CalL San Jose Giants

Eldridge's First Cal League Home Run Highlights 10-4 Win

Published on September 1, 2023 under California League (CalL)
San Jose Giants News Release


Bryce Eldridge hit his first home run as a member of the San Jose Giants in a 10-4 victory over the Lake Elsinore Storm on Thursday night at The Diamond. Eldridge's blast was a three-run shot that gave San Jose a 3-0 lead before an out was recorded in the contest as the Giants (65-58) cruised to their second straight win in the series.

Drew Cavanaugh (2-for-4, 3 RBI) had a pair of singles and drove in three runs while Scott Bandura (2-for-3, 3B, RBI), Javier Francisco (2-for-4, RBI) and Quinn McDaniel (2-for-4, SB) also had multi-hit games for San Jose. The Giants led 5-0 after a half-inning and never looked back on their way to the convincing victory.

Nomar Medina (5-8) earned the win after tossing five strong innings in his start with only two hits and two runs (both earned) allowed. The left-hander walked one and struck out two during his 75-pitch outing.

San Jose wasted no time jumping on the Storm as Turner Hill began the game with a nine-pitch walk before Cole Foster grounded a single into right to put runners on first and second. Eldridge was up next and the first round draft pick crushed a 2-2 offering over the fence in left for an opposite-field three-run home run. Eldridge hit five homers over 16 games in the Arizona Complex League (Rookie-level) this season before joining the SJ Giants last week. Thursday's round-tripper came in his sixth game in the Cal League.

The Giants weren't done in the first inning as McDaniel followed the home run by drawing a walk. With one out, Bandura was hit by a pitch before Francisco belted a long single off the fence in left that plated McDaniel with the fourth run of the inning. Cavanaugh followed with another RBI single as the lead grew to 5-0. San Jose sent 10 batters to the plate during their five-run top of the first.

Lake Elsinore got one run back in the bottom of the first as Braedon Karpathios led off with a triple and scored two batters later on a Victor Duarte sacrifice fly. In the bottom of the third, Nik McClaughry smacked a solo home run to left to bring the Storm within 5-2. The homer though would be the final hit allowed by Medina as he kept Lake Elsinore off the board in the fourth and fifth innings. Medina retired eight of the final nine batters he faced following the home run.

Meanwhile, the Giants responded with two runs in the top of the fourth before a single tally in the fifth. Suarez was plunked with one out in the fourth on the 13th pitch of his at-bat to start a run-scoring rally. Hill was up next and he laced a triple into the right center gap that scored Suarez all the way from first base. Foster followed with a sacrifice fly to bring home Hill for a 7-2 advantage.

In the top of the fifth, three straight two-out singles from Bandura, Francisco and Cavanaugh produced a run as San Jose extended their lead to 8-2.

Mauricio Estrella relieved Medina to begin the bottom of the sixth and worked two scoreless innings. Estrella pitched around two singles and a walk during his bullpen stint. Marques Johnson then worked through a pair of walks in the bottom of the eighth to maintain the six-run cushion.

The Giants scored their final two runs of the night in the top of the ninth as McDaniel led off with a single and came home on Bandura's one-out triple to the fence in deep left center. Cavanaugh then collected his third RBI of the game as his sacrifice fly plated Bandura to make it 10-2.

The Storm scored twice in the bottom of the ninth against Tom Kane as McClaughry hit a two-out, two-RBI double to bring the game to its final margin of 10-4.

San Jose out-hit Lake Elsinore 11-7. The Giants were 4-for-9 with runners in scoring position. San Jose has won two out of the first three games against the Storm this week.

Bryce Eldridge hit his first California League home run in the Giants' 10-4 victory on Thursday night

The Giants continue their series against Lake Elsinore on Friday evening with first pitch at The Diamond set for 7:15 PM. Mikell Manzano is San Jose's scheduled starting pitcher. The game can be heard live on sjgiants.com.

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California League Stories from September 1, 2023


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