CalL1 San Jose Giants

Giants Open Road Trip with 5-1 Victory

Published on August 4, 2015 under California League (CalL1)
San Jose Giants News Release


MODESTO, CA - San Jose pitching continued to shine as Luis Ysla and three relievers combined to allow just one run in a 5-1 Giants victory over the Modesto Nuts on Monday evening at John Thurman Field. In the opener of a seven-game road trip, San Jose built a 5-0 lead after 4 1/2 innings before cruising to the win. The Giants (54-53) won for the 20th time in their last 26 games and moved above .500 for the first time since the opening week of the season.

Ysla (2-5) allowed just one unearned run over a season-high 5 1/3 innings to pick-up the win. The left-hander surrendered seven hits, walked one and struck out six. Relievers Ian Gardeck (1 2/3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO), Ray Black (1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO) and Christian Jones (1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO) then combined to retire the final 11 Nuts hitters of the contest.

Brian Ragira (2-for-3, 2 RBI), Ryder Jones (2-for-4, 2B, RBI) and Christian Arroyo (2-for-4, SB) each produced two hits to lead San Jose offensively. Arroyo extended his hitting streak to a season-high nine games.

The game was scoreless until the Giants broke through with a pair of runs in the top of the third against Modesto starter Antonio Senzatela. Back-to-back singles from Jeff Kobernus and Arroyo to start the inning put runners on the corners with none out. After Daniel Carbonell flied out to shallow right, Angel Villalona stepped to the plate and lined an RBI single into right center for a 1-0 lead. Jones followed by reaching on an error to load the bases and then Ragira lifted a sacrifice fly into right to make it 2-0.

San Jose extended their lead with a three-run top of the fifth. Arroyo led off with a single before stealing second. Then with two outs, Jones belted a double into deep right plating Arroyo with the first run of the frame. Ragira was up next and he lined a single into center as Jones came home for a 4-0 cushion. On the play, Nuts center fielder Raimel Tapia threw home in an effort to retire Jones, but was well late. Catcher Wilfredo Rodriguez received the ball, but then threw wildly to first as Ragira had rounded the base. As the ball rolled down the right field line, Ragira raced into third. Ragira then scored when the throw from the second baseman Wilson Soriano down the right field line bounced away and into foul territory on the left field side. Two errors were charged on the play as the Giants pushed their lead to 5-0.

Meanwhile, Ysla allowed only two hits over four scoreless innings to begin his start. He threw only 41 pitches in the first four innings. In the bottom of the fifth, Correlle Prime led off with a single, moved to second on a passed ball and scored on Soriano's one-out single up the middle to cut the lead to 5-1. Soriano later advanced to second on a balk and stole third, but was stranded there when Ysla struck out Tapia to end the inning.

Modesto threatened in the bottom of the sixth as two singles and a walk loaded the bases with one out. However with the potential tying run at the plate, Gardeck was summoned from the bullpen and he promptly struck out Prime and retired Rodriguez on a groundout to keep the score at 5-1.

The Nuts then didn't manage another baserunner for the remainder of the night. Gardeck needed just five pitches to breeze through a 1-2-3 bottom of the seventh. Black used six pitches in a perfect eighth inning before Jones threw seven pitches in the ninth.

Senzatela (7-6), who entered the game with the lowest ERA in the California League (2.44), suffered the loss after allowing a season-high five runs (three earned) on eight hits over six innings. He walked one and struck out five.

Notes:

* The Giants own a 2.08 team ERA over their last 26 games.

* San Jose was last above the .500 mark on April 11 (2-1 record).

* Ysla owns a 1.21 ERA (3 ER/22.1 IP) over his last five appearances (three starts).

* Jones' double with his team-leading 24th of the season.

* The Giants out-hit the Nuts 9-7.

* San Jose has won their last four games at John Thurman Field (10-7 overall versus the Nuts).

* The Giants (24-13) moved to within one game of Modesto (25-12) in the second half North Division race.

On Deck: The Giants and Nuts continue their three-game series on Tuesday evening with first pitch at John Thurman Field scheduled for 7:05 PM. Jordan Johnson (0-0, --- ERA) is slated to make the start on the mound for San Jose while Modesto is expected to counter with Alex Balog (1-4, 4.22 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 4, 2015


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