CalL1 San Jose Giants

Giants Bullpen Saves 7-5 Win Over Lancaster

July 18, 2010 - California League (CalL1)
San Jose Giants News Release


San Jose relievers combined for 2 2/3 scoreless innings, including key double plays to end the seventh and ninth frames, in a 7-5 victory over the Lancaster JetHawks on Saturday evening at Clear Channel Stadium. Charlie Culberson hit his team-leading 14th home run of the season while Joel Weeks and James Simmons added back-to-back homers in the series-opening win. The victory improves the Giants' overall record to 53-40.

Culberson (3-for-4, HR, 3 RBI, SB) and Francisco Peguero (3-for-4, SB) both knocked out three hits to lead the San Jose offensive attack. Weeks (2-for-3, HR, 2 RBI), Juan Perez (2-for-5, 2B, RBI) and Johnny Monell (2-for-5) also contributed two hits apiece. The Giants finished the contest with 15 hits.

Kyle Nicholson (6-7) earned his first win of the second half after tossing 6 1/3 innings with five runs (all earned) and seven hits allowed. Nicholson struck out one, walked none, but surrendered three home runs. David Quinowski (2/3 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 SO) induced a double play to end the bottom of the seventh preserving a one-run lead before Craig Whitaker (2/3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 SO) and Ryan Verdugo (1/3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 SO) combined to blank the JetHawks in the eighth. Jason Stoffel (1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 SO) then worked around a leadoff walk and a one-out single in the ninth to earn his 15th save of the year.

The Giants went ahead for good with two runs in the top of the third inning against Lancaster starter Ross Seaton. With the game tied 2-2 and Peguero at second base, Culberson stepped to the plate and belted a two-out home run to deep right center field. The blast gave San Jose a 4-2 lead.

Weeks then drove the first pitch of the top of the fourth over the wall in right field for a solo homer to make it 5-2. Simmons was up next and he lofted a fly ball that carried over the fence in right center field for a second consecutive home run and a 6-2 advantage.

The JetHawks got one of the runs back in the bottom of the fourth inning when Lee Cruz hammered a one-out, solo homer to left center. Nicholson though settled down and had retired eight out of nine Lancaster hitters until running into trouble with one out in the bottom of the seventh. With the Giants leading by a 6-3 margin, John Curtis started the rally with a double before Barry Butera connected for a two-run homer to cut the San Jose advantage down to 6-5.

Nicholson was removed from the game after surrendering the home run as Quinowski promptly allowed back-to-back singles to Brandon Wikoff and Jay Austin putting the potential tying and go-ahead runs on base. However, Quinowski recovered inducing Andy Simunic to ground into a 5-4-3 double play to end the inning.

San Jose moved ahead by a 7-5 score in the top of the eighth as Jose Flores led off with a ground-rule double to deep left center before Perez delivered a one-out, RBI double.

In the bottom of the eighth, Whitaker plunked Cruz with one out, but retired Brandon Barnes on a groundout to third base. Verdugo was then summoned from the bullpen and he set down pinch-hitter David Flores on a groundout to third.

Stoffel entered the game to begin the bottom of the ninth and after issuing a leadoff walk to Curtis, the Giants closer struck out Butera. Pinch-hitter Federico Hernandez followed with a line drive single into right putting the potential tying run on base, but Austin hit a routine ground ball to shortstop that resulted in a game-ending double play.

Seaton (4-10) suffered his league-leading 10th loss of the year after surrendering six runs (all earned) on 10 hits over three-plus innings of work.

The Giants initially took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning as three singles produced a run. Consecutive one-out singles from Wendell Fairley and Peguero started the rally before Culberson's two- out RBI hit into center field.

Lancaster immediately answered in the bottom of the frame when Brian Pellegrini hit a two-run homer to deep right center field. San Jose then drew even in the top of the second as Weeks came through with a one-out, RBI single into right.

Notes: The Giants improved to 3-1 on their current road trip ... Weeks and Simmons also hit back-to-back home runs on June 28 at Visalia ... Culberson is batting .458 (11-for-24) with 10 RBI's during his current six-game hit streak ... Nicholson recorded his first win since June 13 ... San Jose out-hit the JetHawks by a 15-10 margin ... Saturday marked the Giants' first game this season in Lancaster.

On Deck: The Giants and JetHawks continue their three-game series on Sunday afternoon with first pitch at Clear Channel Stadium scheduled for 5:00 PM. Eric Surkamp (4-2, 3.18 ERA) is slated to start on the mound for San Jose while Lancaster is expected to counter with Dallas Keuchel (5-7, 3.30 ERA). The game can be heard live on www.sjgiants.com.

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