Giants Drop Second Straight To Modesto, 5-3
June 30, 2023 - California League (CalL)
San Jose Giants News Release
The San Jose Giants suffered a fifth consecutive home loss with a 5-3 setback to the Modesto Nuts on Thursday night at Excite Ballpark. The Nuts went ahead for good with a three-run rally in the top of the seventh inning on their way to a second straight win to open the series. The loss for the Giants (41-30 overall, 1-4 second half) was also their ninth in the last 11 games since clinching a playoff berth two weeks ago.
P.J. Hilson (1-for-3, HR, 2 RBI) hit a two-run homer while Heliot Ramos (1-for-4, HR, RBI) added a solo shot in the second game of his rehab assignment to account for all three San Jose runs in defeat.
Hayden Wynja started on the mound for the Giants and fired four effective innings with only one unearned run allowed. Wynja surrendered three hits, walked one and struck out four during his 70-pitch performance. The left-hander began his night with two scoreless innings before Modesto plated one run in the top of the third to take a 1-0 lead. With two outs in the inning, Gabriel Gonzalez hit a two-out double to start the rally. Then with Colin Davis at the plate, Gonzalez broke early for third as he attempted to steal the base. On the play, Wynja made a hurried throw that skipped past third baseman Anthony Rodriguez and down the left field line. Gonzalez was credited with a steal of third while the Wynja throwing error allowed the run to score to make it 1-0. Wynja then fanned two in a scoreless top of the fourth to complete his night.
Meanwhile, Nuts starter Tyler Cleveland limited the Giants to only a pair of singles over 4 2/3 scoreless innings to begin his outing before San Jose finally broke through with two outs in the bottom of the fifth. Andrew Kachel singled for the Giants before Hilson stepped to the plate and crushed a two-run home run to deep left center. The round-tripper was Hilson's third of the season as San Jose moved in front by a 2-1 score.
Esmerlin Vinicio had relieved Wynja to begin the top of the fifth and initially worked two scoreless innings before running into trouble in the seventh. With the score still at 2-1, back-to-back singles from Bill Knight and Milkar Perez started the inning. After a wild pitch advanced the runners, Justin Leavy grounded a triple down the right field line to bring home both Knight and Perez giving Modesto back the lead at 3-2. Two batters later, Gonzalez produced a one-out RBI single as Lavey scored for a 4-2 Nuts advantage.
After the Giants went down quietly in the bottom of the seventh and eighth, Modesto added to their lead with a single tally in the top of the ninth. Facing San Jose reliever Julio Rodriguez, the rally began with a two-out double from Cole Young. Gonzalez, the league's leading hitter, then stepped to the plate and collected his third hit of night as a single into center plated Young to make it 5-2.
The Giants pulled within 5-3 when Ramos led off the bottom of the ninth with a mammoth 422-foot solo home run to left center. It was his third homer of the season as the former California League All-Star had gone deep twice earlier this year with Triple-A Sacramento.
Later in the inning, Tanner O'Tremba was hit by a pitch with one out before Zach Morgan drew a two-out walk to put the potential tying run on base. However, Kachel followed by grounding out to second to end the game.
Cleveland (5-5) was credited with the win after tossing six strong innings with two runs (both earned) allowed. He walked one and struck out five. Troy Taylor pitched the bottom of the ninth inning to pick-up his first save. Vinicio (2-6), who was charged with all three runs in the top of the seventh, took the loss.
The Nuts out-hit the Giants by an 11-5 margin. San Jose was hitless in four at-bats with runners in scoring position.
The Giants continue their series with Modesto on Friday evening with first pitch at Excite Ballpark set for 7:00 PM. Manuel Mercedes is San Jose's scheduled starting pitcher.
California League Stories from June 30, 2023
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- Fresno Grizzlies Game Notes at Stockton - Fresno Grizzlies
- Nuts Launch Program, Inspiring Youth Athletes to Shine - Modesto Nuts
- Giants Drop Second Straight To Modesto, 5-3 - San Jose Giants
- Ferocious Fresno Offense Launches 5 Homers In 11-8 Triumph Over Stockton - Fresno Grizzlies
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