Giants Pitching Continues to Shine in Fourth Consecutive Win
Published on April 23, 2022 under California League (CalL)
San Jose Giants News Release
The San Jose pitching staff continued its outstanding start to the season with another dominant effort on the mound in Friday's 5-1 victory over the Visalia Rawhide at Valley Strong Ballpark. Mason Black, Landen Roupp and Evan Gates combined on a five-hitter with 13 strikeouts as the Giants (9-4) won their fourth straight game in Visalia this week.
Black pitched the four innings for San Jose and surrendered only one run on three hits. The right-hander walked one and struck out eight during his masterful outing. The Rawhide's only run of the contest came in the bottom of the first on Shane Muntz's two-out RBI double. Visalia would then manage only three hits - all singles - over the final eight innings on Friday.
All five Giants runs came during a third-inning rally as San Jose batted around during the frame. Najee Gaskins singled to start the inning for the Giants before Alexander Suarez was hit by a pitch. Aeverson Arteaga was up next and he laced a double into the left field corner bringing home Gaskins with the tying run. Suarez advanced to third on the hit and then scored the go-ahead run when the next batter, Vaun Brown, grounded out to shortstop. After Adrian Sugastey singled, Abdiel Layer stepped to the plate and ripped a double down the right field line plating two more to make it 4-1. Then two batters later, Yorlis Rodriguez's RBI single stretched the lead to 5-1.
After yielding the single run in the bottom of the first, Black cruised through the remainder of his start. Black struck out the side in a perfect bottom of the second before working around a two-out walk in the third. Black then fanned two more in a scoreless fourth inning as he pitched through a one-out single.
With San Jose still ahead by a 5-1 margin, Roupp took over on the mound to begin the bottom of the fifth and promptly struck out the side to begin his long relief appearance. Roupp ran into trouble in the sixth as he issued back-to-back walks to start the inning, but quickly escaped when he induced Muntz to ground into a double play before Junior Franco also grounded out.
Roupp then breezed through a 1-2-3 bottom of the seventh to maintain the four-run cushion. In the eighth, Wilderd Patino singled with one out - Visalia's first hit since the fourth inning. Jacen Roberson then singled with two down, but both runners were stranded as Roupp retired the clean-up hitter Muntz to end the threat.
Gates then closed out the Rawhide with a scoreless bottom of the ninth. Franco drew a leadoff walk, but Gates came back to set down SP Chen on a fly out before JJ D'Orazio grounded into a game-ending 6-4-3 double play.
GIANTS NOTES
League-Leading Staff: The Giants lowered their team ERA to a sparkling 2.82 - best in the California League and a full run lower than the next-closest team (Fresno 4.03). San Jose boasts a 1.46 ERA during the current four-game winning streak. The Giants have held Rawhide hitters to a .131 batting average (16-for-122) during the current series.
Roupp Still Perfect: Landen Roupp allowed only two hits over four shutout innings of relief on Friday to pick-up the win. He walked two and struck out five. Roupp has now thrown 10 scoreless innings with just three hits given up in three appearances this season.
At The Plate: Adrian Sugastey (2-for-4) was the only Giants player on Friday with a multi-hit game. Sugastey snapped out of an 0-for-17 skid. Abdiel Layer's (1-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI) double was his third of the season - tied for the team lead. San Jose out-hit Visalia 7-5.
Rodriguez Extends Hit Streak: Yorlis Rodriguez (1-for-3, RBI) extended his hitting streak to eight games with his third-inning RBI single.
Winning Streak: With victories in their last four games, the Giants have matched their longest winning streak of the season.
On Deck: The Giants and Rawhide continue their series on Saturday evening with first pitch at Valley Strong Ballpark set for 6:30 PM. Matt Mikulski is San Jose's scheduled starting pitcher.
California League Stories from April 23, 2022
- Fresno Grizzlies Game Notes vs Lake Elsinore - Fresno Grizzlies
- Rancho Rallies for 5 Runs in the 9th - Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
- Giants Pitching Continues to Shine in Fourth Consecutive Win - San Jose Giants
- Shawver, Fresno on wrong side of 2-0 pitcher's duel against Lake Elsinore - Fresno Grizzlies
- Despite Early Lead, Rawhide Fall to San Jose 5-1 - Visalia Rawhide
- Ports Snap Skid Behind Strong Pitching - Stockton Ports
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