CalL San Jose Giants

Giants Can't Close out Nuts, Win Streak Snapped

Published on June 19, 2021 under California League (CalL)
San Jose Giants News Release


The Giants were one strike away from securing their seventh consecutive win, but were unable to close out Modesto on Friday night as the Nuts scored twice with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning to stun San Jose, 2-1, at John Thurman Field. The Giants took a 1-0 lead into the final inning before Modesto's Kennie Taylor tied the game with a two-out, two-strike RBI single to set up pinch hitter Dariel Gomez's RBI single for the Nuts walk-off win. The loss was only San Jose's (27-13) second in their last 12 games overall.

The Giants' only run on Friday came in the top of the second inning when newcomer Jairo Pomares blasted a solo homer to right. San Jose would strand at least one runner in scoring position in four straight innings from the second through the fifth. The Giants managed only one hit over the final five innings.

Despite little offense though, San Jose was in position to pull out another win thanks to the work of starting pitcher Kyle Harrison. Harrison dazzled on the mound as the left-hander fired six scoreless innings with only two hits allowed, one walk and eight strikeouts. Harrison retired 17 of the 21 batters he faced and allowed only one Modesto baserunner to advance past first base during his outing.

With the score still at 1-0, Ty Weber took over out of the bullpen to begin the bottom of the seventh and pitched around a two-out single and a stolen base in his first inning of work to keep the Giants ahead. In the bottom of the eighth, Weber struck out the first two batters of the inning before Victor Labrada doubled. The extra-base hit prompted a pitching change as closer Clay Helvey was summoned and he promptly struck out Noelvi Marte to retire the side.

Helvey returned to the mound in the bottom of the ninth and had San Jose on the brink of victory before the Nuts rallied. Robert Perez Jr. led off the inning with an infield single before Helvey set down the next two batters on a fly out and a strikeout. Taylor was up next and during his at-bat, Helvey uncorked a costly wild pitch advancing Perez Jr., the potential tying run, to second. Moments later, on a 2-2 offering, Taylor grounded a single into center to bring home Perez Jr. tying the game. Helvey followed the game-tying hit by issuing a full-count walk to Trent Tingelstad and then Gomez came up as a pinch-hitter and lined a single into center plating Taylor for a 2-1 Modesto walk-off win.

GIANTS NOTES

Heartbreaking Loss

The Giants had won the first three games of the series in Modesto and six straight overall before Friday's setback. San Jose had themselves won a game earlier on their current road trip when down to their final strike (last Sunday in Stockton) before the Nuts accomplished the same feat tonight. Clay Helvey suffered his second blown save of the season - both on the current road trip.

Harrison's Gem

Kyle Harrison's six innings pitched established a new career high. The only two hits he allowed were a two-out double to Perez Jr. in the bottom of the first and a two-out single to Tingelstad in the fifth. Harrison lowered his season ERA to 2.48 in eight starts with the Giants.

Hitting Leaders

Jairo Pomares (2-for-4, 2B, HR, RBI) doubled and homered to lead the way offensively for the Giants on Friday. Pomares was playing in only his third game of the season after joining San Jose at the start of the series. Pomares' home run was his first of the year. Luis Toribio (2-for-4, 2B) also finished with a multi-hit game.

Matos Extends Hit Streak

Luis Matos (1-for-3, SB) extended his hitting streak to 12 games with an eighth-inning single.

Inside The Box Score

Both teams finished with seven hits on Friday. The Giants were hitless in seven at-bats with runners in scoring position. Modesto finished 2-for-5 w/RISP (both hits came in the bottom of the ninth). Nuts starting pitcher Taylor Dollard tossed seven strong innings with only one run allowed, three walks and eight strikeouts. San Jose did not advance a runner past first base after the fifth inning.

Standings Update

The Giants reach the 40-game mark of the season with a 27-13 record. Despite the loss, San Jose remains one game ahead of Fresno (26-14) for first place in the North Division standings.

On Deck

The Giants and Nuts play the fifth game of their series on Saturday evening with first pitch at John Thurman Field set for 6:05 PM. Prelander Berroa is San Jose's scheduled starting pitcher.

Check out the San Jose Giants Statistics

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California League Stories from June 19, 2021


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