Giants Rally Past Sixers to Take Series
June 15, 2016 - California League (CalL1)
San Jose Giants News Release
SAN JOSE, CA - Steven Duggar hit a tiebreaking RBI single in the bottom of the seventh before relievers Reyes Moronta and Rodolfo Martinez closed out the Inland Empire 66ers late for a 5-4 Giants victory on Wednesday afternoon at Municipal Stadium. San Jose (37-28) rallied from a three-run deficit in the contest to take the rubber game of the series.
Duggar (2-for-3, RBI) and Jonah Arenado (2-for-4, 2B, RBI) had two hits apiece while Daniel Carbonell (1-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI) delivered a key two-run double to lead the Giants offensively in the win.
Mark Reyes (6-1) won his fourth consecutive start after working the first seven innings. Reyes surrendered 10 hits and four runs (all earned) during his outing. The left-hander walked two and struck out three. After San Jose took the lead in the seventh, Moronta (1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 SO) struck out the side in a perfect top of the eighth before Martinez (1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO) slammed the door in the ninth for the save. The Giants pitching trio combined to retire the final 12 Inland Empire batters of the game.
The 66ers built a 4-1 lead before the Giants rallied in the bottom of the sixth. Facing Inland Empire starter Alex Klonowski, the inning began with a single from Ronnie Jebavy. After Jebavy stole second, Duggar drew a walk to bring the tying run to the plate. Klonowski recovered to set down C.J Hinojosa and Chris Shaw, but then Arenado grounded a single up the middle to plate Jebavy trimming the Sixers lead to 4-2. Carbonell was up next and he blasted a double off the fence in deep left center scoring both Duggar and Arenado to tie the game 4-4.
Reyes finished his outing with a 1-2-3 top of the seventh before San Jose took their first lead of the day with a run in the bottom of the frame. With one out, Robbie Garvey reached on catchers interference before moving to second on Jebavy's groundout. Duggar then lined a 3-2 pitch from Inland Empire reliever Kevin Grendell into shallow left for a single as Garvey raced home with the go-ahead tally.
In the top of the eighth, Moronta registered three straight strikeouts of Zach Houchins, Ryan Sebra and Ayendy Perez to maintain the one-run advantage. The reliever threw 12 out of his 13 pitches for strikes. Then in the ninth, Martinez notched a strikeout of Zach Welz before Josh Delph grounded out and David Fletcher flied out to end the game. The save for Martinez was his league-leading 19th of the season.
Grendell (0-1) was saddled with the loss out of the 66ers bullpen.
Inland Empire jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the top of the second as Houchins doubled with one out and scored on Perez's two-out single.
Klonowski retired 10 straight Giants hitters to begin his start before San Jose evened the score in the bottom of the fourth. With one out, Duggar singled and immediately scored the tying run when the next batter, Hinojosa, belted a triple to deep left center.
The 66ers though answered with a three-run top of the fifth against Reyes. A one-out bunt single from Hutton Moyer started the rally before Wass drilled an opposite-field two-run homer to right. The home run, Wass' sixth of the season, gave Inland Empire a 3-1 lead. The Sixers then added a third run in the frame as Houchins followed the home run with a single before Perez produced a two-out RBI double.
Klonowski allowed just three hits and one run over the first five innings for Inland Empire before the Giants' game-tying three-run rally in the bottom of the sixth.
Notes:
* The Giants out-hit the 66ers 10-8.
* Jebavy (nine games) and Arenado (seven games) both extended their hitting streaks.
* Reyes is 4-0 with a 2.45 ERA (8 ER/29.1 IP) over his last four starts.
* All three games in the series were decided by one run. San Jose is now 10-8 in one-run games this season.
On Deck: The Giants continue their homestand on Thursday evening with the opener of a four-game series against the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes. First pitch at Municipal Stadium is scheduled for 7:00 PM. Jason Forjet (6-4, 4.27 ERA) is slated to start on the mound for San Jose. It's a KFOX 98.5 Classic Rock Thursday at the ballpark and tickets can be purchased by calling (408) 297-1435 or by visiting sjgiants.com.
California League Stories from June 15, 2016
- San Jose Takes Tight Series - Inland Empire 66ers
- Giants Rally Past Sixers to Take Series - San Jose Giants
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- Sixers Win in Ten But All Were #SBSTRONG - Inland Empire 66ers
- Unearned Runs Hurts Ports in 4-1 Loss - Stockton Ports
- Rawhide Pull out Late Win, 8-3 - Bakersfield Blaze
- Six-Game Winning Streak Stopped by JetHawks - Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
- Strong Start Gives Nuts 4-1 Win - Modesto Nuts
- James, Laureano Help 'Hawks Snap Skid - Lancaster JetHawks
- Giants Fall in 10 Innings to Sixers - San Jose Giants
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