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CalL San Jose Giants

Giants Power to 7â€Â"5 Victory over Ports

June 9, 2021 - California League (CalL)
San Jose Giants News Release


The Giants blasted three home runs on Tuesday night, including a grand slam hit by Brett Auerbach, in a 7-5 victory over the Stockton Ports at Banner Island Ballpark. In the opener of a 12-game road trip, Alex Canario and Armani Smith also went deep while Clay Helvey slammed the door late to secure the win. San Jose (20-11) has now won three games in a row overall and nine out of their last 11.

The long ball produced six of the Giants' seven runs on Tuesday with Canario's round-tripper putting San Jose on the board. After Stockton scored a run on a Giants error in the bottom of the first to take a 1-0 lead, Canario stepped to the plate with two outs in the top of the second and lined a solo homer down the right field line to tie the game. The home run was Canario's third of the season.

San Jose then went in front with a single tally in the top of the fourth. Luis Matos led off with a double to deep left before Smith's single put runners on the corners. Marco Luciano then bounced into a double play with Matos scoring to give the Giants a 2-1 lead.

Meanwhile, Prelander Berroa impressed on the mound for San Jose in his start. After yielding the unearned run in the bottom of the first, Berroa tossed three straight scoreless frames. He fanned two batters in the bottom of the second before three strikeouts in the third, including a key punchout of T.J. Schofield-Sam to strand runners at second and third. Berroa then struck out two more Stockton batters in the bottom of the fourth to complete his outing.

With the Giants still ahead by a run, Justin Crump entered from the bullpen to begin the bottom of the fifth and needed only seven pitches to set down the side in order. In the sixth, Smith came up with two outs and the bases empty and hammered a towering fly ball over the fence in right center for a solo homer. Smith's second home run of the season made the score 3-1.

After Crump pitched around a leadoff walk to toss a scoreless bottom of the sixth, San Jose extended their lead on Auerbach's slam in the seventh. Canario started the inning with a single - his third hit of the night. After Canario stole second with one out, Garrett Frechette worked a walk and Ricardo Genoves singled to load the bases. Auerbach was up next and he belted a 2-0 pitch over the fence in straightaway center for a grand slam. The home run, which traveled 430 feet, was the first of Auerbach's professional career and it stretched the lead to 7-1.

The Giants though would have to hang on late as the Ports immediately responded with four runs of their own in the bottom of the seventh. Jorge Labrador walked two batters and hit another to load the bases with one out. Austin Reich then came in and retired Brayan Buelvas on a shallow fly ball to center for the second out before back-to-back two-RBI hits for Stockton. Tyler Soderstrom blooped a double down the left field line to plate two cutting the San Jose lead to 7-3. Kevin Richards then lined a single into left scoring two more to make it 7-5. Reich though would escape as with the potential tying run at the plate, he struck out Schofield-Sam to end the inning.

Helvey then shut down Stockton over the final two innings in dominant fashion to seal the victory. The Giants closer struck out the side - all on swinging strike three's - in a perfect bottom of the eighth. In the ninth, with the lead still at 7-5, Robert Puason led off with a single to bring the potential tying run to the plate. Helvey though responded with a strikeout of Gavin Jones for the first out. Buelvas was then retired on a slow grounder back to Helvey before Soderstrom lined out to left to end the game.

GIANTS NOTES

Winning Ways

With the victory in Tuesday's series opener, the Giants (20-11) moved a season-high nine games over .500. San Jose has won five out of their seven games at Banner Island Ballpark this season.

Auerbach's Slam

The grand slam from Brett Auerbach was the first hit by a San Jose Giant this year. Auerbach also singled twice and finished the game 3-for-4 with four RBI's. Auerbach is in his debut professional season after signing with the San Francisco as a non-drafted free agent last summer out of the University of Alabama.

Other Hitting Standouts

Alex Canario went 3-for-4 on Tuesday with two singles, a solo homer and a stolen base. Armani Smith (2-for-4, HR, RBI) also finished with a multi-hit game. Luis Matos' (1-for-4, 2B) double was his team-leading 10th of the season.

Inside The Box Score

The Giants out-hit the Ports 11-7. San Jose was 3-for-4 with runners in scoring position while Stockton was only 2-for-11.

On The Mound

Prelander Berroa struck out eight Stockton hitters during his four-inning start. He allowed four hits and one run (unearned) with two walks. Justin Crump (2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 SO) was credited with the win out of the bullpen. Clay Helvey (2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 SO) earned his fourth save.

Strikeout Leaders

The Giants pitching staff entered the game leading all of Minor League Baseball in strikeouts (380). San Jose hurlers struck out 14 more on Tuesday and are now averaging 12.7 strikeouts per game.

On Deck

The Giants and Ports continue their six-game series on Wednesday evening with first pitch at Banner Island Ballpark set for 7:05 PM. Carson Ragsdale is San Jose's scheduled starting pitcher.

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