CalL San Jose Giants

Quakes Hand Giants Rare Home Series Loss

Published on June 19, 2023 under California League (CalL)
San Jose Giants News Release


The San Jose Giants suffered their first home series loss since the opening weekend of the season with a 5-3 setback to the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes on Sunday afternoon at Excite Ballpark. The Giants stranded 15 runners on base in the contest, including the bases loaded three times, as their comeback effort fell short. With the defeat, San Jose (39-24) dropped four of six games to the South Division-leading Quakes this week.

Jack Choate started on the mound for the Giants on Sunday and began his outing with three hitless innings. Choate had retired seven straight Rancho hitters until Nick Biddison led off the top of the fourth with a single to center. A walk to Jorge Puerta followed before an errant pick-off throw to second from Choate with one out advanced the runners to second and third. Luis Rodriguez was up next and he singled home Biddison to give the Quakes a 1-0 lead. Kenneth Betancourt then dropped down a squeeze bunt to score Puerta with the second run of the inning. Moments later, Rodriguez executed a delayed steal of third base and scored on the play when Choate committed his second throwing error of the inning as the Rancho lead grew to 3-0.

San Jose was then playing catch-up for the remainder of the afternoon. After leaving the bases loaded in the bottom of the fourth, the Giants again put three runners on in the fifth inning. Three straight walks with one out to Turner Hill, Diego Velasquez and Matt Higgins loaded the bases before Zach Morgan hit a sacrifice fly to cut the Quakes lead to 3-1. San Jose though wasn't able to add on as the next hitter, Alexander Suarez, grounded out to end the fifth.

Rancho Cucamonga then got the run right back in the top of the sixth as Biddison drew a leadoff walk, advanced to third on Rodriguez's two-out single and scored when Betancourt singled to make it 4-1.

The Giants loaded the bases for a third straight inning in the bottom of the sixth, but again came away empty-handed. With two outs, Dilan Rosario doubled down the right field line before consecutive walks to P.J. Hilson and Hill put the potential tying run on base. Velasquez, however, followed with a fly out to right to end the threat.

San Jose did scratch across a run in the bottom of the seventh, but once more missed out on an opportunity to further cut into the deficit. A one-out walk to Morgan followed by back-to-back singles from Suarez and Tanner O'Tremba loaded the bases. Jose Ramos was then retired on a slow grounder back to the pitcher for the second out with Morgan scoring on the play to make it a 4-2 game. However with the potential tying runs in scoring position, Rosario struck out to finish the inning.

After the Giants went down quietly in the bottom of the eighth, Rancho Cucamonga's Kyle Nevin connected for a solo home run in the top of the ninth to give the Quakes back their three-run cushion at 5-2. San Jose then once again put pressure on Rancho Cucamonga in the bottom of the ninth. With one out, Morgan laced a double off the fence in deep left center before O'Tremba worked a two-out walk. Ramos was up next and he blooped a single into shallow right center to score Morgan bringing the Giants within 5-3. Rosario was then hit by a pitch as San Jose loaded the bases for a fifth time in the last six innings. However with the potential tying run at second and winning run at first, Hilson grounded out to shortstop to end the game.

Both teams finished the contest with seven hits. Rancho Cucamonga won despite their pitchers issuing nine walks. The Giants were 2-for-11 with runners in scoring position. O'Tremba (2-for-3) was the only San Jose player to finish with a multi-hit game. Giants pitchers Choate (4 IP, 3 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 SO), Daniel Blair (4 IP, 1 R, 3 BB, 6 SO) and Tyler Vogel (1 IP, 1 R, 0 BB, 1 SO) combined for 12 strikeouts.

With the defeat, San Jose has lost three games in a row for the first time since May 16-18. The current skid matches their longest losing streak of the season. The Giants' only previous home series loss this year was when they dropped two of three games to Fresno from April 6-8 to open the regular season.

Following an off day, the Giants travel to Stockton for a six-game series beginning on Tuesday night. First pitch against the Ports at Banner Island Ballpark is scheduled for 7:05 PM. The entire series can be heard live on sjgiants.com.

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California League Stories from June 19, 2023


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