Ports Stun Giants to Complete Sweep
Published on June 7, 2018 under California League (CalL1)
San Jose Giants News Release
SAN JOSE, CA - The Stockton Ports completed a three-game sweep of the Giants on Thursday afternoon with a dramatic 11-10, 10-inning win over San Jose at Municipal Stadium. Stockton plated three runs in the top of the ninth to tie the contest before scoring twice in the 10th to move in front for good. The wild seesaw affair saw the Giants battle back from an early 6-0 deficit to take a three-run lead into the ninth inning, but San Jose (30-30) was unable to hold off the Ports late in suffering their season-high fifth consecutive loss.
C.J Hinojosa (3-for-5) had three hits and Jalen Miller (2-for-5, 2B, 3 RBI) drove home three runs to lead the Giants offensively in defeat. Bryce Johnson (2-for-5, 2 2B, RBI), Wander Franco (2-for-5) and Matt Winn (2-for-5, 2 RBI) also produced multi-hit games.
Stockton jumped out early on Thursday scoring five runs in the top of the third against San Jose starter Raffi Vizcaino to take a 5-0 lead. Collin Theroux led off with a towering solo home run to center for the first run of the day. Back-to-back one-out walks to Nate Mondou and Skye Bolt then put runners on first and second. Jonah Heim was up next and he doubled down the right field line to score both runners to make it 3-0. Will Toffey then belted a two-run home run to right center for a 5-0 Ports advantage.
Stockton added to their lead with a single run in the top of the fourth. Kevin Merrell led off with a double before moving to third on a Mondou single. Bolt then lifted a sacrifice fly to right extending the Ports lead to 6-0.
Stockton starter Matt Milburn retired nine straight Giants batters to begin his outing before San Jose rallied in the bottom of the fourth. Consecutive doubles from Johnson and Miller to start the inning produced the first Giants run of the afternoon. Hinojosa then singled before Gio Brusa hit a sacrifice fly to bring San Jose to within 6-2.
The Giants then erupted for seven runs in the bottom of the fifth to take a 9-6 lead. With one out, Winn singled before Johneshwy Fargas worked a walk. Johnson followed with an RBI double to trim the Ports lead to 6-3. Miller was up next and he grounded a single into left plating Fargas and Johnson to bring San Jose to within 6-5. Following a Hinojosa single to left that put runners on the corners, Brusa grounded into a force out to score Miller with the tying run. The rally then continued with a Franco single before Sandro Fabian's grounder to third was misplayed by Toffey for an error to load the bases. Kelvin Beltre was then hit by a pitch to force home Brusa with the go-ahead tally before Winn singled into left scoring both Franco and Fabian for a 9-6 Giants cushion. San Jose sent 12 batters to the plate in the bottom of the fifth.
Dylan Rheault (3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 SO) was masterful in long relief for the Giants keeping the Ports off the scoreboard over the fifth, sixth and seventh innings. Rheault retired nine out of the ten batters he faced. With the score still at 9-6, Rodolfo Martinez (2 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 2 SO) entered from the bullpen to begin the top of the eighth and worked around a two-out triple to maintain the three-run advantage. Stockton though would rally against Martinez in the ninth. Theroux led off with his second home run of the game - a solo shot to straightaway center - cutting the San Jose lead to 9-7. Merrell followed with an infield single to first base before taking second on a wild pitch. Martinez bounced back to strikeout Mondou, but Bolt then grounded a single into right to score Merrell to make it a 9-8 game. Heim followed with a fly out to right for the second out of the inning. Toffey was up next and with the Ports down to their last strike, grounded a single between first and second. Bolt, who was running on the pitch, raced around the bases with the ball rolling in shallow right field and was able to score all the way from first with the tying run.
In the bottom of the ninth, Hinojosa singled with two outs, but was stranded at first when Brusa struck out to end the inning.
Nolan Riggs was then summoned into pitch for the top of the 10th. With Luke Persico at second as the automatic runner, Luis Barrera struck out to begin the inning on a failed two-strike bunt attempt. Pinch-hitter Brallan Perez though followed by lining the first pitch of his at-bat down the left field line for a double. The hit easily scored Persico from second giving Stockton a 10-9 lead. Theroux followed with a grounder to shortstop that was thrown away to first by Hinojosa for an error. The miscue allowed Perez to score the second run of the inning as the Ports pushed their lead to 11-9.
The Giants managed one run in the bottom of the 10th, but their second comeback effort of the afternoon would fall short. With Brusa at second base as the automatic runner, Franco led off with a single to right to put runners on the corners. Fabian though followed by grounding into a 6-4-3 double play. Brusa scored on the double play to make it 11-10, but San Jose suddenly found themselves one out from defeat. Beltre was up next and he grounded a single up the middle to again put the tying run on base, but Stockton closer Miguel Romero induced Winn to groundout to shortstop ending the game.
Angel Duno (2-0) earned the win out of the Ports bullpen after striking out the side in a scoreless bottom of the ninth. Romero pitched the bottom of the 10th inning for his 13th save of the year.
Riggs (1-3) was saddled with the loss for the Giants. Both runs allowed by Riggs in the top of the 10th were unearned.
Notes
* The Giants were swept in a home series for the first time this season.
* San Jose finished their season-high 10-game homestand with a 4-6 record (started 4-1).
* The first three hitters in the Giants lineup (Johnson, Miller, Hinojosa) combined to go 7-for-15 with four RBI's.
* San Jose suffered their second loss in the last five games when leading after eight innings. Prior to last Saturday's defeat against Modesto, the Giants hadn't lost a game when leading after eight innings since August 30, 2016.
* Both teams finished with 12 hits.
* San Jose was 7-for-11 with runners in scoring position.
* Beltre (1-for-4, RBI) was making his California League debut after joining the Giants from Extended Spring Training before the game on Thursday.
* San Jose fell to 5-5 against Stockton this season.
* Vizcaino was charged with six runs (all earned) on six hits over four innings during his start. He walked four and struck out two.
* The Giants suffered their 11th blown save of the year - one off the league lead (Modesto).
* San Jose dropped to .500 overall for the first time since April 12 (4-4 record).
On Deck
The Giants next embark on a seven-game road trip to Modesto (three games) and Stockton (four games). Friday's series opener against the Nuts is a 7:05 PM first pitch at John Thurman Field. Melvin Adon (1-3, 4.72 ERA) is slated to start on the mound for San Jose while Modesto is expected to counter with Randy Bell (2-3, 5.37 ERA). The game can be heard live on sjgiants.com with coverage beginning at 6:45 PM.
California League Stories from June 7, 2018
- Sixers Fall in 11 to Storm for Sixth Straight Defeat - Inland Empire 66ers
- Ports Stun Giants to Complete Sweep - San Jose Giants
- Ports Blow Lead, Rally for 11-10 Win - Stockton Ports
- Defense Spoils Rodgers' Gem in 3-1 Loss - Modesto Nuts
- Ports Power Their Way to 11-1 Victory - Stockton Ports
- Rawhide Stage Late Comeback - Visalia Rawhide
- 'Hawks Hang on to Knock off Quakes - Lancaster JetHawks
- Ports Rout Giants, 11-1 - San Jose Giants
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
