CalL1 San Jose Giants

Giants Cruise to 9-1 Victory over Blaze

Published on August 16, 2012 under California League (CalL1)
San Jose Giants News Release


SAN JOSE - Ricky Oropesa and Jarrett Parker each homered and Taylor Rogers tossed six scoreless innings to lead the San Jose Giants to a 9-1 victory over the Bakersfield Blaze on Wednesday evening at Municipal Stadium. San Jose has now won the first two games of the series and 11 out of 15 overall to improve their record to a North Division-best 64-57.

Oropesa (4-for-5, HR, 4 RBI) knocked out four hits, including his 15th home run of the season, to highlight the Giants offensive attack. Parker (1-for-4, HR, 2 RBI) added his third home run over the last two games while Carter Jurica (3-for-5, 2B, RBI) contributed three hits.

Rogers (10-10) won his third consecutive start after limiting the Blaze to four singles during his stint on the mound. The right-hander walked two and struck out two.

San Jose jumped out to the early lead with single runs in both the first and second innings against Bakersfield starter Jamie Walczak. Jurica led off the bottom of the first with a single before Oropesa singled with two outs and then Alex Burg drew a walk to load the bases. Parker was up next, but a Walczak wild pitch allowed the runner from third to score to put the Giants in front.

In the bottom of the second, Jarrad Page led off with a single, stole second, moved to third on Chris Lofton's sacrifice bunt and scored when Jurica blasted a double off the fence in deep left center field.

San Jose kept the pressure on with two more runs in the third inning. With one out, Burg drew a walk and then Parker stepped to the plate and belted an opposite-field two-run homer to left. The home run was Parker's 13th of the year as the Giants extended their lead to 4-0.

Meanwhile, Rogers kept the Blaze off the scoreboard pitching around a leadoff single and a one-out walk in the top of the second. After Rogers fired a perfect third inning, Steve Selsky led off the top of the fourth with a single. However, Rogers set down the next three batters to quickly end the inning.

Rogers had retired seven straight Bakersfield hitters until issuing a one-out walk to Travis Mattair in the top of the sixth. Selsky followed with a single to put the potential tying run in the on-deck circle, but Rogers induced the next batter, Juan Duran, to ground into an inning-ending double play.

San Jose then blew the game open with a three-run bottom of the sixth. Lofton started the frame with a double before moving to third on a passed ball. He remained at third base as Jurica popped out and Skyler Stromsmoe grounded out, but Adam Duvall then drew a walk to extend the inning. Oropesa was up next and he blasted a towering home run to center field for a 7-0 Giants advantage.

The Blaze scored their only run of the contest in the top of the seventh with Edward Concepcion (1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 SO) on the mound for San Jose. After Stephen Hunt drew a leadoff walk and Devin Lohman struck out, Danny Vicioso smacked an RBI double to deep center.

Craig Whitaker (1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 SO) worked a 1-2-3 top of the eighth before the Giants pushed across two more runs in the bottom of the inning. Jurica started the rally with a single before Stromsmoe drew a walk. Duvall then ripped a double into the left field corner to plate Jurica while Stromsmoe scored when the next batter, Oropesa, grounded out.

Heath Hembree (1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO) struck out two in a perfect top of the ninth to finish the game.

Walczak (3-4) suffered the loss for Bakersfield after yielding four runs (all earned) on seven hits over 2 1/3 innings. He walked five and struck out one.

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California League Stories from August 16, 2012


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