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 San Jose Giants

Giants Earn Key 6-2 Victory over Ports

September 1, 2019 - California League (CalL1)
San Jose Giants News Release


The Giants secured a crucial victory on Sunday afternoon with a 6-2 win over Stockton at Excite Ballpark. Courtney Hawkins blasted a three-run home run to lead the offensive attack while Casey Meisner excelled throughout his start to help propel San Jose past the Ports. With the victory, the Giants reduced their magic number to one over Modesto to clinch the North Division wild card berth. The Nuts host Visalia on Sunday night. Monday marks the final day of the regular season.

Meisner was masterful on the mound for the majority of his outing en route to picking-up the win. The right-hander retired the first seven hitters that he faced before pitching around a hit batter and a two-out single in the top of the third to keep the game scoreless. San Jose then broke through in the bottom of the third on Hawkins' round-tripper. With one out, Diego Rincones worked a walk before David Villar grounded a single through the hole on the right side to put runners on first and second. Hawkins was up next and he launched the first pitch of his at-bat over the fence down the left field line for a three-run homer. The home run was Hawkins' team-leading 20th of the season.

Meisner then continued to roll with a perfect top of the fourth before working around another hit batter in the fifth. Stockton would finally get to Meisner in the top of the sixth scoring twice to trim the Giants lead to 3-2. With one out, Austin Beck belted a solo home run to deep left to put the Ports on the board. Jeremy Eierman then doubled down the left field line before Payton Squier delivered a two-out RBI double into the right center gap to bring Stockton to within a run. Olbis Parra was then summoned from the bullpen with the potential tying run at second and he escaped further damage as Jordan Devencenzi's shallow fly ball to right was caught by a sliding Heath Quinn for the final out of the inning.

San Jose then came right back with two runs of their own in the bottom of the sixth to regain momentum. Quinn started the rally with a one-out single before Manuel Geraldo grounded a double down the left field line to put runners on second and third. Fabian Pena was up next and he blooped a single into shallow right to plate Quinn before Aaron Bond's sacrifice fly scored Geraldo for a 5-2 advantage.

Parra maintained the three-run cushion with back-to-back scoreless frames in the seventh and eighth. The Giants reliever needed just nine pitches to breeze through 1-2-3 top of the seventh. In the eighth, Beck doubled with one out, but with the potential tying run in the on-deck circle, Parra retired Eierman on a line out to right and set down Robert Mullen on a groundout to second. San Jose then added to their lead in the bottom of the inning. Geraldo singled with one out before Pena smashed a double to deep left to put runners on second and third. Bond then came through with his second sacrifice fly of the day to make it 6-2.

Frank Rubio would then close it out for San Jose with an eight-pitch scoreless top of the ninth.

GIANTS NOTES

Wild Card Race

The Giants (65-73) are currently one game ahead of Modesto (64-74) in the North Division wild card race. San Jose now has only one game remaining in the regular season while the Nuts still have two games to play. The Giants would clinch a playoff spot if Visalia defeats Modesto on Sunday night. If the Nuts win, San Jose will enter the final day of he regular season with a half-game lead.

Winning Ways

The Giants have won nine out of their last 11 games.

Hawkins At 20

Courtney Hawkins became the first Giants player to hit 20 home runs in a season since Brian Ragira accomplished the feat in 2014. Hawkins has hit six home runs over his last eight games.

Meisner's Start

Casey Meisner (4-3) took a one-hit shutout into the sixth inning on Sunday. He finished his outing with two runs (both earned) allowed over 5 2/3 innings. Meisner gave up four hits, walked none and struck out five during his 80-pitch outing.

In The "Pen

Olbis Parra (2 1/3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 SO) and Frank Rubio (1 IP, 1 H, 0 R) combined to work 3 1/3 scoreless innings out of the bullpen. Parra lowered his season ERA to 2.12 while Rubio's now stands at 1.89.

Hitting Leaders

Fabian Pena (2-for-4, 2B, RBI) and Manuel Geraldo (2-for-4, 2B) both had multi-hit games for the Giants. Pena extended his hitting streak to 10 games. San Jose out-hit Stockton 10-6.

On Deck

The Giants close out the 2019 regular season on Monday afternoon with the series finale against Stockton. First pitch at Excite Ballpark is set for 2:00 PM. Tristan Beck is San Jose's scheduled starting pitcher.


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