CalL1 San Jose Giants

Heston Shuts Down JetHawks in 4-3 Victory

Published on July 31, 2011 under California League (CalL1)
San Jose Giants News Release


SAN JOSE - Chris Heston allowed just one earned run over a career-high tying eight innings before the San Jose Giants held on for a 4-3 victory over the Lancaster JetHawks on Saturday evening in front of a sellout crowd of 5,211 at Municipal Stadium. Heston struck out eight and walked just one batter as San Jose earned a split of the four-game series and completed a 6-2 homestand. The win improved the Giants overall record to 70-35.

Gary Brown (2-for-4, 3B, 2 RBI) hit a key two-out, two-run triple in the bottom of the fifth inning to lead the San Jose offensive attack. Brown, who also singled and scored twice, extended his hitting streak to 11 games.

Heston (9-4) picked-up his ninth win of the season while Jake Dunning recorded the final three outs and ended the game with the potential tying run on first base for the save.

The Giants jumped out to an early 1-0 lead with a run in the bottom of the first against JetHawks starting pitcher Jake Buchanan. Brown started the frame with a single into left field before advancing to second on a wild pitch. Ehire Adrianza's groundout to second base moved Brown to third and then Ryan Cavan delivered an RBI groundout to first.

The score remained 1-0 until San Jose rallied with two outs in the bottom of the fifth inning. After Buchanan retired the first two batters of the frame, Juan Ciriaco drew a walk and Nick Liles lined a single to right putting runners on first and third. Brown was up next and he hammered a 2-1 pitch off the fence in straightaway center field to easily score both runners. Brown raced into third with his team- leading seventh triple of the season as the Giants extended their lead to 3-0. Adrianza was up next and he ripped a double into the right field corner plating Brown to make it 4-0.

Heston cruised through the first six innings as the JetHawks didn't put a runner into scoring position until the top of the seventh. Heston pitched around one-out singles in the first, third, fourth and fifth innings. He retired Lancaster 1-2-3 in the second and sixth frames. Twice in his outing, Heston set down six straight JetHawks batters.

Lancaster finally broke through in the top of the seventh as after strikeouts of the first two hitters, J.C. Thompson doubled to deep right and then Jonathan Meyer lined an RBI single into right center. However, Meyer was thrown out at second by Brown to end the inning as he attempted to stretch the hit into a double.

Heston returned to the mound in the top of the eighth and struck out one in a perfect inning of work. The Giants starter then walked Miguel Arrendell on a 3-2 pitch to begin the top of the ninth - Heston's only walk of the game - to prompt a pitching change. Dunning (1 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO) was summoned from the bullpen and he walked Austin Wates on five pitches to put runners on first and second. Dunning then settled down by inducing Adam Bailey to fly out to shallow left, but David Flores followed by hitting a grounder to third that was misplayed by Ciriaco for an error. The miscue allowed Arrendell to score as Wates advanced to third.

Thompson was up next after the error and he bounced into a fielder's choice to third as Wates scored to make it 4-3, however Flores was forced at second base for the second out. Dunning then struck out Meyer on three pitches to end the game with the potential tying run stranded at first. Dunning was credited with his second save of the season.

Buchanan (5-6) suffered the loss for the JetHawks after surrendering four runs (all earned) on five hits over six innings of work. He walked one and struck out five.

Lancaster out-hit San Jose by a 6-5 margin. The Giants did not record another hit after Adrianza's RBI double in the bottom of the fifth inning.

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California League Stories from July 31, 2011


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