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CalL1 San Jose Giants

Inside-The-Park Homers Lead Giants To Sixth Straight Win

September 2, 2009 - California League (CalL1)
San Jose Giants News Release


Tyler Graham hit a tiebreaking two-run inside-the-park home run in the top of the seventh inning before Nick Noonan's three-run inside-the-park homer in the ninth helped the San Jose Giants to a 7-5 victory over the Inland Empire 66ers on Tuesday evening at Arrowhead Credit Union Park. Darren Ford also finished 5-for-5 at the plate while Clayton Tanner tied a team record with his 22nd career win as the Giants claimed the opener of the three-game series. The victory extended San Jose's win streak to six games and improved their second half record to 46-18.

Graham's home run in the seventh inning broke a 1-1 tie while Noonan's round-tripper in the ninth highlighted a four-run inning that gave the Giants a 7-1 lead. Inland Empire pushed across four runs of their own in the bottom of the ninth, but Garett Green was picked-off at first base by catcher Trent Kline to end the game and strand the potential tying run at the plate.

Ford (5-for-5, 3B, RBI) enjoyed a perfect night offensively to raise his season batting average to .300 while C.J. Ziegler (2-for-3) also produced a multi-hit game at the plate for San Jose.

Tanner (12-6) was credited with the win on the mound after surrendering just one run on five hits over five innings out of the bullpen. The left-hander struck out six and walked two. Tanner's 22 career victories (22-14) with the San Jose Giants is tied with Garrett Broshuis for the most in team history.

With the score tied, the Giants rallied with two outs in the top of the seventh inning to take the lead for good. After 66ers pitcher Tim Sexton set down the first two batters of the frame, Ford lined a ball into shallow center that bounced in front of the diving Jovanny Rosario and then rolled several feet behind the outfielder. The play resulted in a triple for Ford while Graham was up next and he crushed an 0-1 pitch high off the wall in deep left center field. After slamming off the fence, the ball rolled back toward straightaway center field as Rosario gave chase, but Graham was able to round the bases and beat the throw home with a slide for an inside-the-park home run and a 3-1 San Jose advantage.

Inland Empire had opportunities to score in the seventh and eighth innings, but failed in each frame stranding a total of five runners on base. In the bottom of the seventh, Tanner allowed a leadoff single to Jaime Ortiz before Johan Garcia walked. A sacrifice bunt from Jessie Mier moved the runners to second and third, but Tanner pitched out of it inducing Rosario to fly out to shallow center before Elian Herrera bounced into a fielder's choice to third base as Garcia was easily tagged out by Skyler Stromsmoe.

Daniel Turpen (1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 SO) relieved Tanner to begin the bottom of the eighth and worked out of a bases loaded jam to keep the Giants in front by two runs. Consecutive singles from Scott Van Slyke and Andres Perez started the inning before Preston Mattingly's ground out moved the runners to second and third. Turpen followed by issuing a walk to Green, but then struck out Ortiz swinging and retired pinch-hitter Steven Caseres on a ground out to second ending the inning.

In the top of the ninth, Shane Jordan began the run-scoring rally with a one-out double down the right field line. After advancing to third on an errant pick-off attempt, Jordan scored when Ford grounded an RBI single into left. Graham followed by drawing a walk before Noonan belted a pitch from Sexton to the fence in the deep right center field power alley. The play saw Ford and Graham score easily with Noonan also coming home well ahead of the throw giving San Jose their second inside-the-park homer of the night.

The 66ers though battled back in the bottom of the ninth scoring four times on the benefit of just one hit. Wilmin Rodriguez (0 IP, 1 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 0 SO) entered the contest to begin the frame and promptly walked Mier and Rosario before plunking Herrera to load the bases. Van Slyke followed by lining a single into center field to score two runs and bring Inland Empire to within 7-3. Trey Webb was then summoned from the bullpen and after a walk to Perez loaded the bases, retired Mattingly on a sacrifice fly to right as Herrera scored the third run of the inning. Green then brought home another run with a fielder's choice groundout to third making it 7-5. But with Christian Lara at the plate, Kline quickly fired the ball down to first after a Webb pitch and picked off Green to end the game.

Webb (1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 SO) earned his second save since joining the Giants.

Craig Clark started on the mound for San Jose and worked the first two innings with no runs and three hits allowed. The California League Pitcher of the Year struck out one and walked none and was removed from the game after reaching his pitch count limit.

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Hiroki Kuroda started for the 66ers as part of a rehabilitation assignment and surrendered just one unearned run on five hits over five innings. Kuroda, who is recovering from a concussion, walked one and struck out five. The Giants scored their only run against the major leaguer in the top of the third when Jordan came home on a two-out passed ball.

Tanner, who relieved Clark to begin the bottom of the third, started his outing with three straight scoreless innings before Green came through with a two-out, RBI double down the left field line in the bottom of the sixth to tie the score 1-1.

Notes: Tuesday marked San Jose's first game at Arrowhead Credit Union Park this season ... Entering the series, Inland Empire had been the only team in the league that the Giants did not own the edge against in the season series ... The clubs have now split four meetings this year ... Ford is 10-for-12 (.833) with six runs scored, one triple, one homer, four RBI's and four stolen bases in his last three games ... Tanner was making only his second relief appearance of the season ... San Jose out-hit the 66ers by a 12-11 margin ... The Giants have hit four inside-the-park home runs this year, two each by Graham and Noonan ... San Jose would have to finish with at least a 3-3 mark to break the team record for most wins in a half (1988, 48-24 in second half).

On Deck: The Giants and 66ers continue their three-game series on Wednesday evening with first pitch at Arrowhead Credit Union Park scheduled for 7:05 PM. Paul Oseguera (5-7, 4.11 ERA) is slated to start on the mound for San Jose while Inland Empire is expected to counter with Justin Miller (0-5, 7.20 ERA). The game can be heard live on www.sjgiants.com.

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