CalL1 San Jose Giants

Former Giant Leads Mavericks To 5-3 Win

Published on July 24, 2010 under California League (CalL1)
San Jose Giants News Release


Former San Jose Giant MVP Eddy Martinez-Esteve hit a key two-run single in the top of the sixth inning before an RBI double in the eighth to lead the High Desert Mavericks to a 5-3 victory in the opener of a three-game series on Friday evening at Municipal Stadium. Johnny Monell homered for San Jose, but the Giants suffered their third loss in four games to begin the homestand. With the defeat, the Giants' overall record drops to 56-43.

Martinez-Esteve (2-for-4, 2B, 3 RBI) led a seven-hit High Desert offensive attack while Mavericks starting pitcher Maikel Cleto (3-4) tossed eight innings with three runs allowed (all earned) to record the win. Cleto struck out six and walked none during his stint on the mound.

Francisco Peguero (3-for-4, 3B) smacked his team record 14th triple of the year as San Jose finished the contest with 10 hits.

Neither team scored in the first five innings before the Mavericks erupted for four runs in the top of the sixth against Giants reliever Scott Nestor. Consecutive walks to Trevor Coleman and Kuo Hui Lo began the frame before Kyle Seager lined a single into left center to load the bases. Nestor recovered to strikeout Edilio Colina, but then issued a full-count walk to Dennis Raben forcing home the first run of the game. Martinez-Esteve was up next and he lined a single into left field easily scoring both Seager and Raben to make it 3-0.

Craig Whitaker relieved Nestor and retired Rich Poythress on a line out, but then surrendered an RBI single to Johermyn Chavez as High Desert built a 4-0 lead.

The Giants managed five hits in the first five innings against Cleto, but hit into a pair of double plays and failed to score until the bottom of the sixth. Peguero led off the sixth inning with a triple into the right field corner before immediately scoring when the next batter, Ehire Adrianza, blooped a single down the left field line. After Juan Perez popped out, Monell stepped to the plate and blasted a 2-0 pitch over the fence in center field for a two-run homer. The home run, Monell's 10th of the year, brought San Jose to within 4-3.

The Giants though would get no closer as Cleto retired the next two hitters in the sixth before working a 1-2-3 bottom of the seventh. In the top of the eighth, David Quinowski surrendered consecutive doubles to Raben and Martinez-Esteve as High Desert extended their lead to 5-3.

Peguero led off the bottom of the eighth with a single, but was promptly erased when Adrianza grounded into a double play. Wes Littleton relieved Cleto to begin the bottom of the ninth and allowed a one-out single to Charlie Culberson before issuing a two-out walk to Wendell Fairley bringing the potential winning run to the plate. However on a 3-2 pitch, Littleton struck out Drew Biery to end the game and seal the Mavericks victory.

Nestor (2-2) suffered the loss for the Giants after yielding four runs (all earned) on three hits over 2 1/3 innings. The right-hander walked three and struck out three.

Ryan Verdugo made the first start of his professional career for San Jose and fired three no-hit innings. Verdugo, who was starting in place of the injured Eric Surkamp, worked around three walks and struck out four. The southpaw issued a leadoff walk in the first inning and a one-out walk in the second, but both runners were thrown out by Monell at second attempting to steal.

Nestor entered the game to begin the top of the fourth and faced the minimum six hitters over his first two innings, before struggling in the sixth. High Desert's first hit didn't come until Chavez singled with one out in the top of the fifth.

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California League Stories from July 24, 2010


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