CalL1 San Jose Giants

11th Inning Home Run Lifts Giants to Sweep

Published on June 8, 2011 under California League (CalL1)
San Jose Giants News Release


STOCKTON - Carter Jurica hit a tiebreaking three-run home run in the top of the 11th inning to propel the San Jose Giants to a 10-7 victory over the Stockton Ports on Tuesday evening at Banner Island Ballpark. The Giants completed a sweep of the three-game series, won their 11th straight over Stockton and extended their team record road winning streak to 12 games. The victory improves San Jose's record to 41-17 while their magic number to clinch the first half North Division title is now two.

Jurica (2-for-5, 2B, HR, 4 RBI) drove home four runs to lead an 11-hit Giants offensive attack while Francisco Peguero (2-for-5, HR, 2 RBI) also homered in extending his team record hitting streak to 25 games.

Hector Correa (3-1) earned the win for San Jose with three perfect innings of relief. Correa, who entered the game to begin the bottom of the ninth, walked none and struck out one.

With the score tied 7-7, Jarrett Parker began the 11th inning rally for the Giants with a single up the middle. Tommy Joseph followed by reaching base on an error committed by second baseman Michael Gilmartin before Luke Anders sacrificed the runners to second and third with a bunt. Jurica was up next and he drove a pitch from Stockton reliever Connor Hoehn over the wall in left field for a go- ahead three-run homer. The home run, Jurica's fourth of the season, gave San Jose a 10-7 lead.

Correa then returned to the mound in the bottom of the 11th and retired Gilmartin on a groundout before Michael Choice and Chris Carter both popped out to end the game. Giants relievers Ari Ronick (2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 2 SO), Heath Hembree (1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO) and Correa combined to set down the last 13 Ports hitters that came to the plate.

The game began as a back-and-forth affair with both clubs plating three runs in the first inning. In the top of the frame, Chris Dominguez got San Jose on the scoreboard with a one-out, RBI double. Then with two outs in the inning, Tommy Joseph delivered a two-run triple to center field for a 3-0 lead.

Stockton though answered in the bottom of the inning against Giants starter Andy Reichard. Myrio Richard led off with a home run before consecutive RBI singles from Ryan Ortiz and Jason Christian made it 3-3.

The Ports took their first lead of the series in the bottom of the third inning as Anthony Aliotti connected for a leadoff, solo homer to deep right field.

Reichard finished his outing with four runs (all earned) on eight hits allowed over three innings. He walked three, struck out one and surrendered two home runs.

The Giants reclaimed the lead in the top of the fourth inning with Parker drawing a leadoff walk, stealing second and scoring the tying run on Jurica's two-out double to center. Wendell Fairley then reached base on a throwing error from shortstop Dusty Coleman allowing Jurica to score for a 5-4 San Jose advantage.

Jake Dunning (2 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO) relieved Reichard to begin the bottom of the fourth and promptly allowed the tying run to score as Gilmartin led off with a double before coming home when Carter reached on a Dominguez throwing error at third base.

In the top of the fifth, Ryan Cavan started the inning with a triple before Peguero stepped to the plate and belted a two-run homer to left. The home run was Peguero's first of the season and it gave the Giants a 7-5 lead.

Stockton though had an answer against Dunning in the bottom of the fifth with two runs of their own. Three consecutive singles began the frame with Richard's sacrifice fly plating one run and Gilmartin's two- out, RBI single bringing home the tying run. However on Gilmartin's hit, Coleman was thrown out at third base by the center fielder Peguero to end the inning.

Neither team scored from the sixth through the tenth innings as the game remained deadlocked 7-7. The Giants managed only one hit during the five innings. Ronick issued a pair of walks in the sixth, but recorded consecutive strikeouts of Ortiz and Christian to work out of the inning. Ronick then pitched around a one-out single in the seventh before Hembree struck out one in a perfect bottom of the eighth. Correa retired all six batters over the ninth and tenth innings with San Jose taking back the lead on Jurica's home run in the 11th.

Cavan (2-for-6, 3B) and Parker (2-for-4, SB) also had multi-hit games for the Giants. Stockton out-hit San Jose by a 14-11 margin.

Notes: The Giants maintained their 10 1/2 game lead over the Bakersfield Blaze (31-28) in the North Division standings ... Any combination of San Jose wins and Bakersfield losses to equal two will clinch the first half title for the Giants ... San Jose has not lost a road game since May 18 ... Stockton's 4-3 advantage in the third inning was their first lead against the Giants in nine games ... San Jose is 11-1 versus the Ports this season ... Dominguez (1-for-5, 2B, RBI) extended his hitting streak to nine games.

On Deck: After an off day on Wednesday, the Giants continue their road trip Thursday evening with the opener of a four-game series against the Modesto Nuts. First pitch at John Thurman Field is scheduled for 7:05 PM. David Mixon (3-0, 1.88 ERA) is slated to start on the mound for San Jose while Modesto is expected to counter with Dan Perkins (0-1, 6.11 ERA). The game can be heard live on www.sjgiants.com.

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