Fresno's Ninth-Inning Rally Sinks Giants
April 17, 2022 - California League (CalL)
San Jose Giants News Release
Fresno's Juan Brito hit a two-out RBI single in the top of the ninth inning to propel the Grizzlies to a come-from-behind 2-1 win over the San Jose Giants on Sunday afternoon at Excite Ballpark. The Giants were one strike away from victory in the contest before Brito's go-ahead hit. With the loss, San Jose (5-4) settles for a six-game series split with Fresno this week.
Sunday's affair was a well-pitched game with hurlers on both sides excelling. Giants starter Matt Mikulski needed only 44 pitches to work four scoreless innings during his outing. Mikulski worked around three singles, walked none and struck out one. Meanwhile, Grizzlies starter Mason Green fired five shutout innings allowing only one hit with five strikeouts.
Mat Olsen relieved Mikulski to begin the top of the fifth and kept Fresno off the scoreboard over the next two innings. Olsen surrendered just one hit, walked one and struck out two before Trevor McDonald entered from the bullpen and pitched a scoreless top of the seventh.
With the game still at 0-0, San Jose would finally breakthrough in the bottom of the seventh. Abdiel Layer led off the frame with a ringing double into the left center field gap. Alexander Suarez's fly out to deep left center advanced Layer to third. Then with Vaun Brown at the plate, a wild pitch uncorked by Grizzlies reliever Tyler Ahearn allowed Layer to score giving the Giants a 1-0 lead.
McDonald returned to the mound in the top of the eighth and kept the San Jose ahead with another scoreless inning. Aiverson Rodriguez reached on an error to start the frame before Benny Montgomery's one-out single put runners on first and second, but McDonald came back to strikeout Braxton Fulford and then retired Warming Bernabel on a groundout to keep the lead intact.
The score remained at 1-0 when Hunter Dula took over on the mound for the Giants to begin the top of the ninth. Dula struck out Hunter Goodman to begin the inning. Juan Guerrero then engaged in a long battle at the plate and benefitted when his foul pop-up was dropped by first baseman Victor Bericoto for San Jose's fourth error of the afternoon. A few pitches later, Guerrero would work a walk to put the potential tying run on base. Dula came back to set down E.J. Andrews Jr. on a pop out for the second out, but pinch-hitter Yanquiel Fernandez followed with a line drive single into right center to put runners on the corners. Brito was up next and during his at-bat, Fernandez stole second without a throw to move the go-ahead run into scoring position. Then on a 2-2 pitch, Brito blooped a fly ball that dropped into shallow center field for a single. The hit easily scored both Guerrero and Fernandez giving Fresno a 2-1 lead.
In the bottom of the ninth, Layer singled with one out to put the tying run aboard, but Suarez followed by grounding into a game-ending 6-4-3 double play.
GIANTS NOTES
Ninth-Inning Rally: The Giants lost for the first time this season when leading after eight innings.
Inside The Box Score: Fresno out-hit San Jose 7-6 ... The teams were a combined 1-for-15 with runners in scoring position (Grizzlies 1-for-9, Giants 0-for-6) ... The lone hit was Brito's two-run single in the top of the ninth ... Both runs charged to Hunter Dula were unearned ... San Jose's four errors were a season-high.
At The Plate: Aeverson Arteaga (2-for-4, 2B) and Abdiel Layer (2-for-4, 2B) had multi-hit games for the Giants on Sunday.
On Deck: Following an off day, the Giants travel to Visalia for a six-game series with the Rawhide. Tuesday's series opener is a 6:30 PM first pitch. The entire series can be heard live on sjgiants.com. San Jose returns to Excite Ballpark on Tuesday, April 26 to host the Modesto Nuts.
California League Stories from April 17, 2022
- Storm Survive Second Straight One Run Game to Take Series Win - Lake Elsinore Storm
- Ports Prevail in Pitchers' Duel for Series Win - Stockton Ports
- Grizzlies Display Their Comeback Claws in 9th with 2-1 Win over Giants - Fresno Grizzlies
- Fresno's Ninth-Inning Rally Sinks Giants - San Jose Giants
- Fresno Grizzlies Game Notes at San Jose - Fresno Grizzlies
- Quakes Hit Four Homers in Late-Inning Loss - Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
- Six-Run Inning Keys Comeback Win over Grizzlies - San Jose Giants
- Early Offense, Bullpen Carry Ports to Third Straight Win - Stockton Ports
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