CalL1 San Jose Giants

Giants Hold off Storm to Win Series Opener

Published on August 29, 2012 under California League (CalL1)
San Jose Giants News Release


LAKE ELSINORE - Adam Duvall drove home four runs while Drew Bowlin pitched out of a bases loaded jam in the bottom of the ninth inning to lift the San Jose Giants to a 7-4 victory over the Lake Elsinore Storm on Tuesday evening at The Diamond. In the opener of a three-game series, San Jose took the lead for good with a four-run top of the sixth inning before holding off the Storm in the ninth to earn the win. The Giants snapped a three-game losing streak and improved their overall record to 71-63.

Duvall (3-for-5, 2 3B, 4 RBI) had three hits, including a pair of triples, to lead San Jose offensively. Dan Burkhart (3-for-4, 2B, RBI) and Joe Panik (2-for-4, RBI) also finished with multi-hit games.

Ryan Bradley (9-7) picked-up his ninth win of the season after matching a career-high with seven strikeouts over six innings of work. Bradley allowed three runs (all earned) on six hits with a pair of walks during his stint on the mound. Bowlin retired the last three batters of the game to record his first save of the year.

Lake Elsinore took a 3-2 lead with a single run in the bottom of the fifth before the Giants rallied in the sixth. Jarrett Parker started the frame by drawing a walk before advancing to second on Chris Lofton's sacrifice bunt. Burkhart then stepped to the plate and grounded a double down the right field line to bring home Parker with the tying run. Consecutive walks to Skyler Stromsmoe and Carter Jurica then loaded the bases before Panik's RBI fielder's choice groundout gave San Jose a 4-3 lead. Duvall then made it 6-3 with a two-RBI triple off the fence in right field.

The Giants extended their lead to 7-3 in the top of the seventh as Alex Burg struck out to start the inning, but reached first base on a passed ball. After Parker struck out, Lofton's groundout moved Burg to second. Burkhart followed with a grounder to shortstop that was misplayed by Chris Bisson for an error as Burg scored.

Phil McCormick (1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 SO) worked a 1-2-3 bottom of the seventh out of the San Jose bullpen before Cody Hall (1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO) pitched around a one-out single in the eighth. Jose Valdez (0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 0 SO) entered the game to begin the ninth, but didn't retire any of the four batters that he faced. A walk to Cory Spangenberg started the inning before Luis Domoromo singled down the left field line to put runners on the corners. A Valdez wild pitch then scored Spangenberg to bring the Storm to within 7-4. Valdez followed by issuing consecutive walks to Robert Kral and Rico Noel to load the bases and bring the potential winning run to the plate. Bowlin (1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO) though was summoned from the bullpen and he promptly struck out Justin Miller and Bisson before Tommy Medica flied out to right field ending the game.

Greg Gonzalez (0-1) was saddled with the loss out of the Lake Elsinore bullpen after he was charged with all four runs in the top of the sixth.

The Giants jumped out to an early 1-0 lead when three straight singles from Jurica, Panik and Duvall to start the game produced a run. Then in the third, Panik led off by drawing a walk before Duvall hammered an RBI triple off the fence in left center field for a 2-0 advantage.

Bradley began his outing with two scoreless innings before running into trouble in the third. A leadoff single from Domoromo was followed by Kral launching a two-run homer to right tying the game 2-2.

Bradley was able to strand two runners on base in the third inning before working around a one-out walk and a stolen base in the fourth. The Storm took a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the fifth as Miller singled with one out, stole second and scored on Medica's two-out single up the middle. However, after San Jose moved back in front in the top of the sixth, Bradley settled down with a 1-2-3 bottom of the sixth to end his night.

Notes: The Giants improved to 2-3 on their current road trip ... Duvall became the first San Jose player this season to hit two triples in one game ... Duvall increased his season RBI total to 95 - one ahead of Ricky Oropesa for the team lead ... The Giants out-hit the Storm by a 10-8 margin ... San Jose won despite striking out a season-high 17 times ... The Giants improved their second half record to 33-31, but remained four games behind the Modesto Nuts (37-27) for the top spot in the North Division.

On Deck: The Giants and Storm continue their three-game series on Wednesday evening with first pitch at The Diamond scheduled for 7:05 PM. Justin Schumer (6-4, 4.99 ERA) is slated to start on the mound for San Jose while Lake Elsinore is expected to counter with Matt Branham (7-3, 3.60 ERA). The game can be heard live on sjgiants.com with coverage beginning at 6:35 PM.

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California League Stories from August 29, 2012


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