Modesto Blanks Giants, 5-0
April 29, 2022 - California League (CalL)
San Jose Giants News Release
The San Jose Giants were held to three hits on Thursday night in a 5-0 defeat to the Modesto Nuts at Excite Ballpark. Four Nuts hurlers combined to record 14 strikeouts as the Giants suffered their second shutout loss of the season. San Jose (11-7) has now dropped two of the first three games in the series against Modesto.
The Nuts took an early lead on Thursday scoring once in the top of the first against Giants starting pitcher Mason Black. Jonatan Clase began the game by reaching safely on a bunt single. Harry Ford followed by lining a double into the left center field gap that scored Clase all the way from first base to give Modesto a 1-0 advantage.
Black recovered to throw a scoreless top of the second and then pitched out of a bases loaded jam in the third inning to keep it a one-run deficit. The San Jose right-hander walked three of the first four batters in the top of the third, but bounced back with consecutive strikeouts of Robert Perez Jr. and Milkar Perez to retire the side.
Trevor McDonald then relieved Black to begin the top of the fourth and promptly struck out a pair in a 1-2-3 inning. The Nuts though would score in each of the next three innings to extend their lead. In the top of the fifth, Colin Davis worked a leadoff walk before he was forced out at second on Clase's fielder's choice grounder. Ford followed with a single into right to put runners on the corners and when Giants right fielder Victor Bericoto mishandled the ball for an error, Clase raced home with the first run of the inning. Ford was also able to advance to second on the miscue and then scored himself when the next batter, Edwin Arroyo, singled to left.
Modesto stretched their lead to 4-0 in the top of the sixth against Landen Roupp as Walking Cabrera singled with one out, stole second and came home on Davis' two-out double off the left field wall. Then in the seventh, Ford drew a leadoff walk, stole second, moved to third on a passed ball and scored on Perez Jr's RBI single to make it 5-0.
Meanwhile, San Jose managed only one hit over the first six innings - a Vaun Brown two-out double in the bottom of the first. The Giants were set down 1-2-3 in the second, third, fifth, sixth and eighth innings by Nuts pitching. Modesto starter Jimmy Kingsbury pitched the first four innings yielding only one hit with two walks and three strikeouts. Tyler Driver then struck out four over two perfect innings out of the bullpen. With Kelvin Nunez on the mound, Brown led off the bottom of the seventh with a single and immediately stole second, but was stranded in scoring position when the next three hitters were retired. In the ninth, Aeverson Arteaga singled with one out, but Brown and Garrett Frechette followed by both striking out to end the game.
GIANTS NOTES
Offensive Woes: The Giants have collected a total of only five hits over the last two games.
Black's Start: Mason Black pitched three innings in his start on Thursday and allowed one run on two hits. Black walked four and struck out four. He leads the San Jose staff with 22 strikeouts this season (15 2/3 IP).
Brown Continues Surge: Vaun Brown had two of the Giants' three hits as he finished 2-for-4 with a double and two stolen bases. Brown is batting .393 (11-for-28) over his last seven games with four doubles and one home run.
Running Wild: Modesto was successful on all four of their stolen base attempts on Thursday. The Nuts are a perfect 9-for-9 stealing bases over the last two games against the Giants this week. Brown's two steals on Thursday give him a team-leading five stolen bases this season for San Jose.
On Deck: The Giants and Nuts play the fourth game of their series on Friday evening with first pitch at 6:30 PM. Matt Mikulski is San Jose's scheduled starting pitcher.
California League Stories from April 29, 2022
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- Lake Elsinore Storm Lose First Game of the Series in the 9th Inning - Lake Elsinore Storm
- Modesto Blanks Giants, 5-0 - San Jose Giants
- Ports Bats Fall Silent in Loss to Fresno - Stockton Ports
- Offense, Shawver shine again as Fresno topples Stockton 9-2 - Fresno Grizzlies
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