CalL1 San Jose Giants

Ninth-Inning Home Run Drops Giants

Published on August 6, 2011 under California League (CalL1)
San Jose Giants News Release


ADELANTO - Jamie McOwen hit a two-run walk-off homer in the bottom of the ninth inning to lift the High Desert Mavericks to a 4-2 victory over the San Jose Giants on Friday evening at Stater Bros. Stadium. Gary Brown tied the game for the Giants with a solo home run in the top of the eighth and San Jose was one out away from sending the contest into extra-innings before McOwen's game-winning blast. The loss dropped the Giants' overall record to 73-38.

Both of San Jose's runs were via the home run as Ryan Cavan hit a solo shot in the second inning in addition to Brown's round-tripper in the eighth. Cavan (3-for-4, 2 2B, HR, RBI) also doubled twice while Brown (2-for-4, HR, RBI) finished with a pair of hits to lead the offense.

The Giants trailed by a run until Brown stepped to the plate with one out in the top of the eighth inning and lined an 0-2 pitch from Mavericks reliever Willy Kesler over the fence in left center field. The home run was Brown's ninth of the season.

San Jose then had an opportunity to take the lead in the top of the ninth as Cavan led off with a double to deep left before advancing to third on Jarrett Parker's sacrifice bunt. The Giants then tried to execute a suicide squeeze bunt play with Alex Burg at the plate, however Kesler threw a pitch-out and Cavan was easily tagged out by catcher Jack Marder after a brief rundown. Two pitches later, Kesler struck out Burg to end the inning.

Jacob Dunnington, who struck out the side in a scoreless bottom of the eighth, returned to the mound in the ninth and allowed a one-out single to Marder. After Leury Bonilla fanned for the second out, McOwen crushed an 0-1 pitch well over the fence in right for a walk-off two-run homer. The home run was McOwen's second in four games with High Desert this season since he was sent down from Double-A Jackson earlier in the week.

Dunnington (2-1) suffered his first loss since joining the Giants despite five strikeouts over 1 2/3 innings. The reliever surrendered his first home run with San Jose.

Cavan gave the Giants an early lead with a home run down the left field line to leadoff the top of the second and the score remained 1-0 until the bottom of the sixth.

Kelvin Marte started on the mound for San Jose and began his outing with five scoreless innings of work. Marte faced just one batter over the minimum in the first three innings before working around a one-out double in the bottom of the fifth.

The Mavericks finally got to Marte in the bottom of the sixth as Bonilla and McOwen delivered back-to-back singles putting runners on the corners with one out. After Steven Proscia popped out, Mario Martinez grounded a single through the hole on the left side of the infield plating Bonilla with the tying run. Shaver Hansen then blooped a single into shallow right field to score McOwen giving High Desert their first lead of the night. After the go-ahead hit, Marte walked Joe Dunigan to load the bases, but was able to limit the damage by striking out Gabriel Noriega.

Marte allowed eight hits and two runs (both earned) during his six-inning stint on the mound. The left-hander walked one and matched a season-high with six strikeouts.

Stephen Harrold (1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 SO) struck out a pair in a scoreless bottom of the seventh for the Giants before Brown's home run tied the game the following inning.

Kesler (4-2) was credited with the win despite a blown save. He worked the final two innings with one run and three hits allowed. Mavericks starter Taylor Stanton tossed five innings and yielded just one run on three hits with no walks and four strikeouts. Stanton retired 12 out of the final 13 batters that he faced after giving up the home run to Cavan.

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California League Stories from August 6, 2011


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