Giants Held To Four Hits In 6-2 Loss To Modesto
Published on May 2, 2009 under California League (CalL1)
San Jose Giants News Release
Modesto's Bruce Billings held the Giants to one hit over seven scoreless innings and Hector Gomez blasted a pair of home runs to lead the Nuts to a 6-2 victory over San Jose on Saturday evening. In front of 3,265 fans at Municipal Stadium, Billings retired 21 out of the 24 batters he faced during his dominant outing on the mound while the Nuts hit three home runs in the first three innings against Giants starting pitcher Oliver Odle. With the loss, San Jose's record drops to 14-9.
Billings (2-2), who leads the California League with a 0.81 ERA, struck out seven and walked one while throwing 99 pitches during his start. The only hit he allowed was a second-inning line drive single to left field off the bat of Angel Villalona before then setting down 11 consecutive Giants batters.
Modesto quickly jumped ahead in the top of the first inning when Gomez stepped to the plate with two outs and lined a solo homer to deep left center field. Then in the second, Jay Cox delivered a two-out, solo home run when he lofted a fly ball into the Nuts bullpen down the left field line.
Modesto continued to use the long ball against Odle in the top of the third inning when Michael Mitchell singled with one out before Gomez belted a two-out, two-run homer to left. The home run was Gomez's second of the contest and it extended the Nuts lead to 4-0.
Modesto went in front by a 6-0 margin in the top of the fourth inning when three consecutive singles from Jason Van Kooten, Lars Davis and Cox produced one run before Jeffrey Cunningham came through with a sacrifice fly to left.
Odle (1-2) suffered the loss for the Giants after he was tagged for six runs (all earned) on seven hits over 3 1/3 innings. The right-hander struck out four, walked none and allowed three homers.
Craig Whitaker (3 2/3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 SO) and Adam Cowart (2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO) both worked out of the San Jose bullpen and combined to hold the Nuts off the scoreboard over the last 5 2/3 innings. Whitaker, who entered the game after Cunningham's fourth-inning sacrifice fly, retired the last six batters that he faced.
Trailing 2-0, the Giants threatened in the bottom of the second inning when Conor Gillaspie was hit by a pitch to lead off before Villalona singled. Thomas Neal then flied out to right and both runners advanced when Brian Rike uncorked a wild throw back to the infield. Billings though stranded the runners at second and third when he struck out Roger Kieschnick and induced Michael Ambort to ground out to second.
San Jose's only other baserunner against Billings came in the bottom of the fifth inning when Ambort drew a two-out walk. The Modesto starter set down the last seven Giants batters that he faced.
San Jose scored their only two runs of the night in the bottom of the eighth inning while facing reliever Austin Chambliss. With two outs, Darren Ford drew a walk before Brandon Crawford reached on an error. Nick Noonan then stepped to the plate and smoked a triple to the fence in deep right center field to score both runners and bring the Giants to within 6-2. Chambliss though recovered to get Buster Posey on a ground out to shortstop ending the inning.
In the bottom of the ninth, Gillaspie led off with a single before Neal singled with one out to put runners on first and second. However, Matt Reynolds promptly finished the game by inducing Kieschnick to ground into a routine 4-6-3 double play to strand the potential tying run in the on-deck circle.
California League Stories from May 2, 2009
- Visalia Blasts Lancaster Early for 13-2 Win - Lancaster JetHawks
- Visalia Blasts Lancaster Early for 13-2 Win - Lancaster JetHawks
- Ports' Offense Burns Bakersfield, 10-4 - Stockton Ports
- Giants Held To Four Hits In 6-2 Loss To Modesto - San Jose Giants
- Rain can't stop Blaze in 9-1 win over Ports - Stockton Ports
- Quakes Fall to Mavs 6-5 - Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
- Giants Pitching Shines In 4-0 Shutout Of Modesto - San Jose Giants
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