Giants Snap Losing Streak With 5-2 Win Over Visalia
Published on June 12, 2007 under California League (CalL1)
San Jose Giants News Release
The San Jose Giants snapped a season-high five-game losing streak Monday night with a 5-2 victory over the Visalia Oaks in the opener of a four-game series. In front of 2,504 fans at Municipal Stadium, Ronnie Ray and three relief pitchers combined on a five-hitter while the Giants scored five runs in the first two innings to take an early lead. With the win, San Jose improves their record to 35-28.
The Giants continue to hold a one-game lead in the First Half North Division race after the second-place Stockton Ports (34-30) defeated the Modesto Nuts 9-7 on Monday. Six games remain in the Half.
Ray earned the win on the mound after allowing two runs (both earned) on four hits in five-plus innings of work. He walked two and struck out two. Jason Waddell (2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 SO), Sergio Romo (1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 SO), and Brian Wilson (1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO) each pitched out of the Giants bullpen.
Waddell made his 2007 San Jose Giants debut after joining the club from Extended Spring Training before the game. Wilson earned the save with a perfect top of the ninth inning in his '07 California League debut. The right-hander is on a rehabilitation assignment with the Giants from Fresno (AAA) and is expected to pitch out of the San Jose bullpen during the entire homestand.
Offensively, Brian Bocock (2-for-2, RBI) was the lone Giants player to finish with more than one hit.
San Jose jumped in front with three runs in the bottom of the first inning against Oaks starting pitcher Hector Ambriz on the strength of three extra-base hits. With one out, Bocock walked before Ben Copeland stepped to the plate and drove a 3-0 pitch off the fence in center field for an RBI triple. Copeland scored when the next batter, Tyler Von Schell, grounded out.
With two outs, Adam Witter lined a double off the wall in center and scored on Pablo Sandoval's double to deep left center field.
In the second, consecutive singles from Anthony Contreras and Brad Boyer started the inning. After Antoan Richardson moved both runners up 90 feet with a sacrifice bunt, Bocock blooped a single into right field to score Contreras. Two batters later, Von Schell produced a run with a sacrifice fly to left field making the score 5-0.
Ray started the game by retiring the first nine Visalia batters. In the fourth, Greg Thomson led off with a double and scored two batters later on Bryan Byrne's sacrifice fly.
In the sixth, back-to-back singles from Thomson and Jereme Milons started the inning knocking Ray out of the game. Waddell entered the contest and promptly allowed a single to the next batter, Byrne, scoring Thomson to cut the Giants lead to 5-2. But Byrne was thrown out at first base after rounding the bag too far and Waddell rebounded to strike out the next two hitters, Cyle Hankerd and Frank Curreri, to end the inning.
All total, Giants relievers retired the final 11 Visalia batters that came to the plate.
Ambriz (3-4) suffered the loss for the Oaks after yielding all five runs on six hits in four innings of work.
Notes: Ray (5-3) was winless in his last six starts ... He lowered his ERA to 5.16 ... Waddell compiled an 11-5 record and 3.80 ERA spanning 73 appearances (four starts) with the San Jose Giants in 2004 and 2005 ... Wilson, who pitched in 31 games out of the bullpen for the San Francisco Giants last year, is 0-1 with a 2.92 ERA and three saves this season in Fresno ... Witter (1-for-4, 2B) extended his hitting streak to 12 games ... Richardson's (0-for-3) eight-game hitting streak came to an end ... Bocock broke out of an 0-for-13 slump at the plate with his perfect game offensively ... The Giants are 18-11 at home this season (17-18 on the road).
On Deck: The Giants and Oaks continue this four-game series Tuesday evening with first pitch at Municipal Stadium scheduled for 7:00 P.M. Gregorio Martinez (4-4, 4.80 ERA) is slated to start on the mound for San Jose while Visalia is expected to counter with Max Scherzer (0-0, 1.80 ERA), a 2006 First Round draft pick of the Arizona Diamondbacks. Tickets can be purchased by calling (408)297-1435 or by visiting www.sjgiants.com.
California League Stories from June 12, 2007
- Tickets Selling Fast for July 4 Independence Day Fireworks Spectacular - Lancaster JetHawks
- Giants Snap Losing Streak With 5-2 Win Over Visalia - San Jose Giants
- JetHawks Hits Four Homers and Win Their Fifth Straight - Lancaster JetHawks
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