CalL San Jose Giants

Giants Edge Ports to Even Series

Published on May 5, 2022 under California League (CalL)
San Jose Giants News Release


The San Jose Giants bounced back from an extra-inning loss in the series opener against Stockton to post a 3-2 victory over the Ports on Wednesday night at Banner Island Ballpark. Grant McCray delivered a key go-ahead two-run single in the top of the sixth, Vaun Brown added a solo homer while Mat Olsen fired two perfect innings to close out the game for his first career save. With the win, the Giants (13-10) and Ports have now split the first two games of the series.

Wednesday's contest began as a pitchers' duel between San Jose starter Mason Black and Stockton's Chen Zhuang. Black tossed four scoreless innings in his outing working around four hits with no walks and six strikeouts. Black set down the side 1-2-3 in the first and third innings. The Ports loaded the bases on three singles with one out in the bottom of the second, but Black registered a strikeout and induced a groundout of the next two hitters to escape. Black finished his outing with three strikeouts in the bottom of the fourth to keep the game scoreless.

Meanwhile, Zhuang allowed only one hit - a Brown infield single in the top of the second - over the first five innings during his start. The Stockton right-hander retired 14 of the first 16 batters he faced.

Landen Roupp relieved Black to begin the bottom of the fifth and immediately ran into trouble as he issued consecutive walks to Cooper Uhl and Robert Puason putting runners on first and second with none out. Denzel Clarke then lined a single into center to easily score Uhl with the first run of the night. Roupp though was able to limit the damage thanks to a double play. Max Muncy struck out for first out with Puason thrown out at third attempting to steal on the strike three pitch. T.J. Schofield-Sam followed by grounding out to end the inning.

The Giants would then answer with a two-run top of the sixth to take their first lead of the night. Najee Gaskins led off with a single before Zhuang walked Alexander Suarez. McCray was up next and he hit a sharp grounder inside of first base and down the right field line. The hit brought home both the tying and go-ahead runs as Gaskins and Suarez scored while McCray held at first base with a long single.

After Roupp struck out two in a scoreless bottom of the sixth to maintain the advantage, Brown launched an opposite field solo home run to right center in the top of the seventh to extend the San Jose lead to 3-1.

Roupp returned to the mound for the bottom of the seventh and breezed through a perfect inning, but the Ports would rally in the eighth. Muncy led off with a single before Schofield-Sam blasted a double to deep center putting runners on second and third with none out. Olsen was then summoned from the bullpen with the potential tying run at second and dazzled in relief to keep the lead intact. Olsen struck out the clean-up hitter Kevin Richards for the first out of the inning. Jhoan Paulino then grounded out to second with Muncy scoring on the play to cut the Giants lead to 3-2. Olsen followed by retiring Junior Perez on a groundout to third to retire the side.

Olsen then needed only eight pitches to work a 1-2-3 bottom of the ninth on a strikeout a pair of groundouts to seal the San Jose victory.

Mat Olsen earned his first career save in Wednesday's 3-2 victory over Stockton

GIANTS NOTES

Close Calls: Both games to open the series have been decided by one run. The Giants are now 4-2 in one-run games this season.

Pitching Shines: The trio of Mason Black, Landen Roupp and Mat Olsen combined to record 12 strikeouts in Wednesday's victory. Black lowered his ERA to 2.89 in five starts this season and now ranks third in the California League with 28 strikeouts over 18 1/3 innings. Olsen owns a 0.77 ERA (1 ER/11.2 IP) this year with Wednesday marking his first save opportunity.

Brown's Blast: Vaun Brown (2-for-4, HR, RBI, SB) has now hit three home runs this season - tied with Grant McCray and Aeverson Arteaga for the team lead.

McCray At The Plate: McCray (1-for-4, 2 RBI) followed up his four-hit, four-RBI game in the series opener with the crucial go-ahead two-run single. He's now 5-for-9 in the series with a home run and six RBI's.

On Deck: The Giants and Ports continue their series on Thursday evening with first pitch at Banner Island Ballpark set for 7:05 PM. Matt Mikulski is San Jose's scheduled starting pitcher.

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California League Stories from May 5, 2022


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