Ramos Home Run Caps Wild 12-11 Comeback Victory
July 2, 2023 - California League (CalL)
San Jose Giants News Release
Heliot Ramos hit a go-ahead three-run home run in the bottom of the eighth inning to cap a wild 12-11 come-from-behind victory for the San Jose Giants over the Modesto Nuts on Saturday night at Excite Ballpark. The Giants overcame a six-run deficit in the contest to mark their largest comeback win of the season. The triumph also snapped San Jose's (42-31 overall, 2-5 second half) four-game losing skid.
Ramos (3-for-4, 2 2B, HR, 5 RBI) also doubled twice and drove in five runs in the fourth game of his rehab assignment to lead the comeback charge. Other offensive standouts included Dilan Rosario (2-for-4, 2 HR, 4 RBI), who smacked his first two home runs of the season while Thomas Gavello (3-for-5, RBI) added three hits and Tanner O'Tremba (2-for-4, 2 2B, RBI, SB) doubled twice. The thrilling game saw the Giants battle back from deficits of 6-0 and 11-7 before taking their first lead of the night on Ramos' eighth-inning blast.
The Nuts, who were bidding for their fourth straight win over San Jose to open the series, started fast on Saturday scoring three runs in both the first and second innings against Giants starting pitcher Nomar Medina. Following a walk and an HBP, Modesto's Gabriel Gonzalez launched a three-run home run to deep center in the top of the first to open the scoring. An inning later, Miguel Perez doubled with one out before a single from Bill Knight put runners on the corners. A Medina wild pitch then scored the first run of the inning with Knight eventually coming home on a passed ball. Later in the frame, Gonzalez collected his fourth RBI of the evening with an RBI single as the Nuts lead grew to 6-0.
San Jose quickly would get back into the game though with a four-run bottom of the second. Back-to-back walks drawn by Matt Higgins and O'Tremba started the inning before Gavello grounded an RBI single down the left field line to get the Giants on the board. Two batters later, Rosario lined a three-run home run to left - his first round-tripper of the season - to bring San Jose within 6-4.
After neither team scored in the third, Modesto then took advantage of an error to push across two runs in the top of the fourth. Giants reliever Luis Moreno was an out away from completing his second scoreless inning out of the bullpen, but committed an error on a comebacker hit by Colin Davis that extended the top of the fourth for the Nuts. Gonzalez then stepped to the plate and hammered an RBI triple off the fence in deep center as Davis scored to make it 7-4. It was Gonzalez's third hit and fifth RBI of the game through only the first four innings. Moments later, a passed ball allowed Gonzalez to also score for an 8-4 Modesto advantage.
San Jose, however, came right back with three runs of their own in the bottom of the fourth. A leadoff single from Gavello followed by a walk to Zach Morgan put two runners on base. After the next two batters were retired, Turner Hill produced an RBI single to trim the Nuts lead to 8-5. Diego Velasquez then walked to load the bases before Ramos came up and drove a fly ball off the fence down the right field line. The hit went for a double as Gavello and Morgan scored to make it an 8-7 game, however Velasquez was thrown out at the plate on the play to end the inning.
Modesto then immediately grabbed back the momentum with a three-run top of the fifth. With Moreno still on the mound, Milkar Perez reached on a one-out infield single to start the rally. Justin Leavy then hit a slow roller in front of the plate that the catcher Gavello picked-up, but threw wildly to first and down the right field line. The error put runners on second and third for the Nuts. A Miguel Perez RBI single followed to push the Modesto lead to 9-7. Then after a walk to Knight, a sacrifice fly to deep center off the bat of Cole Young brought home the second run of the inning. Davis then delivered an RBI single as Perez scored for an 11-7 Nuts cushion.
Cameron Cotter fired two scoreless innings out of the Giants bullpen over the sixth and seventh innings before San Jose resumed their comeback effort in the home half of the seventh. A leadoff single from Velasquez and a walk to Ramos put runners on first and second with none out. After Higgins struck out, O'Tremba hit an RBI double down the right field line bringing home Velasquez to pull the Giants within 11-8.
After Julio Rodriguez breezed through a perfect top of the eighth, Rosario led off the bottom of the inning with his second home run of the night - a towering 403-foot drive to deep center - that cut the Modesto lead to 11-9.
The rally continued when Jose Ramos followed the big fly with a bunt single before Hill was hit by a pitch to put the potential tying run on base. Then after Velasquez flied out to advance Jose Ramos to third and Hill stole second, Heliot Ramos came through with the biggest hit of the game when he crushed a 2-1 pitch over the fence in deep left for a three-run home run. The round-tripper was Ramos' second of the week on his rehab assignment and it gave San Jose their first lead of the ballgame at 12-11.
Rodriguez then slammed the door with a 1-2-3 top of the ninth to seal the comeback victory. Rodriguez struck out Milkar Perez to start the inning, retired Lavey on a groundout and then struck out Miguel Perez to end the game. The right-hander, who retired all six batters he faced during his two-inning stint, was credited with the win.
The Giants out-hit the Nuts by a 14-11 margin. Ramos and Rosario combined to drive in nine of San Jose's 12 runs. The victory also snapped the Giants' season-high six-game home losing streak. Before Saturday, San Jose's largest comeback victory this year was overcoming a five-run deficit (accomplished twice: April 22 and 23 versus Inland Empire).
The Giants continue their holiday weekend series against Modesto on Sunday evening with first pitch at Excite Ballpark set for 5:00 PM. Reggie Crawford is San Jose's scheduled starting pitcher. Visit sjgiants.com for tickets.
California League Stories from July 2, 2023
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- Fresno Grizzlies Game Notes at Stockton - Fresno Grizzlies
- Ramos Home Run Caps Wild 12-11 Comeback Victory - San Jose Giants
- Lake Elsinore Storm Clobber 66ers with First Inning Brilliance - Lake Elsinore Storm
- Big Innings, Miscues Sink Ports on Saturday Night - Stockton Ports
- Betancourt, Grizzlies Stock a Ton of Offense in 13-6 Drubbing of Ports - Fresno Grizzlies
- Rawhide Roll on Saturday at LoanMart Field - Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
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