CalL San Jose Giants

Giants Return From Break With Ninth-Inning Comeback Win

Published on July 23, 2022 under California League (CalL)
San Jose Giants News Release


Down to their final out, the San Jose Giants rallied for a dramatic 6-5 victory over the host Modesto Nuts on Friday night at John Thurman Field. Aeverson Arteaga hit a go-ahead two-out, two-RBI single in the top of the ninth inning to complete a late comeback as San Jose earned the win in their return from the All-Star Break. The victory was the Giants' (51-37, 11-11 second half) third in a row and fifth in their last six games overall.

Arteaga (3-for-5, 2 RBI) and Hayden Cantrelle (3-for-5) had three hits each while Adrian Sugastey (2-for-5, HR, 3 RBI) homered and drove in three runs to lead San Jose offensively. The Giants rallied from a 5-3 deficit scoring once in the top of the eighth before Arteaga's clutch two-RBI single in the ninth. Hunter Dula then earned his team-leading sixth save of the season with a scoreless bottom of the ninth.

Friday's series opener was a back-and-forth affair with San Jose jumping out early on Sugastey's home run. With one out in the top of the first, Cantrelle singled before Sugastey stepped to the plate with two down and launched a two-run homer down the left field line. The round-tripper was Sugastey's first since returning from the IL last week and his fourth overall this season.

Trevor McDonald started on the mound for the Giants and began his night with two scoreless innings while facing the minimum six hitters. The Nuts though were able to scratch across single runs in the third and fourth against McDonald to tie the game 2-2. In the bottom of the third, Colin Davis led off with a single for Modesto's first hit of the night. After Randy Bednar was hit by a pitch, Amador Arias grounded into a 6-4-3 double play. However with Ben Ramirez at the plate, McDonald uncorked a wild pitch allowing Davis to score the Nuts' first run.

An inning later, Jonatan Clase drew a one-out walk to start a rally. Robert Perez Jr. then reached on an infield single to third and when Yorlis Rodriguez threw the ball away to first for an error, Clase advanced to third. Freuddy Batista followed with a sacrifice fly plating Clase to tie the score 2-2.

San Jose briefly reclaimed the lead in the top of the fifth thanks to a Modesto wild pitch. Rodriguez singled to leadoff and was forced at second on Grant McCray's fielder's choice grounder. McCray would then steal second, move to third on a passed ball and score the go-ahead run on a two-out wild pitch.

The Nuts though came right back with a two-run bottom of the fifth to take their first lead of the contest. Davis led off with a double and deep center and immediately scored the tying run when Bednar grounded a single into left. Two batters later, Ramirez doubled into the left field corner to score Bednar all the way from first for a 4-3 Modesto advantage.

The Nuts then scored in a fourth consecutive inning when they plated one run in the bottom of the sixth. Facing reliever John Gavin, Batista started the frame with a triple to deep left and came home on Walking Cabrera's sacrifice fly to make it 5-3.

The Giants had gone down quietly in the sixth and seventh innings, but would begin their late comeback with a single tally in the top of the eighth. Three straight one-out singles from Cantrelle, Arteaga and Sugastey produced the run as San Jose pulled within 5-4. Consecutive groundouts from the next two hitters, Carter Williams and Jared Dupere, though would strand the potential tying and go-ahead runs on base.

The Giants though kept the pressure on with a ninth-inning rally against Modesto closer Jorge Benitez, who leads the California League with 10 saves. Still down by a single run, Victor Bericoto led off the top of the ninth with a single into center. After Garrett Frechette popped out and Rodriguez struck out on the 10th pitch of his at-bat, San Jose was down to their final out. McCray, however, drew a four-pitch walk before Cantrelle easily beat out a slow roller to the right side for an infield single to load the bases. Arteaga was up next and he lined a 1-1 pitch from Benitez into left field for a single to easily score pinch-runner Alexander Suarez and McCray giving the Giants a 6-5 lead.

Dula then took over in the bottom of the ninth and slammed the door to seal the win. After Bednar struck out to start the inning, Arias reached safely on a dropped pop up in front of home plate. Dula though responded to strikeout Ramirez and then retire Edwin Arroyo on a fly out to deep center to send San Jose to victory.

GIANTS NOTES

Ninth-Inning Comeback: Friday's triumph was the Giants' fourth victory this season when trailing after eight innings (4-28).

Inside The Box Score: San Jose out-hit Modesto 11-8. The Giants were 4-for-11 with runners in scoring position compared to only 1-for-7 for the Nuts.

100th Home Run: Adrian Sugastey's first-inning blast was San Jose's 100th home run of the season. The Giants are second in the California in homers. San Jose is on pace to hit 150 home runs this year, which would match the single-season team record set in 2021.

On The Mound: Trevor McDonald pitched five innings in his start with four runs (three earned) allowed. McDonald gave up five hits, walked three and struck out five. Melvin Adon (1 IP, 0 H, 1 BB, 1 SO), JJ Santa Cruz (1 IP, 1 H) and Hunter Dula (1 IP, 1 H, 2 SO) combined on three scoreless innings of relief to finish the game.

Williams Extends Hitting Streak: Carter Williams (1-for-4) extended his hitting streak to 12 games with a fourth-inning infield single. It's the longest hit streak by a Giants player this season.

Three In A Row: The Giants have won three games in a row for the first time since their 11-game win streak from June 15-26.

On Deck: The Giants and Nuts play the middle game of their series on Saturday evening with first pitch at John Thurman Field set for 6:05 PM. Manuel Mercedes is San Jose's scheduled starting pitcher.

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California League Stories from July 23, 2022


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