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CalL1 San Jose Giants

Perez's Walk-Off Home Run Lifts Giants to Victory

August 25, 2010 - California League (CalL1)
San Jose Giants News Release


Juan Perez hit a three-run walk-off homer with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning to lift the San Jose Giants to a thrilling 5-4 victory over the Visalia Rawhide on Tuesday evening at Municipal Stadium. With runners on first and third, Perez erased a 4-2 deficit with San Jose's first game-winning home run of the season. The Giants have now won three consecutive games and five out of six to improve their overall record to 70-57.

Perez (3-for-5, 2B, HR, 3 RBI) was the only San Jose player to finish with a multi-hit performance at the plate. The Giants have won their last two games with a ninth-inning rally.

With San Jose down by two runs, Rawhide closer Yonata Ortega began the bottom of the ninth by retiring Wendell Fairley on a groundout to second. Pinch-hitter Joel Weeks then drew a walk before Francisco Peguero hit a sharp ground ball to second base that was mishandled by Gerson Montilla for an error. Perez followed by lining the first pitch from Ortega over the fence in deep left center for his 11th home run of the season.

Dan Otero (2-0) was credited with the victory out of the Giants bullpen after tossing a scoreless top of the ninth.

San Jose had to overcome an early 4-0 deficit as Visalia plated two runs in each of the first two innings against Giants starter Kyle Woodruff. Niko Gallego was hit by a pitch to start the game before Alfredo Marte stepped to the plate and belted a two-run homer to deep left center.

In the top of the second with two outs, Montilla and Gallego connected for back-to-back home runs to left. For each player, it was their first home run of the season as the Rawhide extended their lead to 4-0.

Woodruff settled down after surrendering the three homers as the right- hander yielded just one hit for the remainder of his outing. Woodruff finished the night with six innings pitched and four runs (all earned) and five hits allowed. He walked one and struck out a career-high six. After Gallego's homer, Woodruff retired 11 consecutive Visalia hitters until issuing a sixth-inning walk to Paul Goldschmidt.

The Giants pushed across their first run of the evening in the bottom of the third as Peguero led off with triple to the fence in right center and scored two batters later on Jose Flores' groundout. The triple was Peguero's league-leading 15th of the season.

San Jose then managed just one hit over the next three innings against Rawhide starting pitcher Dan Taylor before threatening in the bottom of the seventh. Michael Sandoval started the frame with an infield single before Matt Klimas was hit by a pitch with two outs and then Peguero walked to load the bases. However, Visalia reliever Billy Spottiswood induced Perez to fly out to left ending the inning.

The Giants managed to score one run in the eighth as Flores led off with a double before Johnny Monell's infield single put runners on first and third. Charlie Culberson then delivered an RBI single to bring San Jose to within 4-2, but with the potential tying runs on base, Sandoval bounced into a 6-4-3 double play. Ortega then entered the contest and quickly set down Ehire Adrianza on a groundout to finish the inning.

Ortega (1-1) suffered his first loss with the Rawhide after yielding the three ninth-inning runs. The right-hander entered the game with a perfect 0.00 ERA and 12 strikeouts over seven innings pitched.

Notes: The Giants picked-up their ninth walk-off victory of the season ... They also won their ninth game when trailing after seven innings and secured their fifth win when trailing after eight innings - tied for the league-lead in both categories ... San Jose's last walk-off home run was on June 5, 2009 when Buster Posey hit a solo homer to leadoff the bottom of the 13th inning against Bakersfield ... The Giants out-hit Visalia by a 9-7 margin ... Monell (1-for-4) extended his hitting streak to a season-high 10 games with his eighth-inning single ... Perez is batting .386 in 20 games against the Rawhide this season ... The temperature at first pitch was 94 degrees.

On Deck: The Giants and Rawhide continue their three-game series on Wednesday evening with first pitch at Municipal Stadium scheduled for 7:00 PM. Justin Fitzgerald (9-5, 3.64 ERA) is slated to start on the mound for San Jose while Visalia is expected to counter with Charles Brewer (5-3, 3.56 ERA). Tickets are available and can be purchased by calling (408) 297-1435 or by visiting www.sjgiants.com.

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