Giants Fall 5-4, Drop Series in Rancho
July 31, 2023 - California League (CalL)
San Jose Giants News Release
The San Jose Giants closed out their series in Rancho Cucamonga with a 5-4 loss to the Quakes on Sunday evening at LoanMart Field. Rancho scored all five of their runs in the bottom of the third and then used a dominant effort from the bullpen to hold off the Giants and earn a victory. With the defeat, San Jose (53-43 overall, 13-17 second half) suffered their third straight loss and dropped four of six games in the series to the Quakes.
Turner Hill (3-for-5, SB), Diego Velasquez (2-for-3, 2B, RBI, 3 SB), Andrew Kachel (2-for-4, 2B, SB) and Dilan Rosario (2-for-4, 2B) had multi-hit games to lead the Giants offensively in the loss. San Jose out-hit Rancho Cucamonga 12-5 and matched a season-high with seven stolen bases, but could not overcome the Quakes' big inning.
The Giants jumped out early scoring once in the top of the first before a two-run second inning to take a 3-0 lead. Hill started the game with a single, stole second, moved to third on a wild pitch and came home on Onil Perez's two-out infield single. An inning later, Rosario led off with a double to left and scored two batters later on Jose Ramos' double off the center field fence. Ramos then scored on Alexander Suarez's two-out single to make it 3-0.
Manuel Mercedes started on the mound for San Jose and began his outing with two hitless innings. Rancho Cucamonga though would rally in the bottom of the third as the first six batters of the inning reached safely. Sam Mongelli led off with a bloop single into shallow right before Jordan Thompson reached on an infield single to shortstop. Mercedes then walked three hitters in a row. A four-pitch free pass to leadoff batter Jose Izarra loaded the bases. A five-pitch walk to Josue De Paula followed to force home the first run of the inning. Thayron Liranzo then drew a full-count walk to score another run bringing the Quakes within 3-2. Clean-up hitter Joe Vetrano was up next and he singled sharply up the middle to plate two more giving Rancho Cucamonga the lead before Luis Rodriguez's double play grounder scored another run for a 5-3 margin.
The Giants immediately got one run back in the top of the fourth as Hill singled with two outs before Suarez worked a walk. Velasquez then lined a single into left bringing home Hill to cut the deficit to 5-4. San Jose though would leave two runners on base to end the inning and then wouldn't score for the remainder of the contest.
Kachel led off the top of the fifth with a double and advanced to third on Rosario's one-out single. However, Rosario was then thrown out at second attempting to steal and P.J. Hilson struck out swinging as the inning ended abruptly. In the seventh, Velasquez drew a leadoff walk and eventually found himself at third base with two outs after back-to-back steals, but was stranded there as Anthony Rodriguez struck out.
With the deficit still at a single run, the Giants were set down 1-2-3 in the top of the eighth. Then in the ninth, Velasquez doubled into the left center gap with two outs to again put the potential tying run into scoring position, however Perez followed by striking out on three pitches to end the game.
Five Quakes relievers combined to pitch the final seven innings with one run allowed and 11 strikeouts. The Rancho Cucamonga bullpen surrendered only one run over 15 innings in the final three games of the series.
Mercedes (2-5) was saddled with the loss after yielding five runs (all earned) in his four innings of work. The right-hander gave up four hits, walked four and struck out four. The San Jose bullpen trio of Esmerlin Vinicio (1 IP), Cameron Cotter (2 IP) and Marques Johnson (1 IP) combined to throw four scoreless innings with only one hit allowed.
With Sunday's result, Rancho Cucamonga wins the season series against the Giants by an 8-4 margin.
Diego Velasquez went 2-for-3 on Sunday and is now second in the Cal League with 100 hits this season
Following an off day, the Giants continue their Southern California road trip with a six-game set against the Inland Empire 66ers. Tuesday's series opener at San Manuel Stadium is a 6:35 PM first pitch. Dylan Cumming is San Jose's scheduled starting pitcher. The entire series can be heard live on sjgiants.com.
California League Stories from July 31, 2023
- Inland Empire Inches Past Fresno 5-4 in 10 Frames - Fresno Grizzlies
- Giants Fall 5-4, Drop Series in Rancho - San Jose Giants
- Ports' Bats Silenced by Storm in 8-0 Loss - Stockton Ports
- Series-Win for Quakes, Thanks to Sunday Win - Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
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