CalL1 San Jose Giants

Giants Escape with 5-4 Victory over Nuts

Published on April 29, 2018 under California League (CalL1)
San Jose Giants News Release


MODESTO, CA - The San Jose Giants held off the Modesto Nuts in the late-innings on Sunday afternoon to post a 5-4 victory and salvage the final game of the three-game weekend series at John Thurman Field. The Giants (14-10) knocked out 13 hits in the contest and built a four-run lead before escaping with the win to avoid the sweep. Modesto left the potential tying run in scoring position in both the eighth and ninth innings while stranding 14 on base overall, nine of which came over the final four frames.

Heath Quinn (3-for-5, 2B, RBI), Wander Franco (3-for-5. 2B) and Sandro Fabian (3-for-5) had three hits apiece to lead San Jose offensively. Jacob Heyward (2-for-3, 2B, 2 RBI) added two hits, including a key two-run double.

Sandro Cabrera (4-0) earned his team-leading fourth win of the season after pitching 4 2/3 innings of long relief. Cabrera scattered 10 hits and allowed four runs (all earned) during his outing. He walked two and struck out five. Patrick Ruotolo then recorded the final four outs of the game to pick-up his second save.

Sunday's affair was scoreless through four innings before the Giants broke through in the top of the fifth. Johneshwy Fargas led off the inning with a bunt single. Fargas then stole second and advanced to third when the throw from catcher Tyler Baker bounced into center field. Then when center fielder Jorge Solano threw wildly back to the infield, Fargas raced home with the first run of the afternoon. Two Nuts errors were charged on the play.

San Jose then stretched their lead to 4-0 with three more runs in the top of the sixth. Back-to-back singles from Quinn and Fabian started the inning before Heyward belted a two-RBI double into the left field corner. A Frandy De La Rosa sacrifice bunt then advanced Heyward to third before Fargas' RBI single to left made it 4-0.

Modesto's first run came in the bottom of the sixth as the Nuts trimmed the Giants advantage to 4-1. Two singles and a walk issued by Cabrera loaded the bases with one out before Nick Zammarelli hit a sacrifice fly to left. Cabrera though prevented further damage in the inning to keep the lead at three runs.

San Jose then got the run right back in the top of the seventh as consecutive doubles from Franco and Quinn to start the inning pushed the lead to 5-1.

Modesto threatened in the bottom of the seventh against Cabrera as two-out singles from Evan White and Logan Taylor put runners on first and second, but Anthony Jimenez followed with a fly out to right ending the inning. The Nuts though would keep the pressure on with a three-run rally in the bottom of the eighth. Donnie Walton led off with a single against Cabrera and immediately scored when the next batter, Zammarelli, blasted a double off the center field fence. Zammarelli took third on the play when the center fielder Fargas bobbled the ball for an error and eventually scored two batters later on a Solano groundout. With two down and the bases empty, the rally restarted with a walk to Bryson Brigman before Cabrera uncorked back-to-back wild pitches to advance the runner to third. Joe Rizzo then singled sharply into right plating Brigham to bring Modesto within 5-4.

With the Giants clinging to a one-run lead, Ruotolo was summoned from the bullpen and he promptly allowed a single to White as Rizzo, the potential tying run, moved to second. Ruotolo though came back and induced Taylor to groundout ending the inning with the score still at 5-4.

After San Jose went down quickly in the top of the ninth, Ruotolo returned to the mound in the bottom of the inning. Jimenez led off by grounding out before Walton singled and stole second. Zammarelli was then hit by a pitch to put the potential winning run on base, but Ruotolo (1 1/3 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO) recovered to strikeout Baker before pinch-hitter Kevin Santa flied out to shallow left to seal the Giants victory.

Nuts starter Danny Garcia (0-3) suffered the loss after yielding four runs (three earned) on nine hits over 5 1/3 innings. Garcia walked two and struck out four.

Mac Marshall started on the mound for San Jose and fired three scoreless innings to maintain his perfect 0.00 ERA for the season. Marshall worked around three hits during his start, walked none and struck out five. In the bottom of the second, Jimenez led off with a single before Walton doubled to put runners on second and third, but Marshall came back with three consecutive strikeouts to retire the side. Marshall set down six batters in a row to finish his start.

Notes

The Giants avoided getting swept in a series for the first time this season.

San Jose snapped a season-high four-game road losing streak.

The Nuts out-hit the Giants 15-13. Modesto finished 1-for-16 with runners in scoring position.

With three hits on Sunday, Quinn raised his season batting average to .300.

The #3 through #6 hitters in the San Jose lineup (Franco, Quinn, Fabian, Heyward) were a combined 11-for-18 with three RBI's.

Marshall has pitched 12 scoreless innings over four starts this season. He's allowed only seven hits, walked six and struck out 15.

Cabrera is tied for the league lead with four wins.

The Giants improved to 6-3 in one-run games.

On Deck

The Giants return to Municipal Stadium on Monday night to begin a four-game series against the Visalia Rawhide. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 PM. Raffi Vizcaino (1-2, 3.38 ERA) is slated to start on the mound for San Jose while Visalia is expected to counter with Connor Gray (4-0, 2.28 ERA). For tickets, call (408) 297-1435 or visit sjgiants.com.

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California League Stories from April 29, 2018


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