Giants Drop 12-9 Slugfest to Modesto
April 24, 2016 - California League (CalL1)
San Jose Giants News Release
SAN JOSE, CA - The Giants hit a season-high four home runs on Saturday evening, but it was not enough to avoid defeat as Modesto earned a 12-9 victory over San Jose at Municipal Stadium. The Nuts built a 10-3 lead after 5 1/2 innings and withstood a Giants rally to claim their second straight game in the series. With the loss, San Jose drops to 6-8 this season.
Jonah Arenado (3-for-4, HR, RBI) had three hits, including a home run, to lead the Giants offensively in the loss. Jose Vizcaino, Jr. (2-for-4, HR, 3 RBI), Chris Shaw (2-for-4, 2B, HR, RBI) and Aramis Garcia (2-for-4, HR, 2 RBI) also homered as part of multi-hit games for San Jose.
Modesto scored five runs over the first two innings against Giants starter D.J. Snelten to take an early 5-0 lead. In the top of first, the Nuts started the contest with three straight singles with all three runners eventually coming home to score. Modesto stole four bases in the frame, including a steal home to score one of the runs. The Nuts then collected three singles in the second and also took advantage of a San Jose error to plate two more runs for a 5-0 advantage.
The Giants then used a pair of solo home runs to begin chipping away at the Modesto advantage. Garcia led off the bottom of the second with a towering home run to left - his first round-tripper of the season. Then in the fourth, Arenado smacked a solo homer to left trimming the Nuts lead to 5-2.
San Jose then scored another run in the bottom of the fifth to close within 5-3. Cristian Paulino led off the inning with a single before stealing second. Johneshwy Fargas followed with a single to put runners on the corners with none out. Then with C.J Hinojosa at the plate, Fargas broke for second base in a stolen base attempt before stopping and quickly returning to first. When catcher Robbie Perkins threw the ball to second, Paulino sprinted to the plate and successfully stole home with the Giants' third run of the game.
Snelten recovered from his rocky start to keep Modesto off the scoreboard from the third through the fifth innings before the San Jose bullpen took over to begin the top of the sixth. Jeff Soptic (1/3 IP, 3 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 3 BB, 1 SO) walked the first two batters of the sixth inning before surrendering a one-out RBI single to Drew Weeks which pushed the Nuts lead to 6-3. Roberto Ramos then singled to load the bases bringing Shane Hoelscher to the plate, who crushed a fly ball over the fence in left center for a grand slam and a 10-3 Modesto advantage.
The Giants though immediately answered with four runs of their own in the bottom of the sixth. Shaw led off with a double to deep center and scored when the next batter, Garcia, grounded a single into left. Following a single from Arenado which put runners on first and second, Vizcaino, Jr. stepped to the plate and launched a three-run home run to left center. The homer, Vizcaino's first of the season, cut the Nuts lead to 10-7.
Each team then scored a single run in the seventh inning. In the top half with Jose Morel (1 2/3 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 2 SO) on the mound, a leadoff walk and a one-out single preceded a Weeks sacrifice fly. In the bottom of the inning, Shaw connected for his first home run of the season - a solo shot to right center - to make the score 11-8.
Dusten Knight (1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 SO) pitched the top of the eighth for San Jose and surrendered one run. Luis Jean doubled with one out before a walk to Perkins. Knight then uncorked two wild pitches allowing Jean to score for a 12-8 Modesto cushion.
The Giants were retired 1-2-3 in the bottom of the eighth and then pushed across one run in the ninth before falling short in their comeback effort. In the ninth, Fargas walked with one out before advancing all the way to third when Hinojosa grounded out to shortstop. He then scored on the play when first baseman Collin Ferguson threw wildly across the diamond in an attempt to retire Fargas at third. The run brought San Jose to within 12-9, but the game quickly ended when the next batter, Steven Duggar, grounded out.
Nuts starter Yency Almonte (2-0) picked-up the win despite allowing six runs (all earned) on 10 hits over five-plus innings of work. He struck out four and did not issue a walk. Luis Niebla earned his first save of the year after pitching the last three innings with one hit and two runs (one earned) surrendered.
Snelten (1-1) took the loss for the Giants. The left-hander was charged with five runs (four earned) on nine hits in five innings. He walked two and struck out three.
California League Stories from April 24, 2016
- Quakes Squander Lead, Pesky Rawhide Rally to Earn Series Split - Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
- JetHawks Drop Finale Despite Ferguson's Strong Day - Lancaster JetHawks
- Johnson, Giants Offense Roll in 12-4 Victory - San Jose Giants
- Early Offense Dooms Nuts in 12-4 Loss - Modesto Nuts
- The Force Was Strong with Herb and Mack, Blaze Dominate - Bakersfield Blaze
- Late Rally Stymied as Ports Fall 8-6 - Stockton Ports
- Rancho Cruises in 10-3 Win vs. Rawhide - Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
- Giants Drop 12-9 Slugfest to Modesto - San Jose Giants
- Ritchie Ties It In Ninth Before Mavs Walk Off - Lancaster JetHawks
- Mack's Homer Not Enough, Blaze Fall 4-2 - Bakersfield Blaze
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