CalL1 San Jose Giants

Nuts' Ninth-Inning Rally Sinks Giants

Published on April 23, 2016 under California League (CalL1)
San Jose Giants News Release


SAN JOSE, CA - The Giants were unable to hold a late one-run lead Friday night as Modesto scored four times in the top of the ninth inning to defeat San Jose by a 4-1 margin at Municipal Stadium. The Nuts sent all nine batters to the plate in the ninth inning collecting three hits and taking advantage of two key Giants errors to stage the late rally. The loss dropped San Jose's season record to 6-7.

Giants starting pitcher Sam Coonrod dazzled on the mound with five scoreless innings to begin the contest. The right-hander surrendered just two hits, walked two and struck out six.

Ronnie Jebavy (2-for-4, 2B, RBI) and Jose Vizcaino, Jr. (2-for-4, 2B) had two hits apiece to lead San Jose offensively in defeat.

The lone Giants run came in the bottom of the fifth. With two outs, Johneshwy Fargas lined a single into center. Jebavy was up next and he crushed a fly ball to deep center that easily scored Fargas from first base to give San Jose a 1-0 lead.

Coonrod, who escaped a bases loaded jam in the top of the first, cruised through the remainder of his outing. The Giants starter retired the last eight batters he faced. Pat Young (2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO) then worked two perfect innings of relief over the sixth and seventh frames to preserve the 1-0 lead. Reyes Moronta (1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO) pitched the top of the eighth and worked around a leadoff single to keep San Jose in front.

Rodolfo Martinez then entered from the bullpen to begin the top of the ninth for the Giants, but immediately ran into trouble. Roberto Ramos led off with a double off the fence in deep center. Drew Weeks followed with a high bouncer to shortstop that skipped off C.J Hinojosa's glove and into shallow left for a hit. Ramos raced around third and easily scored the tying run and when the left fielder Fargas threw wildly to the plate, Weeks advanced to second. Wes Rogers was up next and he dropped down a sacrifice bunt. However, Martinez threw the ball down the right field line in an attempt to retire Rogers for the second error of the inning. The miscue allowed Weeks to score the go-ahead run. Following another sac bunt, Martinez walked back-to-back hitters to load the bases with one out. Jose Morel (2/3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 SO) was summoned into pitch as Max White greeted the new hurler with a sacrifice fly to make it 3-1. Forrest Wall then capped the scoring with a two-out RBI single for a 4-1 Nuts advantage.

The Giants threatened in the bottom of the ninth against Modesto closer Jerry Vasto as Aramis Garcia walked with one out before Vizcaino, Jr. singled with two down to bring the potential tying run to the plate. However, Vasto struck out Brandon Bednar to finish the game.

Helmis Rodriguez (1-0) earned the win out of the Nuts bullpen after tossing three perfect innings from the sixth through the eighth frames. Vesto picked-up his third save of the year.

Martinez (0-1) was charged with the loss after yielding all four runs in the top of the ninth. Martinez surrendered two hits and walked two in his 1/3 of an inning. Only one run was earned.

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California League Stories from April 23, 2016


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