CalL San Jose Giants

Giants Fall 11-8 in Road Trip Opener

Published on May 18, 2022 under California League (CalL)
San Jose Giants News Release


The San Jose Giants opened their 12-game road trip on Tuesday night with an 11-8 loss to the Inland Empire 66ers at San Manuel Stadium. San Jose smacked four homers and overcame an early four-run deficit but could not slow down Inland Empire's offensive attack in dropping the series opener. The setback for the Giants (21-13) snapped their season-high tying five-game winning streak.

Yorlis Rodriguez (2-for-4, 2 HR, 4 RBI) belted a pair of home runs while Aeverson Arteaga (2-for-5, HR, 3 RBI) and Adrian Sugastey (2-for-3, HR, RBI) also went deep for San Jose in defeat. Grant McCray (2-for-5, 3B) and Vaun Brown (2-for-4, 2 SB) added two hits apiece.

The Giants jumped out early on Arteaga's two-run home run in the top of the first inning - his fifth round-tripper of the year. The 66ers though immediately answered with four runs in the bottom of the frame before scoring two more times in the third - all off of San Jose starter Matt Mikulski. Arol Vera's two-RBI double tied the game for Inland Empire before a Mikulski wild pitch allowed the third run of the inning to score. Vojtech Mensik's RBI triple later in the inning then pushed the Sixers lead to 4-2. In the third, D'Shawn Knowles delivered an RBI double before Mensik's run-scoring single stretched the Inland Empire advantage to 6-2.

Mikulski was charged with six runs (all earned) on eight hits over his three innings of work. The left-hander walked none and struck out four.

The Giants would grab back the momentum and the lead though with a single run in the fourth before a four-run rally in the top of the fifth. Rodriguez's first homer of the night - a solo shot in the top of the fourth - brought San Jose to within 6-3. An inning later, Arteaga drove in his third run of the game with an RBI single before Rodriguez stepped to the plate with two outs and launched a three-run homer to put the Giants back ahead at 7-6.

The lead, however, would be short-lived. Trevor McDonald entered out of the bullpen to begin the bottom of the fifth and despite recording back-to-back strikeouts to start the inning, would allow three runs in the frame as Inland Empire see-sawed back in front. David Calabrese started the rally with a single to center and took second when the center fielder McCray committed an error. After a wild pitch, Knowles singled to right plating Calabrese to tie the game 7-7. On the play, Victor Bericoto committed a fielding error in right allowing Knowles to take second and a Mensik RBI single followed to give the Sixers an 8-7 lead. Mensik would take second on the throw home before Kevin Watson Jr's RBI single made the score 9-7.

The Giants pulled back to within 9-8 on Sugastey's solo home run in the top of the seventh but were unable to complete another comeback. In the bottom of the seventh, Inland Empire again rallied against McDonald after there were two outs and no one on base. Following a walk and a single, Watson Jr. produced a two-RBI single to put the 66ers ahead by an 11-8 margin.

San Jose was then set down in order in both the eighth and ninth innings as Inland Empire closed out the series-opening win.

Yorlis Rodriguez homered twice for the Giants in Tuesday's 11-8 loss at Inland Empire

GIANTS NOTES

Clutch Hitting: Inland Empire was a sizzling 7-for-9 with runners in scoring position on Tuesday. Eight of the Sixers' 11 runs came on two-out hits.

Home Run Streak: The Giants have now homered in 14 consecutive games. Rodriguez became the second San Jose player with a multi-homer game this season (Vaun Brown). The Giants' 44 home runs overall this year lead the California League.

On The Mound: The Giants pitching trio of Matt Mikulski, Jose Cruz (1 IP, 0 R, 3 SO) and Trevor McDonald (4 IP, 5 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 9 SO) combined to record 16 strikeouts with only one walk on Tuesday. The 11 runs allowed though was the second-most given up by San Jose in a game this season (13).

Roster Moves: Pitcher Mat Olsen was promoted to High-A Eugene before the game. Olsen fashioned a 0.53 ERA and had two saves in 17 innings out of the San Jose bullpen. Pitcher Spencer Bivens was added to the Giants roster.

On Deck: The Giants and 66ers continue their six-game series on Wednesday evening with first pitch at San Manuel Stadium set for 7:05 PM. Eric Silva is San Jose's scheduled starting pitcher.

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California League Stories from May 18, 2022


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