Giants Move Into First Place Tie After 6-1 Victory Over Rawhide
Published on June 17, 2009 under California League (CalL1)
San Jose Giants News Release
Scott Barnes struck out a season-high nine over 5 2/3 innings and the San Jose Giants pounded out 13 hits in a 6-1 victory over the Visalia Rawhide on Wednesday afternoon in front of 4,705 fans at Municipal Stadium. Barnes limited the Rawhide to just two hits and one run during his stint on the mound as San Jose won for the 10th time in their last 12 games. With the victory, the Giants improve their overall record to 39-27 and move into a tie for first place with Visalia (39-27) in the North Division race. Only four games remain in the first half.
Barnes (7-3) earned his team-leading seventh win of the season as the left-hander at one point retired 12 consecutive Rawhide hitters, eight of which via the strikeout, from the first through the fourth innings. Reliever Daniel Turpen (1/3 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO) pitched out of a bases loaded jam in the sixth inning before Dan Runzler (2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO) and Steve Edlefsen (1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 SO) combined to hold Visalia scoreless over the last three frames.
Brian Bocock (3-for-5, 2B), Buster Posey (3-for-4, RBI) and Roger Kieschnick (3-for-4) each rapped out three hits to lead the Giants offensive attack. Thomas Neal (1-for-4, HR, RBI) added his team-leading 13th home run of the season while Nick Noonan (1-for-4, 2 RBI) delivered a key two-run single early in the contest.
San Jose jumped ahead of the Rawhide in the bottom of the second inning with a pair of runs against All-Star starting pitcher Josh Collmenter. Kieschnick began the frame with a single into right before Angel Villalona was hit by a pitch. After Conor Gillaspie advanced both runners with a sacrifice bunt, Ryan Lormand grounded out to shortstop for the second out of the inning. Noonan was up next and he lofted a fly ball down the left field line that dropped in front of Visalia's left fielder Eli Rumler for a single as both Kieschnick and Villalona scored to give the Giants a 2-0 lead.
San Jose added another run in the bottom of the third when Tyler Graham led off with a single, stole second and scored on Posey's two-out, RBI single into left center field.
Barnes had to pitch out of trouble in the top of the first inning as a hit batsman and a single followed by a successful double steal put runners on second and third with one out. However, clean-up hitter Konrad Schmidt struck out swinging before Taylor Hargin flied out to shallow left to end the threat.
Barnes then worked three straight perfect innings striking out two batters in the second, all three hitters in third and one more in the top of the fourth. Ed Easley got the Rawhide on the scoreboard when he belted the first pitch of the top of the fifth inning over the fence in left field for a home run.
In the sixth, Barnes issued a two-out walk to Schmidt, which ended his afternoon as Turpen was summoned from the bullpen. Harbin followed with an infield single to third base before Easley was hit by a pitch to load the bases, but Turpen recovered to strikeout Brendan Duffy swinging on a 3-2 pitch to keep the Giants lead at two runs.
Turpen promptly allowed a leadoff double to Derrick Walker in the top of the seventh, but Runzler easily worked out of the inning by setting down the next three hitters. Runzler started the eighth by surrendering a single to Ryne White, but then struck out Schmidt before Harbin flied out and Easley grounded out on a diving play made by Gillaspie at third base.
The Giants broke the game open with three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning against Visalia reliever Leyson Septimo. Neal led off with a line drive home run to deep left center field extending the San Jose lead to 4-1. Consecutive singles from the next two hitters, Posey and Kieschnick, preceded a one-out walk to Gillaspie, which loaded the bases. Ryan Lormand then lined a single into shallow center field plating Posey with the second run of the frame. Then with two outs, Septimo issued a bases loaded walk to Graham forcing home San Jose's final run of the day.
Edlefsen pitched through a leadoff walk and a one-out single in the top of the ninth inning to preserve the victory. The game ended with Rumler hitting a slow ground ball to the first base side of the mound that was fielded quickly by Edlefsen. On the play, Edlefsen applied a high tag on Rumler resulting in the two players coming together before each tumbled to the ground. The players had to be separated after wrestling in foul territory near first base as both dugouts and bullpens emptied. No other players on either side appeared to be involved in the fracas.
Collmenter (6-5) suffered the loss for the Rawhide after scattering nine hits and allowing three runs (all earned) over five innings. The right-hander, who threw a complete-game four-hitter in his only previous start this season against the Giants, struck out four and walked none.
Notes: The Giants conclude their six-game homestand with a 5-1 record ... San Jose began the homestand three games behind the Rawhide for first place in the division ... The Giants were a season-high five games out of first on June 2 - only 15 days ago ... San Jose is in a tie for the top spot for the first time since after the fourth game of the season (April 12, 4-0 record) ... The Giants out-hit Visalia by a 13-6 margin ... San Jose outscored the Rawhide 13-1 in the final two games of the series ... Barnes is tied with five other players for the league lead in victories ... Neal extended his hitting streak to 13 games with the eighth-inning home run ... The hitting streak is the longest for any Giants player this season ... Runzler has not allowed a run in his first four relief appearances with San Jose (5 IP) ... Visalia was 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position.
On Deck: The Giants begin their final series of the first half on Thursday evening with the first of four straight games against the Stockton Ports at Banner Island Ballpark. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 PM. Clayton Tanner (5-1, 2.96 ERA) is slated to start on the mound for San Jose while Stockton is expected to counter with Craig Italiano (4-6, 7.05 ERA). The game can be heard live on www.sjgiants.com.
California League Stories from June 17, 2009
- Giants Move Into First Place Tie After 6-1 Victory Over Rawhide - San Jose Giants
- Stockton to Welcome Dodgers Legend Maury Wills - Stockton Ports
- All-Star Post-Game, June 23 at Trevi Entertainment Center - Lake Elsinore Storm
- Oscar Nominated Director Ron Shelton on the Clubhouse Show - Lancaster JetHawks
- Bob Dylan & His Band Coming To The Diamond In Lake Elsinore - Lake Elsinore Storm
- Modesto Overpowers Ports in 11-3 Loss - Stockton Ports
- After Hot Start, JetHawks Stumble to Sixers - Lancaster JetHawks
- Broshuis, Giants Blank Visalia In 7-0 Win - San Jose Giants
- 66ers Fly Past JetHawks with 10-5 Win - Inland Empire 66ers
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