Storm Top Giants to Even Series
July 18, 2017 - California League (CalL1)
San Jose Giants News Release
LAKE ELSINORE, CA - Storm starting pitcher Jacob Nix tossed seven strong innings with just two runs allowed and Lake Elsinore never looked back after a three-run bottom of the fourth en route to a 4-2 victory over the Giants on Monday evening at The Diamond. The teams have now split the first two games of their series.
Ryan Howard (2-for-4, HR, 2 RBI) hit a two-run home run in the top of the third to account for all of San Jose's offense in defeat. Bryan Reynolds (2-for-3, 3B) added two hits, including his league-leading eighth triple of the season.
Nix (3-2) surrendered just five hits and issued only one walk during his seven-inning performance to pick-up the win. The right-hander struck out three. David Bednar and Trevor Frank then worked scoreless eighth and ninth innings respectively out of the bullpen to seal the Storm victory. Frank earned his sixth save of the year.
The Giants jumped out early scoring first for a fifth consecutive game. In the top of the third, Jalen Miller doubled with one out. After Ronnie Jebavy popped out, Howard stepped to the plate and crushed the first pitch of his at-bat over the fence down the left field line for a two-run homer. The home run, Howard's seventh of the season, gave San Jose a 2-0 lead.
Mark Reyes started on the mound for the Giants and began his night with three hitless innings. Reyes pitched around a leadoff walk in the bottom of the first before working through a two-out walk in the second. He then breezed through a perfect third inning to maintain the two-run San Jose lead.
Lake Elsinore though would breakthrough for three runs in the bottom of the fourth against Reyes to move in front. Back-to-back singles from Austin Allen and Edwin Moreno started the inning for the Storm. Kyle Overstreet then ripped a single down the right field line to bring home Allen with the first Lake Elsinore run. And when right fielder Heath Quinn mishandled the ball for an error, Moreno also raced home to tie the game 2-2. Overstreet, meanwhile, moved to second on the miscue. Reyes then uncorked a wild pitch advancing Overstreet to third before Carlos Belen hit a sacrifice fly to deep left center giving the Storm a 3-2 lead.
Nix set down the Giants in order in the fourth and fifth innings before pitching out of trouble in the sixth and seventh. In the top of the sixth, Aramis Garcia smacked a two-out double into the right center field gap, but was stranded at second when Dillon Dobson grounded out. An inning later, Jonah Arenado reached on a two-out infield single and was awarded second on the play when third baseman Ruddy Giron's throw to first sailed out of play. Nix though was once again able to leave the potential tying run in scoring position as he retired Miller on a fly out to left ending the inning.
Lake Elsinore then extended their lead to 4-2 with a single run in the bottom of the seventh against San Jose reliever Matt Solter (2 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 SO). Belen led off the inning with a double to deep right center and immediately scored when the next batter, Chris Baker, singled to center.
In the eighth, the Giants threatened against Bednar, but again came away empty-handed. Consecutive one-out singles from Howard and Reynolds put the potential tying runs on base, however Bednar then struck out Garcia and set down Dobson on a fly out to center ending the inning.
Frank struck out two in a perfect top of the ninth for the Storm to finish the game.
Reyes (4-11) suffered his league-leading 11th loss for San Jose. Reyes was charged with three runs (two earned) on five hits over six innings. He walked two and struck out three during his 90-pitch outing.
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California League Stories from July 18, 2017
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