CalL1 San Jose Giants

Blaze Thump Giants, Losing Streak at Four

August 2, 2016 - California League (CalL1)
San Jose Giants News Release


BAKERSFIELD, CA - The Bakersfield Blaze scored nine unanswered runs to finish the game on Monday night en route to a convincing 12-4 series-opening victory over the San Jose Giants at Sam Lynn Ballpark. The Blaze scored in each of the first five innings and pounded out 15 hits in the contest. The loss was San Jose's (55-53) fourth in a row.

Ronnie Jebavy (3-for-5, HR, RBI, 2 SB) homered and stole two bases as part of a three-hit night to lead the Giants offensively in defeat. T.J. Bennett (1-for-3, HR, 2 RBI) also went deep while Miguel Gomez (2-for-3) added a pair of hits.

The game began with offensive fireworks as the teams combined for three home runs over the first 1 1/2 innings. Bakersfield struck first in the opening frame against San Jose starter Jason Forjet as Gianfranco Wawoe singled with one out before Tyler Marlette was hit by a pitch with two down. Jay Baum then stepped to the plate and launched a three-run home run to left for a 3-0 Blaze advantage.

The Giants though answered with a four-run top of the second to take the lead. Following a Gomez leadoff single, Daniel Carbonell laced an RBI double into the left field corner to get San Jose on the scoreboard. Bennett then lofted a fly ball that cleared the fence just inside the left field foul pole for a game-tying two-run homer. The home run was Bennett's second of the season. Three batters later, Jebavy belted a solo home run to straightaway center giving the Giants a 4-3 lead.

Bakersfield though came right back with a run in the bottom of the second to tie the game. Consecutive singles from Joe DeCarlo and Jordan Cowan started the frame before an Aaron Barbosa sacrifice bunt. Drew Jackson then lifted a sacrifice fly to left plating DeCarlo with the tying run.

Forjet lasted just two innings and 36 pitches in his start. The right-hander was charged with four runs (all earned) on four hits. He walked none and struck out one.

With the game tied 4-4, Carlos Diaz was summoned from the bullpen to begin the bottom of the third and immediately ran into trouble. Back-to-back four-pitch walks to Chantz Mack and Marlette started the inning before a Baum single loaded the bases. Braden Bishop then grounded into a 6-4-3 double play to score Mack with the go-ahead tally.

Diaz returned to the mound in the bottom of the fourth and allowed two more runs as the Blaze pushed their lead to 7-4. With one out, Barbosa was hit by a pitch. Barbosa then stole both second and third base before scoring on a Jackson groundout to make it 6-4. The rally then restarted with a two-out single from Wawoe. Following a walk to Mack, Marlette ripped an RBI double down the left field line to extend the Bakersfield lead to 7-4.

Diaz (0-2) was ultimately saddled with the loss after yielding three runs (all earned) on three hits over 1 2/3 innings. He walked four, struck out none and retired just four out of the 12 batters he faced.

The Blaze then broke the game open with a four-run bottom of the fifth against Pat Young (1 1/3 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 0 SO). Singles from DeCarlo and Cowan put runners on the corners with none out before a Young wild pitch scored the first run of the inning. Barbosa then blooped an RBI single into shallow left center plating Cowan for a 9-4 cushion. After Jackson reached on an error and Wawoe grounded into a double play, Mack delivered a two-out RBI single to score the third run of the frame. Then after another error allowed Marlette to reach, Baum singled home Mack to make it 11-4.

Zack Littell (5-0) earned the win for Bakersfield after tossing six innings with four runs (all earned) and six hits allowed. He walked three and struck out four. Littell entered the game to begin the top of the second after Mariners pitcher Evan Scribner pitched a scoreless top of the first as part of a rehabilitation assignment. Littell surrendered four runs in his first inning of work, but then worked five straight scoreless frames to end his outing. Littell retired 11 consecutive batters at one point during his long relief stint.

The Blaze capped the scoring for the night when Bishop connected for a solo home run in the bottom of the eighth off of Reyes Moronta (1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 3 SO).

Bakersfield's Darin Gillies worked two hitless innings of relief to finish the game. The Giants knocked out just two hits after the second inning.

Notes - * The four-game skid is tied for the Giants' second-longest losing streak this year (season-high: eight straight losses from July 11-18). * Bakersfield out-hit San Jose 15-7. The Blaze were 7-for-16 with runners in scoring position compared to 1-for-7 for the Giants. * Jebavy is second among active San Jose players with 10 home runs. He's also second on the team with 23 stolen bases. * The Giants have lost 11 out of their last 13 road games. * D.J. Snelten (2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 SO) was the only San Jose pitcher on Monday to not allow a run. Snelten pitched scoreless sixth and seventh innings. * Monday was the first of 10 games for the Giants in Bakersfield this month. * Catcher Ty Ross was transferred to Triple-A Sacramento before the game while catcher Bryan Case was activated off the disabled list. Pitcher Phil Bickford was also removed from the San Jose roster after he was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers earlier Monday.

On Deck: The Giants and Blaze continue their three-game series on Tuesday evening with first pitch at Sam Lynn Ballpark scheduled for 7:30 PM. Conner Menez (0-0, --- ERA) is slated to make the start on the mound for San Jose while Bakersfield is expected to counter with Eddie Campbell (10-8, 4.62 ERA). The game can be heard live on sjgiants.com with coverage beginning at 7:00 PM.

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