Giants Fall in 10 Innings, Win Streak Ends at Seven
September 17, 2021 - California League (CalL)
San Jose Giants News Release
Fresno's Mateo Gil hit a two-out RBI single in the bottom of the 10th inning to lift the Grizzlies to a 7-6 victory over the Giants on Thursday night at Chukchansi Park. San Jose battled back from a four-run deficit and tied the game on Grant McCray's three-RBI triple in the top of the eighth, but were unable to overtake Fresno late before suffering the walk-off defeat. The loss snapped the Giants' (74-43) season-high tying seven-game winning streak.
Thursday's contest was another tight, back-and-forth matchup between the top two teams in the Low-A West. San Jose jumped out early as back-to-back one-out doubles in the top of the first from Luis Toribio and Jimmy Glowenke gave the Giants a 1-0 lead. Meanwhile, Carson Ragsdale started on the mound and began his night with three scoreless innings. Ragsdale worked out of a bases loaded jam in the bottom of the first before tossing back-to-back perfect frames in the second and third.
Ragsdale had retired nine straight Grizzlies hitters after recording two quick outs in the bottom of the fourth, but then ran into trouble. Colin Simpson smashed a double to deep right and immediately scored the tying run when the next hitter, Gil, singled sharply into center. Gil was able to take second base on the throw home from center and then scored himself when Joe Aeilts followed with an RBI single. After Bryan Quijada singled, Eddy Diaz produced an RBI single to make it 3-1. Zac Veen was up next and he singled home another run - the sixth consecutive two-out hit in the inning - to make it 4-1. Ragsdale then uncorked a wild pick-off throw to first for an error allowing Diaz to score from third base to stretch the Fresno lead to 5-1.
The Giants scored once in the top of the sixth thanks to a Grizzlies error to pull within 5-2. A failed inning-ending double play attempt from the Grizzlies when shortstop Julio Carreras threw wildly to first for an error allowed Luis Matos to score from third. San Jose, however, gave the run right back in the bottom of the seventh when left fielder Carter Williams dropped a fly ball on the warning track allowing Diaz to score from first base which made it 6-2.
Down by four runs, the Giants though would rally in the top of the eighth. Three consecutive singles from Patrick Bailey, Matos and Williams to start the inning loaded the bases with none out. Yorlis Rodriguez then delivered an RBI single to cut the deficit to 6-3 as the bases remained loaded. McCray followed with a ringing line drive past first base and into the right field corner. The hit went for a bases-clearing triple as Matos, Williams and Rodriguez all came home to tie the game at 6-6. Unfortunately, San Jose missed out on a golden opportunity to reclaim the lead. With McCray, the potential go-ahead run, at third base, Abdiel Layer popped out, Najee Gaskins struck out and Toribio grounded out to end the inning.
Wilkelma Castillo entered from the Giants bullpen to begin the bottom of the eighth and used a double play to work around a leadoff walk keeping the game tied. After San Jose was set down in order in the top of the ninth, Castillo struck out two in a 1-2-3 bottom of the inning to force extras.
The Giants though were unable to capitalize on their free runner at second base in the 10th inning and the Grizzlies would cash in their chance to secure the walk-off win. In the top of the 10th with Matos at second base to start the inning, Williams grounded out to third, Rodriguez flied out to shallow right and McCray grounded out as the game remained tied.
Clay Helvey was then summoned to begin the bottom of the 10th with pinch-runner Bladimir Restituyo as the automatic runner at second. Helvey promptly struck out Warming Bernabel for the first out before he plunked Carreras. Helvey came back to strikeout Simpson to move within one out of sending the game to the 11th, but Gil followed with hard grounder past the outstretched glove of Layer at shortstop and into left center for a single. The hit easily scored Restituyo from second base propelling Fresno to their first win of the series.
GIANTS NOTES
Series Update
Despite Thursday's loss, the Giants have still won two of the first three games in the series. The seven wins in a row overall had matched San Jose's longest winning streak of the season. The Giants are now 1 1/2 games behind the Grizzlies for first place in the North Division with three to play in the regular season. San Jose and Fresno will meet in the best-of-five Low-A West Championship Series beginning on Tuesday, September 21.
Extra, Extra
The Giants fell to 3-6 in extra-inning games this season, including 1-3 against Fresno. San Jose has not played a game longer than 10 innings this year.
McCray Extends Hit Streak
Grant McCray (1-for-5, 3B, 3 RBI) extended his hitting streak to 11 games with his game-tying triple in the eighth inning. It's the second-longest hit streak by a Giants player this season (Luis Matos 16 games).
Other Hitting Standouts
Jimmy Glowenke (2-for-4, 2B, 3B, RBI) doubled and tripled as part of a multi-hit game at the plate on Thursday. Patrick Bailey (2-for-5), Carter Williams (2-for-5) and Yorlis Rodriguez (2-for-5, RBI) added two hits apiece. The Giants out-hit the Grizzlies 11-9. San Jose was 5-for-19 with runners in scoring position compared to 5-for-11 for Fresno.
On The Mound
Carson Ragsdale was charged with five runs (four earned) during his five-inning start. He surrendered seven hits, walked three and struck out five. Ragsdale finishes the regular season with 167 strikeouts in 113 2/3 innings pitched. He leads Low-A West in strikeouts, innings and wins (8 - tied). The bullpen trio of Abel Adames (2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 SO), Wilkelma Castillo (2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 SO) and Clay Helvey (2/3 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 SO) combined to pitch the final 4 2/3 innings with no earned runs allowed (two runs total) and eight strikeouts.
On Deck
The Giants and Grizzlies continue their series on Friday evening with first pitch at Chukchansi Park set for 6:50 PM. Nick Swiney is San Jose's scheduled starting pitcher.
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California League Stories from September 17, 2021
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- Gil Plays Hero as Grizzlies Walk-Off Giants 7-6 in 10 Innings - Fresno Grizzlies
- Giants Fall in 10 Innings, Win Streak Ends at Seven - San Jose Giants
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