CalL1 San Jose Giants

One Run Enough as Giants Shutout Sixers

Published on August 26, 2015 under California League (CalL1)
San Jose Giants News Release


SAN BERNARDINO, CA - Jason Forjet, Tyler Rogers and Dan Slania combined on a four-hitter as the San Jose Giants earned a 1-0 shutout victory over the Inland Empire 66ers on Tuesday evening at San Manuel Stadium. Brian Ragira's fourth-inning RBI single accounted for the only run in the game as San Jose took their second straight to begin the series. The Giants (65-63) have now won three in a row overall and own a one-game lead over Modesto (64-64) for the final Wild Card spot in the North Division.

Forjet (6-4) notched the win after limiting the Sixers to four hits over six scoreless innings. The right-hander walked three and struck out six during his 100-pitch outing. Rogers (2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 SO) then kept Inland Empire off the scoreboard in the seventh and eighth innings before Slania (1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 SO) needed just six pitches to work through the bottom of the ninth for his 16th save of the season. The 66ers left 10 runners on base in the contest.

Ragira (2-for-3, RBI) had a pair of hits to lead San Jose offensively and is now 6-for-8 over the first two games in the series. Jeff Kobernus (2-for-4) also finished with a multi-hit game.

Inland Empire starting pitcher Jeremy Rhoades struck out six batters over three scoreless innings to begin his night before the Giants rallied in the fourth. Daniel Carbonell dropped down a bunt to start the inning and reached safely when Rhoades threw wildly to first for an error. Back-to-back groundouts from Angel Villalona and Ryder Jones advanced Carbonell to third before Ragira stepped to the plate and lined an RBI single into left for a 1-0 San Jose advantage.

Meanwhile, Forjet didn't allow a hit over his first three innings. The Giants starter pitched around consecutive two-out walks in the first and a hit by pitch in the third. After San Jose took the lead, the 66ers threatened in the bottom of the fourth. Brandon Bayardi and Andrew Daniel produced back-to-back singles to start the inning putting runners on first and second with none out. Forjet though retired Caleb Adams on a shallow fly out to right, induced Roberto Baldoquin to pop out to first and then set down Wade Wass on a groundout to end the inning.

Inland Empire loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the fifth, but again, Forjet worked out of trouble. Tyler Palmer singled with one out before a Kody Eaves two-out single. Forjet then walked Bayardi to load the bases, but Daniel followed by lining out softly to first base keeping the score at 1-0.

Forjet stranded another runner in scoring position in the bottom of the sixth to complete his outing. With one out, Baldoquin hit a deep fly ball to left that was dropped by Carbonell on the warning track for a two-base error. However with the tying run at second, Forjet struck out Wass on three pitches and set down Quinten Davis on a fly out to left retiring the side.

The Giants had opportunities to add to their lead as Kobernus and Christian Arroyo delivered back-to-back two-out singles in the fifth, but Carbonell grounded out to end the inning. In the seventh, Ty Ross led off with a single before Kobernus singled with one out, however Arroyo followed by grounding into a double play.

With the San Jose advantage still at 1-0, Rogers was summoned from the bullpen to begin the bottom of the seventh and breezed through a 1-2-3 inning. Rogers then struck out the first two hitters in the bottom of the eighth before issuing a walk to Adams. The runner though was stranded at first as Rogers recovered to retire the next hitter, Baldoquin, on a grounder back to the mound.

Slania entered in the bottom of the ninth as Wass led off with a grounder to second. Kobernus fielded the ball cleanly moving up the middle, but his throw to first was dropped by Villalona for an error. The miscue put the tying run on base, but Slania came right back and induced pinch-hitter Eric Aguilera, the California League RBI leader, to ground into a 6-3 double play. Pinch-hitter Bo Way then bounced out back to Slania to finish the game.

Rhoades (4-4) suffered the tough-luck loss for the Sixers surrendering just one unearned run over six innings. He allowed four hits, walked two and struck out nine.

Notes:

* Tuesday was San Jose's second 1-0 win of the season (July 31 vs. Stockton).

* The Giants have three shutouts over their last 12 games and seven shutouts overall in the second half.

* Forjet owns a 0.95 ERA (2 ER/19.0 IP) over his last three starts.

* San Jose out-hit Inland Empire 6-4. The 66ers were 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position.

* The Giants (35-23) moved to within one game of Visalia (36-22) for the second half North Division lead. 12 games remain in the regular season.

On Deck: The Giants and 66ers continue their four-game series on Wednesday evening with first pitch at San Manuel Stadium scheduled for 7:05 PM. Andrew Suarez (0-0, 0.00 ERA) is slated to start on the mound for San Jose while Inland Empire is expected to counter with Harrison Cooney (1-12, 5.79 ERA). The game can be heard live on sjgiants.com with coverage beginning at 6:35 PM.

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California League Stories from August 26, 2015


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