Giants Drop Third Straight To Fresno, 5-2
July 7, 2023 - California League (CalL)
San Jose Giants News Release
The San Jose Giants skid continued with a 5-2 loss to the Fresno Grizzlies on Thursday night at Chukchansi Park. Fresno took control of the game with a four-run bottom of the fifth inning on their way to a third straight win over the Giants to open the series. The defeat was San Jose's (43-35 overall, 3-9 second half) 14th in their last 18 games since clinching a playoff berth on June 15.
Thomas Gavello (1-for-3, HR, 2 RBI) hit his team-leading 10th homer of the season and drove in both of the Giants' runs to lead the way in the loss. Matt Higgins (2-for-4, 2B) and Turner Hill (2-for-3, SB) added two hits apiece.
Nomar Medina made his fourth start of the season on the mound for San Jose and excelled through the first four innings yielding only one hit and one unearned run. Medina pitched around a pair of walks in the bottom of the first before breezing through a 1-2-3 second inning. The Grizzlies scored once in the bottom of the third to take a 1-0 lead as Jean Perez led off with a bloop single into shallow right, stole second, took third on an errant throw from catcher Onil Perez and scored when Dyan Jorge grounded out. Medina then needed only six pitches to work a perfect bottom of the fourth.
Meanwhile, Fresno starter Michael Prosecky fired five scoreless innings working around four hits and two HBP's. Prosecky didn't issue a walk and struck out seven during his outing. Down by a 1-0 margin, the Giants threatened in the fourth and fifth innings against Prosecky, but stranded the potential tying run in scoring position in both frames.
The Grizzlies then erupted for four runs in the bottom of the fifth to knock Medina out of the game. Kody Huff hit the first pitch of the inning to the fence in deep right center for a triple before Parker Kelly blasted the next pitch to deep left center for an RBI double. Two batters later, Jorge singled home Kelly and then Skyler Messinger connected for a towering two-run home run to deep left center for a 5-0 Fresno advantage.
Medina (3-5) was saddled with the loss after allowing five runs (four earned) on five hits over 4 2/3 innings. The left-hander, who had an impressive stretch from the first through the fourth innings in which he retired 11 of 12 hitters, walked three and struck out a season-high seven.
The Giants finally broke through in the top of the sixth when Gavello launched a 431-foot solo home run to right center field. San Jose then scored once in the eighth as Higgins led off with a double into the right center gap, advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on a Gavello groundout to trim the Grizzlies lead to 5-2.
San Jose would get no closer though as Fresno closer Zach Agnos pitched a scoreless top of the ninth inning working around a two-out HBP for his league-leading 14th save.
The Grizzlies out-hit the Giants by an 8-7 margin. San Jose was 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position. Dylan Cumming (1 1/3 IP, 1 H, 1 SO) and Melvin Adon (2 IP, 2 H, 4 SO) combined for 3 1/3 scoreless innings of relief for the Giants.
The Giants continue their series in Fresno on Friday night with first pitch at Chukchansi Park set for 6:50 PM. Reggie Crawford is San Jose's scheduled starting pitcher. The game can be heard live on sjgiants.com.
California League Stories from July 7, 2023
- Quakes Set Back by 66ers on Friday - Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
- Fresno Grizzlies Game Notes vs San Jose - Fresno Grizzlies
- Stockton Blanks Modesto for Back-To-Back Wins - Stockton Ports
- Giants Drop Third Straight To Fresno, 5-2 - San Jose Giants
- A Hit Cycle in the 5th Supports Prosecky's Gem in Fresno's 5-2 Victory Over San Jose - Fresno Grizzlies
- Late-Inning Rally from 66ers on Thursday - Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
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