Giants Solve Storm, Snap Mini-Skid
August 9, 2015 - California League (CalL1)
San Jose Giants News Release
LAKE ELSINORE, CA - The San Jose Giants secured their first win in seven meetings against Lake Elsinore this season with a 5-3 victory over the Storm on Saturday evening at The Diamond. Following back-to-back extra-inning losses the last two nights, the Giants plated two runs in the top of the first and then never trailed en route to the win. The victory snapped San Jose's (26-16) three-game losing streak and moved the Giants back into a first-place tie with Modesto and Visalia in the second half North Division race.
Jose Reyes (3-4) tossed six strong innings with just two hits and two runs (both earned) allowed to pick-up the win. Reyes walked four and struck out four during his outing. Ian Gardeck (2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 3 SO) then worked two innings of relief and stranded the potential tying run in scoring position in the eighth before Jake Smith (1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 SO) fired a scoreless bottom of the ninth for the save.
Angel Villalona (2-for-5, 2B, RBI), Brian Ragira (2-for-5, 2B, RBI) and Tyler Horan (2-for-5) finished with two hits apiece to lead the Giants offensively. Christian Arroyo (1-for-4, HR, RBI) added a solo home run.
San Jose jumped out early against Storm starting pitcher Michael Kelly, who was making his California League debut. With two outs in the top of the first, the Giants produced four straight hits resulting in a pair of runs. After the first two batters of the game were retired, Daniel Carbonell singled and immediately scored when the next batter, Villalona, laced a double into the left center field gap. After Horan singled to put runners on the corners, Ragira grounded an RBI single into right for a 2-0 advantage.
Reyes began his night with three hitless innings retiring nine out of the first ten Lake Elsinore batters of the contest. San Jose then manufactured a run in the top of the fourth to extend their lead. Ragira began the frame with a double off the wall in deep right center. Seth Harrison followed with a sacrifice bunt and then John Polonius lifted a sacrifice fly into center to make it 3-0.
The Storm's only two runs against Reyes came in the bottom of the fourth. Nick Schulz led off with a single before Marcus Davis drew a one-out walk. Ryan Miller then stepped to the plate and belted a double to deep left plating both runners to cut the Giants lead to 3-2. Reyes though settled down retiring the next two hitters on a groundout and a pop out to end the inning.
San Jose immediately got one run back in the top of the fifth when Arroyo connected for a towering home run off the left field foul pole. The homer was Arroyo's seventh of the season.
Reyes maintained the 4-2 lead for the remainder of his outing pitching around a walk in both the fifth and sixth innings.
Gardeck entered from the bullpen to begin the bottom of the seventh and tossed a 1-2-3 frame registering one strikeout. Lake Elsinore then rallied in the bottom of the eighth as Donavan Tate and Schulz knocked out back-to-back singles putting runners on first and third with none out. Gardeck though limited the damage in the inning. The reliever fanned Nick Torres for the first out. Davis then grounded out with Tate scoring on the play to trim the lead to 4-3. And with the potential tying run at second, Gardeck notched a three-pitch strikeout of Miller to end the inning.
The Giants scored an insurance run in the top of the ninth as Storm reliever Cecil Tanner plunked three straight hitters - Ty Ross, Jeff Kobernus and Arroyo - to load the bases. Tanner then walked Carbonell on four pitches to force home Ross for a 5-3 cushion. However, new pitcher Rafael De Paula then struck out the next three hitters to keep the deficit for Lake Elsinore at two runs.
In the bottom of the ninth, Smith quickly retired the first two batters on a groundout and a fly out before Chase Jensen singled to bring the potential tying run to the plate. Smith though came back and set down the next hitter, Felipe Blanco, on a soft groundout to first ending the contest. Smith was credited with his ninth save of the season.
Kelly (0-1) was saddled with the loss after surrendering four runs (all earned) on eight hits over six innings. He struck out three and did not walk a batter.
Notes:
* Prior to Saturday, Lake Elsinore had been the only team San Jose had not recorded a win against this season.
* The Giants avoided their first four-game losing streak since they were swept by the Storm in a four-game series from May 4-7.
* San Jose out-hit Lake Elsinore 10-5.
* Harrison (1-for-3, SB) extended his hitting streak to eight games with an eighth-inning single.
* Reyes has won his last two starts (12 2/3 innings, four runs).
* All nine of Smith's saves have come in the second half.
* The Giants improved to 3-3 on their road trip with one game remaining.
* San Jose (56-56) returned their overall record to .500.
On Deck: The Giants will look to split their four-game series against Lake Elsinore when the clubs meet on Sunday evening at The Diamond. First pitch is scheduled for 5:00 PM. Martin Agosta (4-6, 4.44 ERA) is slated to come off the disabled list and make the start on the mound for San Jose. The Storm are expected to counter with Brad Wieck (0-4, 5.73 ERA). The game can be heard live on sjgiants.com with coverage beginning at 4:30 PM.
California League Stories from August 9, 2015
- Davis Homers in Sixth Straight as 'Hawks Blank Mavs - Lancaster JetHawks
- Ports Edge Quakes 1-0 with Late Run - Stockton Ports
- Giants Solve Storm, Snap Mini-Skid - San Jose Giants
- Back-to-back Walkoffs; Blaze Zip Past Nuts, 5-4 - Bakersfield Blaze
- Tapia Drives in Four in 5-4 Loss - Modesto Nuts
- Davis Extends Homer Streak in Loss to Mavs - Lancaster JetHawks
- De Jong Suffers Tough-Luck Defeat, as Quakes Fall - Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
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