Grizzlies Rally Late To Walk-Off Giants
July 9, 2022 - California League (CalL)
San Jose Giants News Release
A Giants throwing error in the bottom of the ninth inning scored the winning run for Fresno in the Grizzlies' 6-5 victory on Friday night at Chukchansi Park. After Fresno tied the game with a solo home run in the bottom of the eighth, the Grizzlies capitalized on a San Jose miscue in the ninth to secure the walk-off win. The setback was the Giants' (46-33, 6-7 second half) third straight in the series.
Grant McCray (1-for-5, HR, RBI) and Hayden Cantrelle (1-for-3, HR, RBI) each homered while Riley Mahan (1-for-3, 2B, 2 RBI) produced a key two-run double to lead San Jose offensively in defeat. Joe Kemlage had an excellent start on the mound with only two hits and one earned run allowed in his five innings.
The Giants jumped out early when McCray led off the game with a towering home run to straightaway center. It was his 12th round-tripper of the season.
Fresno's only two runs against Kemlage came in the bottom of the first. After the first two batters of the inning were retired, Yanquiel Fernandez walked and Juan Guerrero singled to put runners on the corners. Then with Juan Brito at the plate, Kemlage appeared to pick-off Guerrero at first, but the throw sailed high and down the right field line. Fernandez scored from third on the error to tie the game. Moments later, Brito laced a double into the left field corner plating Guerrero to give the Grizzlies a 2-1 lead.
San Jose immediately tied the game in the top of the second when Cantrelle led off with a 420-foot homer to right center - his first home run as a member of the Giants.
Both starting pitchers then settled in with Kemlage tossing four straight scoreless innings from the second through the fifth. He set down the side in order in the third, fourth and fifth to complete his night. Kemlage retired the final 10 batters of his outing.
Fresno starter Brayan Castillo though set down 13 of 14 hitters after Cantrelle's home run before the Giants would rally in the top of the sixth. With the score still at 2-2, Carter Williams singled with one out before Victor Bericoto clubbed a double to deep left center putting runners on second and third. Mahan then stepped to the plate and ripped a double into the right field corner scoring both Williams and Bericoto for a 4-2 lead, which also knocked Castillo out of the game.
Julio Rodriguez then took over for Kemlage to begin the bottom of the sixth and quickly ran into trouble as Benny Montgomery led off with a single. Consecutive wild pitches moved Montgomery to third before Guerrero with one out delivered an RBI double to cut the San Jose lead to 4-3. Rodriguez though would get a key strikeout of Ben Sems to end the inning with Guerrero stranded at third.
The Giants then got the run right back in the top of the seventh as back-to-back singles from Ronaldo Flores and Jared Dupere started the inning. Aeverson Arteaga's two-out RBI single pushed the lead to 5-3.
Rodriguez returned to the mound in the bottom of the seventh, but struggled with his control issuing consecutive walks to Bryant Quijada and AJ Lewis to begin the inning. Yorvis Torrealba then lined out to second with Quijada doubled off at second base on the play. Rodriguez though walked the next hitter, Adael Amador, before Hunter Dula came in and surrendered an RBI single to Montgomery as the Grizzlies pulled back within a run.
Dula prevented further damage in the bottom of the seventh, but in the eighth Guerrero belted the first pitch of the inning over the fence in deep left for a game-tying home run. The long ball was Guerrero's ninth hit in four games during the series and it brought Fresno even at 5-5.
After San Jose went down 1-2-3 in the top of the ninth, the Grizzlies would push across the game-winning run in the bottom of the frame. Dula struck out pinch-hitter Zack Kokoska to start the inning, but then issued a five-pitch walk to Torrealba. Amador was up next and he grounded a single through the hole on the right side. Torrealba raced towards third on the hit as Alexander Suarez gloved the ball in right field. Suarez though threw wildly to third as the ball bounced off the netting in foul territory beyond the Giants dugout. The error allowed Torrealba to easily score the game-winning run setting off a Fresno celebration.
GIANTS NOTES
Three Straight Losses: The Giants have now dropped three straight games to Fresno after winning the series opener on Monday. San Jose has allowed a total of 27 runs in the three defeats while committing seven errors, including the two key miscues on Friday.
Rare Blown Lead: The Giants had been 38-2 this season when leading after seven innings before Friday's setback.
Inside The Box Score: San Jose out-hit Fresno 10-7. Carter Williams (2-for-4, 2B) and Ronaldo Flores (2-for-4) had multi-hit games for the Giants. Jared Dupere went 1-for-4 with a single in his San Jose Giants debut. Joe Kemlage struck out four and walked two during his five-inning start.
Leadoff Homer: Grant McCray hit his third leadoff home run of the season (May 10 vs. Lake Elsinore and June 25 at Stockton).
On Deck: The Giants and Grizzlies continue their series on Saturday evening with first pitch at Chukchansi Park set for 6:50 PM. Eric Silva is San Jose's scheduled starting pitcher.
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