CalL1 San Jose Giants

Giants Drop Series Opener in Modesto, 13-7

August 25, 2018 - California League (CalL1)
San Jose Giants News Release


MODESTO, CA - The Modesto Nuts knocked out 18 hits and took control of the game with back-to-back four-run innings in the fifth and sixth en route to a 13-7 series-opening victory over the San Jose Giants on Friday evening at John Thurman Field. The loss was San Jose's (56-74 overall, 22-38 second half) second straight after beginning their final road trip of the year with back-to-back wins.

Gio Brusa (3-for-5, RBI, SB) singled three times while Jalen Miller (2-for-5, 2B) and Jacob Heyward (2-for-3, 2B, RBI) added two hits apiece to lead the Giants offensively in defeat. Johneshwy Fargas (1-for-5, 2 RBI, SB) and Sandro Fabian (0-for-3, 2 RBI) also each drove home two runs.

San Jose enjoyed an early lead in the contest after scoring three runs in the top of the first against Modesto starter Austin Hutchison. Consecutive one-out singles from Miller and Brusa before a walk to Heyward loaded the bases. Fabian then lifted a sacrifice fly to center plating Miller with the first run of the night. Fargas was up next and he lined a single into left. The hit scored Brusa and when Nuts left fielder Luis Liberato mishandled the ball for an error, Heyward also raced home to make it 3-0.

Carlos Sano started on the mound for the Giants and surrendered two unearned runs over the first four innings as Modesto chipped away at the San Jose lead. In the bottom of the first, Kevin Santa led off with a single and took second on the play when Fabian threw wildly back into the infield from right. Jordan Cowan then singled advancing Santa to third. Two batters later, Nick Zammarelli hit a sacrifice fly to drive home the first Nuts run.

In the bottom of the third, Cowan walked with one out, advanced to second on a passed ball and scored when Evan White doubled into the right field corner. Sano though stranded White in scoring position to keep the Giants ahead by a 3-2 margin before keeping Modesto off the board in the fourth.

The Nuts then erupted for their first four-run inning of the night in the bottom of the fifth. With one out, Santa reached on an infield single before Cowan doubled off the right field wall to put runners on second and third. White then hit a sacrifice fly plating Santa with the tying run. Zammarelli was up next and he lined a two-out double into right center field to score Cowan giving Modesto their first lead of the night. Liberato's infield single to first chased Sano from the game and new pitcher Dylan Rheault would allow consecutive RBI singles to Manny Pazos and Jack Larsen to make it 6-3.

The Nuts kept the pressure on with another four-run inning in the bottom of the sixth. Sam Coonrod was summoned from the bullpen to start the inning and he was greeted by three straight singles from Beau Branton, Santa and Cowan that loaded the bases with none out. White then smacked a line drive that carried over the head of Fargas in left for a double. The hit cleared the bases as the three runs gave Modesto a 9-3 advantage. Two batters later, Liberato produced an RBI single extending the Nuts lead to 10-3.

Down by seven, the Giants rallied in the top of the seventh scoring three times and bringing the potential tying run to the plate. With one out, Bryce Johnson singled before Miller reached on an error. Brusa followed with an RBI single as Johnson came home with the first run of the frame. Heyward then singled to load the bases before a Fabian full-count walk scored Miller to make it 10-5. Fargas was up next and his RBI groundout plated Brusa to bring San Jose to within 10-6. A walk to Kelvin Beltre then loaded the bases and brought the tying run to the plate, but Brandon Van Horn's line drive into center was caught by a diving Larson for the third out of the inning.

The Giants were then retired in order in the top of the eighth before Modesto scored three runs in the bottom of the inning. With Nolan Riggs on the mound, two walks and a bunt single loaded the bases for the Nuts. Pazos then hit a line drive into shallow right that skipped past the diving Fabian. As the ball rolled to the fence, all three runners scored and Pazos raced into third with a triple. The three-RBI hit stretched the Modesto lead to 13-6.

San Jose scored once in the top of the ninth as Brusa led off with a single and came home when the next batter, Heyward, doubled off the fence in deep right center. The next three Giants hitters though were retired as the Nuts closed out the series-opening victory.

Hutchison (3-3) earned the win after tossing six innings with three runs (two earned) allowed. The right-hander, who did not surrender a run after the top of the first, gave up six hits, walked three and struck out five.

Sano (4-4) was charged with six runs (four earned) over 4 2/3 innings to take the loss. He allowed eight hits, walked two and struck out three.

Notes

* The 18 hits allowed by the Giants was one off their season-high.

* San Jose had surrendered only nine runs in their previous five games combined before giving up 13 on Friday.

* The Giants and Nuts were playing for the first time since June 10. Modesto leads the season series 12-11.

* The Nuts finished 10-for-19 with runners in scoring position (San Jose 3-for-14).

* Miller hit his 34th double of the season - tied for fourth in the California League.

* The Giants fell six games behind first-place Visalia (28-32) in the second half North Division standings with 10 to play in the regular season.

On Deck

The Giants and Nuts continue their four-game series on Saturday evening with first pitch at John Thurman Field scheduled for 7:05 PM. Mac Marshall (0-4, 4.89 ERA) is slated to start on the mound for San Jose while Modesto is expected to counter with Ljay Newsome (5-10, 4.98 ERA). The game can be heard live on sjgiants.com with coverage beginning at 6:45 PM.

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California League Stories from August 25, 2018


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