CalL San Jose Giants

Extra-Inning Heartbreak In Season Opener

Published on April 7, 2023 under California League (CalL)
San Jose Giants News Release


The San Jose Giants opened their 2023 season on Thursday night with a 5-3, 10-inning loss to the Fresno Grizzlies at Excite Ballpark. San Jose saw a late lead slip away in the contest as Fresno scored twice in the top of the ninth inning to tie the game before a two-run home run hit by Parker Kelly in the top of the 10th lifted the Grizzlies to the comeback win.

Giants pitching was spectacular for the majority of the night as four San Jose hurlers combined for 16 strikeouts and only one walk during the 10-inning affair. San Jose's Carson Whisenhunt, currently the #2 pitching prospect in the San Francisco organization according to MLB.com, received the opening night start and worked three innings with one run allowed, no walks and four strikeouts. Whisenhunt threw 27 of his 35 pitches for strikes in an impressive performance. Liam Simon then fired four scoreless innings in a dominant long relief stint as the Giants carried a lead late into the game. Simon fanned six with no walks and only three hits surrendered during his outing.

Meanwhile, two runs in the bottom of the fifth and a single tally in the eighth put San Jose in front by a 3-1 margin on Thursday. Giants catcher Zach Morgan led off the fifth-inning rally with a single, was balked to second before Matt Higgins singled to put runners on the corners. A wild pitch then plated Morgan with San Jose's first run of the season. Later in the frame, Alexander Suarez singled before Diego Velasquez bounced into a force out to score Higgins for a 2-1 Giants lead.

San Jose pushed their advantage to 3-1 in the bottom of the eighth as Velasquez walked with one out, moved to third on Thomas Gavello's single and came home when Edison Mora grounded into a force out.

Giants reliever Hayden Wynja had struck out three in a scoreless top of the eighth to maintain the lead, but ran into trouble in the ninth as Fresno rallied. EJ Andrews Jr. led off the pivotal top of the ninth with a bunt single before Kody Huff laced an RBI double into the right center gap to bring the Grizzlies within 3-2. Wynja though came back to strike out Robby Martin Jr. before Luis Mendez was retired on a bunt attempt to bring San Jose within one out of victory. Huff, the potential tying run, had advanced to third on the bunt and with the next hitter, Andy Perez, at the plate, Wynja uncorked a costly wild pitch allowing the runner to come home tying the game 3-3.

After the Giants went down in the bottom of the ninth, Fresno used the long ball to go ahead in the top of the 10th. With Tyler Vogel on the mound and the automatic runner at second base, Kelly stepped to the plate with one out and launched a two-run home run to left. The round-tripper, the only one of the game, put the Grizzlies ahead by a 5-3 margin.

In the bottom of the 10th, Velasquez reached on a two-out infield single to put runners on the corners for San Jose and bring the possible winning run to the plate, however Gavello struck out swinging to end the game.

Fresno out-hit the Giants 11-8. Gavello (2-for-4) was the only San Jose player with a multi-hit game. Andrew Kachel (1-fof-4, 2B) provided the Giants' lone extra-base hit with a fourth-inning double. Vogel (0-1) was charged with the loss after surrendering the game-deciding home run.

The Giants and Grizzlies continue their season-opening three-game series on Friday evening with first pitch at Excite Ballpark set for 7:00 PM. Hayden Birdsong is San Jose's scheduled starting pitcher. For tickets, visit sjgiants.com.

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California League Stories from April 7, 2023


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