CalL San Jose Giants

Giants Fall to Fresno in Series Finale

Published on August 14, 2023 under California League (CalL)
San Jose Giants News Release


The San Jose Giants closed out their homestand on Sunday evening with an 8-5 loss to the Fresno Grizzlies at Excite Ballpark. Fresno built a 5-0 lead through 2 1/2 innings and then held off the Giants late to secure the win. Despite the setback, San Jose (60-48 overall, 20-22 second half) won four of six games in this week's series against the first-place Grizzlies.

Tanner O'Tremba (1-for-5, HR, 3 RBI) and Cole Foster (1-for-4, HR, RBI) each homered to lead the Giants offensively in defeat. P.J. Hilson (2-for-4, 3B) also singled and tripled to extend his hitting streak to 10 games.

Fresno scored in each of the first three innings on Sunday against San Jose starter Nomar Medina to jump out to an early 5-0 lead. In the top of the first, Dyan Jorge doubled with one out, advanced to third on a groundout and scored on a wild pitch to make it 1-0. An inning later, the first four batters of the frame reached safely for the Grizzlies with three of the runners eventually coming home to score. Back-to-back walks to Luis Mendez and Kody Huff started the rally before EJ Andrews Jr. singled to load the bases. Another walk to Jean Perez followed to force home a run and then Jorge's two-out single plated two more for a 4-0 Fresno advantage. The Grizzlies' Skyler Messinger then crushed a solo home run in the top of the third to stretch the lead to 5-0.

Meanwhile, the Giants managed only two hits over the first four innings before breaking through in the bottom of the fifth. With one out, Hilson hit a triple into the right field corner. Following a walk to Turner Hill, a sacrifice fly off the bat of Alexander Suarez brought home Hilson with San Jose's first run.

Fresno, however, reclaimed their five-run cushion in the top of the seventh against reliever Jorge Garcia. With one out, Jake Snider hit a triple and then scored on Jorge's single to make it a 6-1 game.

The Giants though would use a pair of long balls over the next two innings to close within a single run. In the bottom of the seventh, Hill drew a one-out walk and Diego Velasquez singled with two down to put runners on first and second. O'Tremba was up next and he crushed a three-run home run to deep left center. The round-tripper was O'Tremba's sixth of the season as San Jose cut the deficit to 6-4. Then in the bottom of the eighth, Foster led off with a towering solo home run to right field - his first big fly in the California League - to bring the Giants within 6-5.

Later in the bottom of the eighth, Hilson singled with two outs to put the potential tying run on base, but Grizzlies closer Zach Agnos entered from the bullpen and retired Hill on a pop out to end the inning. Fresno then pushed across two key insurance runs in the top of the ninth to extend their lead. A fielding error on San Jose pitcher Luis Moreno to start the inning put Andy Perez on base. Jorge then singled with one out to put runners on the corners before another Moreno error, this time on a wild pick-off throw to first, allowed Perez to score. Moments later, Bryant Betancourt's grounder to first was misplayed by O'Tremba for the third error of the inning as Jorge came home to make it 8-5 Fresno.

Agnos then breezed through a 1-2-3 bottom of the ninth to earn his league-leading 23rd save of the season.

The Grizzlies out-hit the Giants 10-7. Fresno was 4-for-9 with runners in scoring position compared to just 1-for-4 for San Jose. Medina (4-6) suffered the loss after yielding five runs (all earned) in four innings of work. Garcia (3 IP, 1 R), Marques Johnson (1 IP, 0 R) and Moreno (1 IP, 2 R, 0 ER) combined to pitch five innings out of the bullpen with only one earned run allowed. The Giants 'pen fashioned a stellar 0.81 ERA during the series (3 ER allowed in 33 1/3 IP).

San Jose catcher Onil Perez was promoted to High-A Eugene before the game. Catcher Jack Payton, an 11th round pick in this year's draft by the San Francisco Giants, was added to the roster from the Arizona Complex League (Rookie-level).

Sunday was the 27th and final meeting of the regular season between Fresno and San Jose - the clubs who boast the top two overall records in the California League. With their victory on Sunday, the Grizzlies won the season series against the Giants 14-13.

Tanner O'Tremba hit his sixth home run of the season in Sunday's 8-5 loss

Following an off day, the Giants head back on the road for a six-game series in Stockton. Tuesday's opener against the Ports at Banner Island Ballpark is a 7:05 PM first pitch. San Jose returns to Excite Ballpark on Tuesday, August 22 for a six-game series versus the Modesto Nuts.

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California League Stories from August 14, 2023


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