Giants Suffer Stunning 12-11 Loss, Swept by Nuts
August 28, 2023 - California League (CalL)
San Jose Giants News Release
The San Jose Giants were swept in a six-game series by the Modesto Nuts with a stunning 12-11, 10-inning setback on Sunday night at Excite Ballpark. The wild contest saw the Nuts rally from a late 9-1 deficit as Tai Peete hit a pair of grand slams before Modesto closed out the Giants in the 10th for a second straight extra-inning victory. With the loss, San Jose (63-57 overall, 23-31 second half) was swept in a series for the first time since the 2019 season.
Javier Francisco (3-for-6, 2 2B, 5 RBI) drove in five runs as part of a three-hit game while Quinn McDaniel (2-for-4, HR, 2 RBI) and Cole Foster (1-for-4, HR, 2 RBI) each homered to lead the way offensively for the Giants in defeat. Turner Hill (3-for-5, SB) and Charlie Szykowny (3-for-5, 2B) added three hits apiece. San Jose scored in seven of the first eight innings on Sunday, but could not hold an eight-run lead as Modesto rallied to complete the sweep.
After Nuts scored once in the top of the first inning, the Giants answered with a three-run bottom of the frame. Foster was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to score San Jose's first run of the night before Francisco delivered a clutch two-out, two-RBI single into left for a 3-1 Giants advantage.
San Jose then scored single runs in the second and third innings to extend their lead. In the bottom of the second, Alexander Suarez singled and Hill was hit by a pitch. The pair then executed a double steal and when the throw to second from Nuts catcher Freuddy Batista bounced into center field, Suarez raced home with the Giants' fourth run. An inning later, Scott Bandura drew a one-out walk and immediately scored when the next batter, Francisco, smacked a double into the left field corner to make it 5-1.
McDaniel extended the lead to 6-1 when he launched a solo home run to deep left center in the bottom of the fourth. It was his first homer since joining the club earlier in the week.
Two batters later, Foster drew a two-out walk, Szykowny singled and Bandura walked to load the bases. Francisco was up next and he grounded a double down the left field line to pick-up his fourth and fifth RBI's of the game as the lead grew to 8-1.
Foster then crushed the first pitch of the bottom of the sixth over the fence in right center for a solo home run - his third round-tripper in the California League - for a 9-1 cushion.
Joe Whitman started on the mound for the Giants in his California League debut and the 2023 second round pick tossed the first two innings with one run and one hit allowed. Whitman walked none and struck out three during his 35-pitch outing. Esmerlin Vinicio then dazzled in long relief with seven strikeouts over four scoreless innings as the Giants maintained their big lead.
With the score at 9-1, Luis Moreno relieved Vinicio to begin the top of the seventh and the Nuts began their remarkable comeback. A hit batter followed by consecutive walks loaded the bases with none out before Michael Arroyo's RBI single brought home the first run of the inning. Peete was up next and he hit a booming fly ball over the fence in left center for a grand slam to bring Modesto within 9-6. The homer for Peete, who was a supplemental first round draft pick this year of the Mariners, was his first since joining the Nuts earlier in the series. Modesto added one more run in the inning as Lazaro Montes followed the slam with a single and Aidan Smith then walked. After a double play, Brock Roddon singled home Montes to trim the San Jose lead to 9-7.
The Giants got one run back in the bottom of the seventh as Suarez walked before Hill singled to put runners on the corners. McDaniel's sacrifice fly then scored Suarez for a 10-7 San Jose advantage.
Moreno though continued to struggle in the top of the eighth. After an error to start the inning put the leadoff hitter on base, Moreno issued back-to-back walks to load the bases. Tom Kane was then summoned from the bullpen, but his first pitch was belted by Peete over the wall in right for another grand slam. Peete's second grand slam in as many innings gave the Nuts an 11-10 lead.
The Giants would respond though scoring once in the bottom of the eighth to tie the game. Szykowny walked with one out before Bandura singled to left. A wild pitch then advanced the runners to second and third. After Francisco grounded out, Drew Cavanaugh, who was making his San Jose debut on Sunday, beat out a slow grounder to the right side of the infield for a single. The hit brought home Szykowny to tie the score 11-11.
The Giants, however, were unable to reclaim the lead as Suarez then struck out with the potential go-ahead run at third base. In the bottom of the ninth, Hill led off with a single, but two strikeouts of McDaniel and Bryce Eldridge and a fly out off the bat of Foster forced extras.
Marques Johnson, who had pitched a 1-2-3 top of the ninth for San Jose, returned to the mound in the 10th with the automatic runner at second base. A wild pitch moved the runner, Batista, to third before a one-out RBI single to right from Arroyo put the Nuts back ahead at 12-11.
The Giants appeared poised to at least tie the game in the bottom of the 10th, but ultimately came up short. Szykowny led off with a single to left to advance the free runner, Foster, to third base. However with the potential tying run at third and winning run at first, consecutive strikeouts of Bandura and Francisco followed. A nine-pitch walk drawn by Cavanaugh then loaded the bases as the winning run moved into scoring position, but Suarez struck out swinging to end the game.
San Jose out-hit Modesto by a 15-13 margin. The Giants were only 5-for-22 (.227 AVG) with runners in scoring position compared to 6-for-12 (.500) for the Nuts. Modesto scored a whopping 55 runs (9.2 per game) during the six-game series. San Jose hadn't been swept since Minor League Baseball adapted six-game series' at the start of the 2021 season.
Following an off day, the Giants embark on their final road trip of the regular season when they travel to Lake Elsinore for a six-game series against the Storm. Tuesday's series opener at The Diamond is a 6:05 PM first pitch. Manuel Mercedes is San Jose's scheduled starting pitcher. The entire series can be heard live on sjgiants.com.
California League Stories from August 28, 2023
- Giants Suffer Stunning 12-11 Loss, Swept by Nuts - San Jose Giants
- Mendez Plays Hero as Grizzlies Walk-off 5-4 on Wild Pitch Against Ports - Fresno Grizzlies
- Ports Let Lead Slip, Lose on Walk off to Grizzlies - Stockton Ports
- Quakes Drop Series Finale to Storm - Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
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