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CalL1 San Jose Giants

Monell's Two Home Runs Not Enough In 4-3 Loss

July 28, 2010 - California League (CalL1)
San Jose Giants News Release


The Rancho Cucamonga Quakes scored twice in the bottom of the eighth inning to break a tie before holding off the San Jose Giants to earn a 4-3 victory on Tuesday evening at The Epicenter. Johnny Monell smacked a pair of home runs and collected three RBI's, but it was not enough to avoid a loss in the opener of a six-game road trip. San Jose has now dropped four out of their last five games and owns an overall record of 57-45.

Monell (3-for-4, 2 HR, 3 RBI) connected for his 12th and 13th home runs of the season to lead an eight-hit Giants offensive attack. Wendell Fairley (1-for-4) also extended his hitting streak to 10 games in the loss.

With the score tied 2-2, Rancho Cucamonga's Alberto Rosario began the key eighth-inning rally with a single to left against San Jose reliever Scott Nestor. Rosario then advanced to third when Nestor threw the ball wildly to first on a pick-off attempt before Dillon Baird hammered an RBI double off the fence in left center to give the Quakes the lead. Baird promptly stole third base and after Gabe Jacobo struck out, Luis Jimenez delivered a sacrifice fly to left extending the lead to 4-2.

Monell brought the Giants to within 4-3 with a one-out solo homer to straightaway center field in the ninth before Fairley reached on a two-out infield single to put the potential tying run on base. Quakes closer Eddie McKiernan then walked Drew Biery advancing Fairley to second, but Jose Flores followed by grounding into a fielder's choice to shortstop ending the game.

Rancho Cucamonga reliever Chris Scholl (2-1), who entered the contest to begin the top of the seventh, was credited with the victory after striking out five over two no-hit innings. McKiernan earned his 20th save of the year.

Nestor (2-3) suffered the loss for the Giants after surrendering two runs (both earned) on four hits over two innings. Nestor walked two and struck out four. The right-hander worked out of a bases loaded, one out jam in the bottom of the seventh. Nestor struck out Darwin Perez before Mike Trout lined out softly back to the pitcher's mound as the score remained tied at 2-2.

Kyle Woodruff started on the mound for San Jose and tossed a career-high six innings with two runs (both earned) and four hits allowed. Woodruff walked two and struck out three during his 76-pitch performance.

The Quakes took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning as with runners on the corners and two outs, Woodruff appeared to have picked-off Angel Castillo at first base. However while Castillo was in a run-down, Jimenez broke for the plate and scored just before Castillo was tagged out by shortstop Ehire Adrianza.

The Giants took their first lead of the contest in the top of the fourth as Juan Perez singled with two outs before Monell hit a towering two-run homer down the right field line.

Woodruff maintained the advantage using a double play to pitch around a leadoff single in the bottom of the fourth before firing a 1-2-3 fifth. However in the sixth, Trout drew a leadoff walk, stole second, advanced to third on Rosario's sacrifice bunt and scored the tying run on Baird's sacrifice fly to the warning track in the deep right center. Woodruff did set down the next hitter, Jacobo, on a fly out to right field ending his evening.

After Joel Weeks' two-out double in the top of the fifth, San Jose did not manage another hit until Monell's homer in the ninth.

Notes: The Giants are 2-2 against Rancho Cucamonga this season ... Monell is batting .371 with eight home runs and 19 RBI's in 24 games this month ... Nestor has allowed six runs over 4 1/3 innings in two relief appearances since returning from Triple-A Fresno ... He has suffered the loss in both outings ... Woodruff was making only the second start of his professional career ... Both clubs finished with eight hits ... San Jose added starting pitcher Jorge Bucardo to their roster from Augusta (Low-A) before the game ... Bucardo was 9-4 with a 2.21 ERA in 19 games (18 starts) with the GreenJackets.

On Deck: The Giants and Quakes continue their three-game series on Wednesday evening with first pitch at The Epicenter scheduled for 7:05 PM. Kyle Nicholson (6-8, 6.20 ERA) is slated to start on the mound for San Jose while Rancho Cucamonga is expected to counter with Manuel Flores (4-6, 5.10 ERA). The game can be heard live on www.sjgiants.com.

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