Giants' Late Comeback Not Enough To Avoid Loss
Published on August 13, 2009 under California League (CalL1)
San Jose Giants News Release
Darren Ford hit a game-tying two-run homer with two outs in the top of the ninth inning, however the Bakersfield Blaze responded with a run in the bottom of the frame for a dramatic 7-6 victory over the Giants on Wednesday evening at Sam Lynn Ballpark. Bakersfield's Joey Butler hit a game-winning bad hop single down the third base line off of Daniel Turpen propelling the Blaze to their second consecutive victory in the series. The loss drops San Jose's second half record to 32-14.
Ford (3-for-5, 2 HR, 4 RBI) hit two home runs to lead the offensive attack while Roger Kieschnick (2-for-5, HR, RBI) also connected for his team-leading 23rd homer of the season.
The Giants trailed 6-3 entering the top of the eighth before Kieschnick stepped to the plate with one out and launched a solo home run down the right field line.
In the ninth, Ryan Lormand led off with a single against Bakersfield closer Evan Reed to bring the potential tying run to the plate. Reed recovered to strikeout pinch-hitter Nick Noonan as Lormand stole second and then Skyler Stromsmoe fanned for the second out of the frame. Ford was up next and the San Jose leadoff hitter crushed a 2-0 pitch from Reed over the fence in deep left center field for a two-run homer. The home run, Ford's sixth of the season, tied the contest at 6-6.
Wilmin Rodriguez, who had worked a scoreless bottom of the eighth out of the Giants bullpen, remained in the game to begin the bottom of the ninth and promptly allowed a leadoff bloop single to right off the bat of Davis Stoneburner. After Jonathan Greene struck out, Mauro Gomez bounced a single into left field to put runners on first and second forcing a pitching change as Turpen was summoned from the bullpen. Butler was up next and he hit a sharp ground ball directly at the third baseman Stromsmoe in what could have turned into an inning-ending double play. However, the final bounce the ball took before reaching Stromsmoe resulted in a high hop straight over the head of the third baseman and down the line. The single for Butler easily scored Stoneburner from second setting off the Bakersfield celebration.
Rodriguez (3-1) was saddled with his first loss of the season after yielding one run on three hits over 1 1/3 innings.
San Jose starting pitcher Craig Clark received a no-decision to keep his 13-game win streak intact. Clark worked the first five innings and surrendered four runs (three earned) on six hits. The left-hander walked a season-high three and struck out four.
The Giants never enjoyed the lead during the contest as Bakersfield scored once in the first inning and then two more times in the second. In the bottom of the first, Gomez delivered a two-out, RBI single up the middle. Then in the second, Clark issued a leadoff walk to Mike Bianucci before Elio Sarmineto singled while both runners scored on Matthew Lawson's double down the left field line.
San Jose moved to within 3-2 in the top of the third inning when Ford hit a two-out, two-run homer to straightaway center field.
Bakersfield plated an unearned run against Clark in the bottom of the fourth as a two-base throwing error committed by first baseman C.J. Ziegler preceded a sacrifice fly off the bat of Greene.
The Giants again cut the Blaze lead to one run as Thomas Neal and Kieschnick started the top of the sixth with consecutive singles before Ziegler's double play ground out scored one run. San Jose then had a golden opportunity to tie the score in the seventh as Stromsmoe doubled with one out before Ford singled to put runners on first and third. However, Bakersfield starting pitcher Richard Bleier induced the next batter, Brian Bocock, to hit into an inning-ending 4-6-3 double play.
The Blaze took a 6-3 lead in the bottom of the seventh when Bianucci blasted a two-out, two-run homer off of Giants reliever Trey Webb.
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