CalL1 San Jose Giants

Giants Rally Past JetHawks in Series Finale, 7-5

Published on August 17, 2015 under California League (CalL1)
San Jose Giants News Release


SAN JOSE, CA - The San Jose Giants took the rubber match of their three-game series against Lancaster with a come-from-behind 7-5 victory over the JetHawks on Sunday evening at Municipal Stadium. San Jose overcame a 5-1 deficit scoring five runs in the bottom of the sixth to take the lead before using dominant relief work from their bullpen to secure the win. With the victory, the Giants (29-20) move back to within one game of Visalia (30-19) in the second half North Division race.

Angel Villalona (1-for-3, 3 RBI) had three RBI's, including a game-tying two-out, two-run double in the bottom of the sixth, to lead the San Jose offensive attack. Brian Ragira (2-for-4, 2B, RBI), Brandon Bednar (2-for-5) and Daniel Carbonell (2-for-3, 2B) added two hits apiece while Aramis Garcia's (1-for-4, RBI) run-scoring single in the sixth gave the Giants the lead for good.

Relievers Ray Black, Ian Gardeck and Jake Smith combined to strikeout the final eight JetHawks hitters of the contest. The last 11 Lancaster batters were retired by the San Jose bullpen while the JetHawks didn't pick-up a hit after the fourth inning.

Trailing 5-1, San Jose's dramatic sixth-inning rally began with a leadoff double to deep right off the bat of Ragira. Seth Harrison was then hit by a pitch before John Polonius' fly out to right advanced Ragira to third. Skyler Stromsmoe was up next and he ripped a line drive over the head of Lancaster right fielder Ronnie Mitchell for another double. The hit scored Ragira and when Mitchell's throw back towards the infield bounced away, Harrison raced home with another run to make it 5-3. Bednar followed with a groundout advancing Stromsmoe to third before Carbonell drew a full-count walk putting the potential tying run on base. Villalona then laced a 3-0 pitch from JetHawks reliever Christian Powell into the right center field gap for a double as Stromsmoe and Carbonell both scored to tie the game 5-5. The Giants moved in front when the next batter, Garcia, grounded an RBI single into left.

With the lead for the first time, San Jose turned to Black (1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO) in the top of the seventh. Black retired Alex Bregman on a deep fly out to left center before registering consecutive strikeouts of the 3-4 hitters, Derek Fisher and Chase McDonald, to end the inning. Gardeck (1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 SO) then struck out all three batters he faced in the top of the eighth to maintain the 6-5 lead.

The Giants picked-up an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth as Bednar and Carbonell both singled with one out to put runners on the corners. Villalona then hit a slow grounder to first that deflected off the glove of McDonald for an error. Villalona was credited with an RBI on the play as Bednar scored to make it 7-5.

In the ninth, Smith made quick work of the JetHawks notching three consecutive strikeouts of Mott Hyde, Marc Wik and James Ramsay to end the game. Smith earned with his 10th save of the season.

Jeff Soptic (1-3) was credited with the win out of the bullpen after tossing three innings with two runs (both earned) and two hits allowed. Soptic, who entered the game to begin the top of the fourth, walked two and struck out two.

Powell (0-2) was charged with all five runs in the bottom of the sixth to take the loss. Powell pitched just 2/3 of an inning out of the Lancaster bullpen and surrendered four hits with one walk.

Martin Agosta started on the mound for San Jose and lasted just three innings as the JetHawks built an early 3-0 lead. In the top of the second, Ronnie Mitchell led off with a triple into the right field corner and then scored the first run of the day when Hyde blasted a two-out double off the wall in left.

In the top of the third, Fisher drew a two-out walk and McDonald then launched a two-run homer to left center for a 3-0 advantage. The home run was McDonald's 24th of the season.

Agosta was charged with three runs (all earned) on five hits over his three innings of work. He walked two, struck out four and threw 71 pitches.

The Giants left five runners on base over the first two innings before breaking through in the bottom of the third. Carbonell led off with a double before Villalona drew a walk. Then with two outs, Ragira singled sharply up the middle to plate Carbonell cutting the Lancaster lead to 3-1.

The JetHawks though responded with two runs in the top of the fourth against Soptic. A single followed by a walk and then a groundout put runners on second and third with two down. Soptic then uncorked a wild pitch allowing the first run to score before Bregman delivered an RBI single for a 5-1 cushion. Bregman single though would be Lancaster's final hit of the game.

Soptic bounced back with a 1-2-3 top of the fifth. He then worked around a one-out walk in sixth to keep the deficit at four runs before San Jose erupted in the bottom of the frame.

Notes:

* The five-run bottom of the sixth was San Jose's highest-scoring inning since July 26 (five-run third inning at Bakersfield in a 9-1 win).

* The Giants out-hit the JetHawks 10-7. San Jose was 5-for-15 with runners in scoring position.

* The Giants hit five doubles.

* San Jose pitchers combined to record 14 strikeouts.

* All 10 of Smith's saves have come in the second half. He has a 1.86 ERA since the All-Star break.

* Villalona has seven RBI's in his last four games.

* The Giants finish the season with an 8-3 record against Lancaster (6-1 at Municipal Stadium).

* San Jose (59-60) remained one game behind Stockton (60-59) in the Wild Card race. 21 games remain in the regular season.

* The temperature at first pitch was 100 degrees - the Giants' hottest home game of the season.

On Deck: The Giants next travel to Stockton for a three-game series against the Ports. Monday's opener at Banner Island Ballpark is scheduled to begin at 7:10 PM. Luis Ysla (2-5, 5.76 ERA) is slated to start on the mound for San Jose while Stockton is expected to counter with Raul Alcantara (0-2, 4.66 ERA). The game can be heard live on sjgiants.com with coverage beginning at 6:40 PM.

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California League Stories from August 17, 2015


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