CalL San Jose Giants

Late Home Run Sends Giants To Third Straight Loss

Published on May 19, 2023 under California League (CalL)
San Jose Giants News Release


The San Jose Giants suffered a third straight loss in Stockton with a 5-3 setback to the Ports on Thursday night at Banner Island Ballpark. Brayan Buelvas smacked a pinch-hit three-run home run in the bottom of the eighth to put Stockton ahead late before the Ports closed out the Giants in the ninth to seal the victory. San Jose (22-14) entered the series having won eight out of nine games, but have now matched their longest losing streak of the season with the three consecutive defeats.

Onil Perez (2-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI) had two hits and drove in a pair of runs while Alexander Suarez (1-for-3, HR, RBI) homered to lead the Giants offensively in defeat.

Miguel Yajure made the start on the mound for San Jose in the first outing of his minor league rehab assignment. Yajure, who has 19 career big league appearances with the Yankees and Pirates over the last three seasons and was claimed by San Francisco off waivers last December, pitched 1 2/3 innings with one run allowed. The Ports loaded the bases with none out in the bottom of the first on two broken-bat bloop singles and an infield hit before Tommy Stevenson's sacrifice fly gave Stockton a 1-0 lead. Yajure prevented further damage in the inning and was then removed from the game with a runner on first base and two outs in the bottom of the second. Yajure, who threw 35 pitches, walked one and struck out two.

The Giants tied the score in the top of the third when Suarez lined a solo homer to deep left center. The 400-foot blast was Suarez's first home run of the season as San Jose drew even 1-1.

Relievers Julio Rodriguez (1 1/3 IP), Will Kempner (1 IP) and Hayden Wynja combined to hold the Ports hitless over the second, third, fourth and fifth innings before the Giants took their first lead of the night in the top of the sixth. With one out, Carter Howell singled before Diego Velasquez reached on a bunt single. After the runners advanced on a wild pitch, Perez lined a single into shallow left center to score both Howell and Velasquez for a 3-1 lead.

San Jose had an opportunity to add-on in the top of the sixth as Thomas Gavello followed with the Giants' fourth consecutive single. Perez advanced to third on the hit while Gavello moved into second on the throw. However, both runners were stranded in scoring position as Tanner O'Tremba popped out and Jose Ramos grounded out. San Jose wouldn't muster another hit for the remainder of the contest and Stockton rallied.

The Ports immediately got one run back in the bottom of the sixth against Wynja as Colby Thomas reached on an infield single with one out, took second on a wild pitch and scored on Stevenson's single to make it a 3-2 game. Wynja though got out of the inning and then pitched around a two-out double in the bottom of the seventh to keep the lead intact. Wynja worked three innings in his long relief appearance yielding only one run with one walk and five strikeouts.

With the score still at 3-2, Esmerlin Vinicio entered from the bullpen to begin the bottom of the eighth and issued a one-out walk to Stevenson before T.J. Schofield-Sam singled to put the go-ahead run on base. Buelvas was then summoned as a pinch-hitter and he blasted the first pitch of his at-bat over the fence in deep left center for a go-ahead three-run home run. The homer was Buelvas' team-leading fourth of the year as Stockton moved back in front by a 5-3 margin.

In the top of the ninth, O'Tremba drew a one-out walk - the first walk drawn by a Giants hitter since the ninth inning on Tuesday - but Ramos and Zach Morgan both flied out to end the game.

Charlie Cerny earned the win out of the Ports bullpen after tossing hitless eighth and ninth innings. Vinicio was saddled with the loss. Stockton out-hit San Jose 8-6.

The Giants and Ports continue their series on Friday evening with first pitch at Banner Island Ballpark set for 7:05 PM. Hayden Birdsong is San Jose's scheduled starting pitcher. The game can be heard live on sjgiants.com.

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California League Stories from May 19, 2023


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