Giants Continue Surge with 11-Inning Victory
Published on July 21, 2015 under California League (CalL1)
San Jose Giants News Release
SAN JOSE, CA - Jeff Kobernus hit a bases loaded sacrifice fly in the bottom of the 11th inning to drive home the winning run for a 5-4 Giants victory over the Lancaster JetHawks on Monday evening at Municipal Stadium. The win was San Jose's (46-48) third straight to begin the series, their fifth consecutive victory overall and 12th win in their last 13 games.
Brian Ragira (2-for-5, HR, RBI) finished with two hits, including a game-tying solo home run in the bottom of the sixth, to lead the Giants offensively. Ty Ross (2-for-4, 2B, RBI) added a pair of hits as San Jose earned their eighth walk-off victory of the season.
Three Giants relievers - Tyler Rogers, Christian Jones and Jake Smith - combined on 7 2/3 scoreless innings to finish the game. The trio allowed just three hits, walked one and struck out nine. Smith (3-2) was credited with the win after pitching the 10th and 11th innings.
With the score tied 4-4, Ragira began the bottom of the 11th with a single up the middle before moving to second on Seth Harrison's sacrifice bunt. After John Polonius was inserted as a pinch-runner, Ross was intentionally walked and then Brandon Bednar was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Kobernus was up next and he lifted a 2-2 pitch into medium-deep right field that was caught near the foul line by Lancaster's Ronnie Mitchell for the second out. Polonius though tagged-up at third and raced home to score the winning run without a throw.
Albert Minnis (1-3), who entered the contest with two outs in the bottom of the 10th, suffered the loss for the JetHawks after allowing the game-deciding run.
San Jose jumped out early scoring twice in the bottom of the second for a 2-0 lead. Angel Villalona walked to start the frame before Tyler Horan singled. After Ragira flied out to right and Harrison grounded into a force out advancing Villalona to third, Lancaster starter Daniel Mengden uncorked a wild pitch allowing the first run of the night to score. Harrison moved from first to third on the wild pitch and scored moments later to make it 2-0 on Ross' infield single to second.
Jose Reyes started on the mound for the Giants and began his night with three scoreless innings facing the minimum nine hitters. The JetHawks' only baserunner over the first three frames was a leadoff single from James Ramsey in the top of the first, who was later thrown out attempting to steal.
Reyes had retired nine consecutive hitters until yielding a one-out single to Jamie Ritchie in the top of the fourth. Derek Fisher then walked before a wild pitch advanced the runners to second and third. Chase McDonald followed by crushing a three-run home run to left giving the JetHawks their first lead of the series at 3-2. The rally continued when the next two hitters, J.D. Davis and Jacob Nottingham, both singled to end Reyes' night. Mitchell then greeted the new pitcher Rogers with an RBI single left - Lancaster's sixth consecutive baserunner - to make it 4-2.
Reyes was charged with four runs (all earned) on five hits over 3 1/3 innings. He walked one and struck out three.
The Giants cut the JetHawks lead in half with a run in the bottom of the fifth. With one out, Kobernus singled before Arroyo lined a double into left center putting runners on second and third. Daniel Carbonell then hit a sacrifice fly to right plating Kobernus to bring San Jose to within 4-3.
Ragira then tied the score with a towering solo home run to left center in the bottom of the sixth - his eighth round-tripper of the season.
Rogers (2 2/3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 SO) finished his long relief appearance by setting down eight straight Lancaster hitters before Jones (3 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 SO) kept the JetHawks off the scoreboard from the seventh through the ninth innings. Lancaster threatened in the top of the eighth as Ritchie drew a leadoff walk before McDonald singled with one out, but Davis struck out and Nottingham grounded out to end the inning. Jones then worked a 1-2-3 top of the ninth.
The Giants had an opportunity to win the game in the bottom of the ninth when Ross laced a two-out double down the left field line, but was stranded at second as Bednar flied out to left.
Smith (2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO) entered from the bullpen to begin the top of the 10th and immediately ran into trouble when the first batter, Ramsey, hit a high fly ball to left that was dropped by Carbonell for a two-base error. A Ritchie sacrifice bunt then advanced Ramsey to third, but Smith pitched out of it inducing Fisher to pop out to second before McDonald struck out swinging.
In the bottom of the 10th, Kobernus drew a leadoff and was sacrificed to second by Arroyo. With two down, Villalona was intentionally walked to put runners on first and second, but Horan grounded out to extend the game further.
Smith then needed just seven pitches to breeze through a 1-2-3 top of the 11th before the Giants manufactured the winning tally in the bottom of the inning.
Notes:
* The Giants improved to 8-6 in extra-inning games. The eight extra-inning wins lead the league.
* Kobernus has the game-winning RBI in the last three extra-inning victories (July 8 vs. Bakersfield, July 10 vs. Bakersfield, Monday vs. Lancaster).
* Ragira is batting .344 with four home runs since the All-Star break (.207 AVG, 4 HR in the first half).
* San Jose out-hit Lancaster 9-8 on Monday.
* The Giants are 5-1 on their current homestand.
* Arroyo (1-for-4, 2B) extended his hitting streak to seven games with his fifth-inning double.
* San Jose is within two games of the .500 mark overall for the first time since April 22 (6-8).
On Deck: The Giants will look for a four-game sweep of the JetHawks when the teams conclude their series on Tuesday afternoon. First pitch at Municipal Stadium is scheduled for 12:30 PM. Ray Black (1-1, 2.77 ERA) is slated to start on the mound for San Jose while Lancaster is expected to counter with Akeem Bostick (1-2, 1.74 ERA). Tickets can be purchased by calling (408) 297-1435 or by visiting sjgiants.com.
California League Stories from July 21, 2015
- Giants Complete Sweep with 10-2 Rout of JetHawks - San Jose Giants
- JetHawks Swept in Four with Loss to Giants - Lancaster JetHawks
- Rawhide Homestand Preview: July 23-29 - Visalia Rawhide
- Wednesday, July 22 Added to 2015 High Desert Mavericks Schedule - High Desert Mavericks
- Nogowski's Walk-Off Hit Gives Ports 4-3 Victory - Stockton Ports
- Giants Continue Surge with 11-Inning Victory - San Jose Giants
- Visalia Pitching Overwhelms Quakes Again - Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
- Don't Walk; Blaze Watch Another Celebration in 4-3 Defeat - Bakersfield Blaze
- Late Error Drops Nuts in 7-6 Loss - Modesto Nuts
- Lancaster Drops Extra-Inning Affair at Muni - Lancaster JetHawks
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
