Rawhide Rally In Ninth Inning, Top Giants 3-2
Published on July 17, 2023 under California League (CalL)
San Jose Giants News Release
San Jose's bid for a series sweep of Visalia fell short on Sunday evening with a 3-2 loss to the Rawhide at Excite Ballpark. Visalia trailed by a 1-0 margin before scoring three runs in the top of the ninth and then holding off the Giants in the bottom of the inning to secure the victory. With the setback, San Jose (46-38 overall, 6-12 second half) settles for taking two out of three games in the weekend series.
Onil Perez (4-for-5, 3B, RBI, 4 SB) had a four-hit game and also stole four bases to lead the Giants offensively in defeat. San Jose out-hit Visalia by a 10-7 margin in the contest, but left 11 runners on base. The loss was only the Giants' third this season when leading after eight innings (36-3).
For much of the night, it appeared one run might be enough for San Jose to notch a victory. Giants starting pitcher Nomar Medina dazzled on the mound with five scoreless innings of work. The left-hander allowed only three hits, walked one and struck out five in his longest outing of the season. Meanwhile, San Jose took a 1-0 lead with a single tally in the bottom of the fifth. Diego Velasquez started the inning by reaching on an error before he was forced out on Perez's grounder to shortstop. Perez then stole second while a single from Andrew Kachel put runners on the corners. Tanner O'Tremba followed by grounding into a fielder's choice as Kachel was out at second, however Perez came home on the play with the first run of the game.
Julio Rodriguez then fired two hitless innings out of the bullpen over the sixth and seventh for the Giants to maintain the 1-0 advantage. Rodriguez walked one and struck out four during his impressive relief appearance before Tyler Vogel came on in the eighth and pitched around a pair of two-out singles and a wild pitch to keep the lead intact.
The score was still 1-0 as Vogel returned to the mound in the top of the ninth, but the Rawhide would rally. Vogel retired the first batter of the inning, but then walked Riquelmin Cabral before Gavin Logan singled sharply into left center to put runners on first and third. Then with Julio Carrion at the plate, Vogel uncorked a wild pitch allowing Cabral to score tying the game 1-1. Moments later, Carrion hit a slow grounder to third that Justin Bench fielded, but threw wildly to first for an error. As the ball rolled down the right field line, pinch-runner Danyer Sanabria easily scored the go-ahead run as Visalia took a 2-1 lead. The rally then continued as Johan Benitez reached on a bunt single before Anderdson Rojas lifted a sacrifice fly to center plating Carrion to make it 3-1.
Down to the final out, the Giants scored once in the bottom of the ninth, but ultimately had the potential tying run stranded at third base. After the first two batters of the inning were set down, Velasquez laced a double into the right center field gap. Perez followed with his fourth hit of the night - a line drive triple into the right field corner - as Velasquez came home to bring San Jose within 3-2. However, Kachel followed by striking out swinging to end the game as the Rawhide avoided the sweep.
Vogel (4-6) was saddled with the loss after allowing all three runs (one earned) in the top of the ninth.
Velasquez (2-for-5, 2B) also had a multi-hit game for the Giants. San Jose's seven steals (in eight attempts) matched a season-high.
Following an off day, the Giants continue their longest homestand of the second half with a six-game series against the Stockton Ports at Excite Ballpark. Tuesday's series opener is a 6:30 PM first pitch. Visit sjgiants.com for tickets and information on upcoming promotions.
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