CalL1 San Jose Giants

Posey's 13th Inning Homer Gives San Jose A Walk-Off Win

Published on June 6, 2009 under California League (CalL1)
San Jose Giants News Release


Buster Posey's solo home run leading off the bottom of the 13th inning gave the San Jose Giants a dramatic 4-3 victory over the Bakersfield Blaze on Friday night at Municipal Stadium. After both teams scored single runs in the ninth inning to send the contest into extras, Posey delivered the game-winning blast with a deep drive over the fence in left center field. The victory was San Jose's first walk-off win of the season as it improves their overall record to 30-25 - four games behind the Visalia Rawhide (34-21) for the top spot in the first half North Division race.

Daniel Turpen (3-1) earned the win on the mound for the Giants with four scoreless innings of work. Turpen, who entered the game to begin the top of the 10th inning, allowed just two hits with one walk and six strikeouts.

Posey's (2-for-5, HR, RBI) home run was his team-leading ninth of the season while Brian Bocock (3-for-6, 2 RBI) came through with a clutch RBI single to tie the game in the bottom of the ninth. Tyler Graham (2-for-6, 2 SB) and Conor Gillaspie (2-for-5) also finished with more than one hit for the Giants.

The game was deadlocked at 2-2 entering the top of the ninth inning with reliever Steve Edlefsen on the mound for San Jose. Edlefsen allowed a one-out single to Ian Gac in the frame before Eric Fry grounded out to move the runner to second base. Jonathan Greene followed with a ground ball single into left field plating Gac from second base as Posey was unable to handle Thomas Neal's bouncing throw to home. The hit gave the Blaze a 3-2 lead.

The Giants though answered right back in the bottom of the ninth. Facing Bakersfield closer Evan Reed, Neal led off by drawing a walk before he was removed from the game in favor of Shane Jordan. Nick Noonan advanced Jordan to second base with a sacrifice bunt and then Reed issued a walk to Ryan Lormand putting runners on first and second. After Graham reached on an infield single to third loading the bases, Bocock grounded a single into left field to easily score Jordan with the tying run. However on the play, Lormand also tried to score, but was thrown out at the plate by the left fielder Fry to continue the game. Reed then recovered to strike out Roger Kieschnick sending the contest into extra innings.

Neither team put a runner into scoring position over the 10th through the 12th innings. Turpen faced the minimum nine batters over the three frames allowing only a 10th inning single to Matthew Lawson, who was promptly picked off. Turpen struck out two hitters in a perfect top of the 11th before fanning two more in a 1-2-3 top of the 12th.

Bakersfield threatened in the 13th inning when Davis Stoneburner led off by bouncing a ball over the ahead of Gillaspie and down the left field line for a double. Lawson was up next, but he was unable to move Stoneburner to third base when Turpen fielded the sacrifice bunt attempt and threw out the runner at third. After a walk to Engel Beltre put runners on first and second, Turpen struck out Joey Butler and then induced Mauro Gomez to fly out to shallow left.

Zach Phillips (1-2) suffered the loss on the mound for the Blaze, but only after tossing three perfect innings from the 10th through the 12th. Phillips struck out four during that span, but could not force a 14th inning after surrendering Posey's walk-off homer to begin the bottom of the 13th.

Giants starter T.J. Brewer tossed a season-high 6 1/3 innings with two runs (both earned) on five hits allowed. Brewer walked one and struck out six. The right-hander induced three double plays in the first four innings before yielding two runs in the top of the fifth. Jose Felix brought home the first run with a perfectly executed safety squeeze play before Stoneburner delivered a two-out, RBI single.

San Jose put three runners on base in each of the first two innings against Bakersfield starter Kennil Gomez, but failed to score in both frames. The Giants finally broke through in the bottom of the fifth when Graham singled with one out, stole both second and third and then scored on Bocock's single to left.

In the sixth, Angel Villalona walked with one out, moved to second on Gillaspie's single and then scored when Neal bounced a single up the middle.

Notes: The 13 innings marked San Jose's longest game of the year ... The Giants are 2-1 in extra-inning games ... San Jose had lost their last six one-run games ... Their last one-run victory was on May 9 at Modesto (2-1) ... The Giants out-hit the Blaze by an 11-9 margin ... Brewer achieved a new season-high in strikeouts ... Posey also leads the club with 40 RBI's ... San Jose improved to 3-3 on their season-long eight-game homestand.

On Deck: The Giants and Blaze continue their four-game series on Saturday evening with first pitch at Municipal Stadium scheduled for 6:00 PM. Clayton Tanner (3-1, 3.03 ERA) is slated to start on the mound for San Jose while Bakersfield is expected to counter with Richard Bleier (2-3, 5.35 ERA). It's a MIX 106.5 Saturday in the Park and tickets can be purchased by calling (408)297-1435 or by visiting www.sjgiants.com.

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California League Stories from June 6, 2009


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