Panik Powers Giants to Victory over Rawhide
Published on June 23, 2012 under California League (CalL1)
San Jose Giants News Release
VISALIA - Joe Panik hit a go-ahead two-run home run in the third inning as part of a four-RBI night at the plate to lead the San Jose Giants to a 7-2 win over the Visalia Rawhide on Friday evening at Recreation Park. Ricky Oropesa also homered as San Jose claimed their second straight game to begin the series. The Giants improved their overall record to 40-32.
Panik (3-for-4, HR, 4 RBI) added a two-run single later in the contest and finished with three hits for the second consecutive game. The San Jose shortstop has homered in back-to-back contests while extending his hitting streak to 11 games. Oropesa (3-for-5, 2B, HR, 2 RBI), who hit his eighth home run of the season, also finished a triple shy of the cycle. The duo combined to drive in six of the seven Giants runs.
All-Star Jack Snodgrass (7-2) earned the win on the mound after tossing 5 2/3 innings with two runs (both earned) and five hits allowed. Snodgrass walked two, struck out three and did not allow a run after the first inning.
San Jose took an early 2-0 lead when Oropesa connected for a two-run homer in the top of the first inning. Visalia starter Taylor Siemens retired the first two batters of the game, but Adam Duvall then reached on an error before Oropesa stepped to the plate and launched a home run to deep right center field.
The Rawhide quickly tied the score with two runs of their own in the bottom of the frame against Snodgrass. Back-to-back one-out doubles from Mike Freeman and Jon Griffin produced the first run. Then with two outs, Keon Broxton lined a double off the wall in left to plate Griffin with the tying run.
The Giants though took the lead for good with Panik's two-run blast in the top of the third. Ryan Lollis led off by drawing a walk and then Panik drove the first pitch of his at-bat over the fence in right for a homer. The home run was Panik's fourth of the season as San Jose moved in front by a 4-2 margin.
In the top of the sixth, Chris Lofton doubled down the left field line with one out before moving to third on Lollis' single. Lollis then took second on the play when the throw back to the infield bounced away for an error. Panik was up next and he lined a single into right center field plating both runners to make it 6-2.
The Giants extended their lead in the top of the seventh as Bobby Haney led off with a single before Alex Burg was hit by a pitch and then Lofton singled to load the bases with none out. Lollis followed with a sacrifice fly to left as Haney came home with San Jose's seventh and final run of the evening.
Snodgrass settled down after his early struggles as the Giants starter worked a 1-2-3 bottom of the second. After San Jose reclaimed the lead, Visalia threatened in the bottom of the third as singles from Ryan LaPensee and Griffin put runners on the corners with one out. However, Snodgrass struck out Bobby Borchering on a 3-2 pitch before Broxton flied out to center to end the inning.
Snodgrass then tossed a perfect bottom of the fourth before working around a two-out walk in the fifth. The left-hander was removed from the game after issuing a two-out walk in the sixth inning, but Chris Wilson (1 1/3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 SO) entered from the bullpen and quickly recorded the third out. Wilson returned to the mound in the seventh and set down the Rawhide in order.
Hector Correa (1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 SO) kept Visalia off the scoreboard in the eighth before Josh Osich (1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO) breezed through a perfect bottom of the ninth inning to seal the Giants victory.
The Rawhide managed just one hit over the last six innings of the game - Griffin' one-out single in the eighth against Correa.
Siemens (0-2) suffered the loss after he allowed four runs (two earned) on six hits over 4 2/3 innings. Siemens walked five and struck out three.
Notes: San Jose has won six out of their last seven games ... The Giants have outscored Visalia 18-3 in the first two games of the series ... Panik is 6-for-10 with two home runs and seven RBI's over the last two games ... Oropesa leads the Giants with 55 RBI's ... He has 41 RBI's in his last 40 games dating back to May 7 ... San Jose out-hit the Rawhide by a 12-6 margin ... Haney (2-for-5) and Lofton (2-for-4, 2B) also had multi-hit games for the Giants ... San Jose has won a season-high four consecutive road games.
On Deck: The Giants and Rawhide continue their four-game series on Saturday evening with first pitch at Recreation Park scheduled for 7:00 PM. Justin Schumer (4-3, 4.66 ERA) is slated to start on the mound for San Jose while Visalia is expected to counter with Conrad Flynn (1-0, 5.40 ERA). The game can be heard live on sjgiants.com with coverage beginning at 6:30 PM.
California League Stories from June 23, 2012
- Angels Top Pitching Prospect Returns from DL - Inland Empire 66ers
- Panik Powers Giants to Victory over Rawhide - San Jose Giants
- Quakes Stomp Blaze on Friday, Win 8-2 - Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
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