CalL1 San Jose Giants

Giants Win on Parker's Walk-Off Home Run

Published on August 15, 2012 under California League (CalL1)
San Jose Giants News Release


SAN JOSE - Jarrett Parker led off the bottom of the ninth inning with a home run to lift the San Jose Giants to a 4-3 victory over the Bakersfield Blaze on Tuesday evening at Municipal Stadium. The walk- off blast was Parker's second home run of the night as the Giants claimed the opener of the three-game series.

Parker (2-for-3, 2 HR, 3 RBI) added a two-run homer in the fourth inning while Ricky Oropesa (3-for-4, 2B) also contributed three hits to lead San Jose offensively.

Bakersfield overcame a 3-0 deficit as they scored twice in the top of the seventh before a run with two outs in the ninth inning tied the game. Juan Duran started the ninth-inning rally for the Blaze with a one-out single against Giants reliever Cody Hall. Chris Berset followed by drawing a walk to put runners on first and second before Devin Lohman flied out to center moving Duran to third. Kurtis Muller was up next with San Jose needing just one more out for the victory. However, Muller lined a 1-1 pitch from Hall into center field for a single as Duran scored to tie the game.

Bakersfield had an opportunity to take their first lead of the contest as Theo Bowe followed the game-tying hit with a walk to load the bases, but Hall recovered inducing Ryan Wright to fly out to end the inning.

The Giants then didn't wait long in the bottom of the ninth as Parker led off by hammering a 3-2 pitch over the fence in right field for a towering home run. The homer, Parker's 12th of the season, set off a wild celebration among San Jose players at home plate.

Hall (1-0) was credited with his first win since joining the club despite the blown save. He was charged with one run on two hits in his one inning of work.

Pat Doyle (9-5) suffered the loss out of the Blaze bullpen after surrendering the walk-off home run. Doyle began his outing with scoreless seventh and eighth innings before Parker's shot in the bottom of the ninth.

Neither team scored in the first three innings before the Giants took a 2-0 lead on Parker's first home run of the night in the bottom of the fourth. Oropesa started the frame with a single and after Alex Burg struck out, Parker hit an opposite-field two-run homer to left center for a 2-0 advantage.

San Jose extended their lead to 3-0 in the bottom of the fifth as Bobby Haney led off with a single, stole second and advanced to third when the catcher Berset's throw bounced into center field for an error. Carter Jurica then doubled down the left field line to plate Haney with the third Giants run of the evening.

Justin Schumer started on the mound for San Jose and limited Bakersfield to a pair of runs (both earned) on six hits over 6 2/3 innings. He walked one and struck out four.

Schumer pitched around three singles over the first four innings while the Blaze didn't have a runner advance into scoring position until the fifth. Duran started the top of the fifth by getting hit by a pitch before Berset drew a walk. Schumer though retired the next three batters to keep Bakersfield off the scoreboard.

Schumer then tossed 1-2-3 top of the sixth before the Blaze rallied in the seventh. Steve Selsky led off with an infield single and then scored when the next batter, Duran, clubbed a double to deep right center. Schumer set down the next two hitters, but Muller then came through with a two-out RBI single to trim the Giants lead to 3-2. Bowe was up next, but new pitcher Phil McCormick (1/3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO) registered a strikeout to end the inning.

Jose Valdez (1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 SO) struck out the side in a perfect top of the eighth before Bakersfield pushed across the tying run against Hall in the ninth.

Blaze starter Tim Crabbe worked the first six innings and yielded three runs (all earned) on seven hits with one walk and three strikeouts.

Jurica (2-for-4, 2B, RBI) also finished with more than one hit for San Jose. The Giants out-hit the Blaze by a 9-8 margin.

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California League Stories from August 15, 2012


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