Dillon Thomas was up next, but he also struck out as Suarez kept the deficit at a single run.
Suarez then pitched around back-to-back one-out singles in the top of the fifth to complete his outing. The San Jose left-hander was charged with two runs (both earned) on seven hits over five innings. Suarez walked one and struck out a career-high six during his 71-pitch performance.
The Giants tied the game in the bottom of the fifth when Carbonell smacked a line drive solo homer to left. Carbonell's home run, his sixth of the season, knotted the score at 2-2.
Rogers entered from the bullpen to begin the top of the sixth and worked around a two-out single from Prime and a stolen base to keep the game tied. Modesto threatened in the top of the seventh as Troy Stein drew a leadoff walk, stole second and moved to third on Tapia's fly out to right. Rogers though struck out Mike Benjamin, Jr. and then retired Rosell Herrera on a groundout to first ending the inning.
In the top of the eighth, Gardeck struck out two in a quick 1-2-3 inning. Then in the bottom of the frame, Carbonell led off with a fly ball down the right field line that was dropped by Weeks for a two-base error. The Giants though were unable to advance Carbonell past second base as Angel Villalona grounded out to shortstop, Ryder Jones flied out to deep left and Aramis Garcia struck out swinging.
Gardeck returned to the mound in the top of the ninth and struck out two more hitters in a perfect frame as the contest remained tied. In the bottom of the ninth, Horan laced a one-out double into the left center field gap - San Jose's first hit since Carbonell's fifth-inning home run. After Seth Harrison flied out, Bednar stepped to the plate and lined a 1-0 pitch from Nuts reliever Jacob Newberry into center field for a single. The hit easily scored Horan from second base with the winning run.
Less than five minutes later, Visalia secured a 5-2 victory over Stockton sparking a wild celebration as the Giants had clinched a playoff berth.
Gardeck (3-4), who retired all six batters he faced in his dominant relief outing, earned the win.
Newberry (1-1) suffered the loss for Modesto. He allowed one run on two hits over 1 2/3 innings out of the bullpen.
Notes:
* The Giants recorded their 10th walk-off win of the season.
* Wednesday's victory guaranteed a league-record 12th consecutive winning season for San Jose (2004-2015). The Giants are 37-17 since July 6.
* San Jose has won nine out of their last ten games.
* The Giants are 20-7 in their last 27 home games dating back to July 7.
* Carbonell extended his hitting streak to seven games. He's batting .400 (10-for-25) and has hit two home runs during the streak.
* Horan's home run was his first since July 21 (37 games). His home run on Wednesday was hit off of rehabbing Colorado Rockies pitcher Tyler Chatwood (2 IP, 3 H, 1 R).
* Modesto out-hit San Jose 8-7. The Nuts were 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position.
* The Giants will play either Stockton or Modesto in the Mini-Series.
On Deck: The Giants close out their regular season home schedule on Thursday evening with the finale of a three-game series against Modesto. First pitch at Municipal Stadium is scheduled for 7:00 PM. Jose Reyes (4-6, 6.27 ERA) is slated to start on the mound for San Jose while the Nuts are expected to counter with Konner Wade (8-8, 3.68 ERA). It's Fan Appreciation Night at the ballpark as the first 250 through the gates will receive a 2015 San Jose Giants team photo, and there will be special giveaways of bobbleheads, autographed baseballs and much more throughout the game. For tickets, call (408) 297-1435 or visit sjgiants.com.
2015 San Jose Giants Playoff Central, with information on the schedule and tickets, will be available on sjgiants.com beginning on Thursday.
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