CalL San Jose Giants

Record Night For Giants In 19-1 Rout Of Storm

Published on May 12, 2023 under California League (CalL)
San Jose Giants News Release


The San Jose Giants matched their team record for largest margin of victory in a 19-1 rout of the Lake Elsinore Storm on Thursday night at Excite Ballpark. The Giants scored nine times over the first four innings to take early control of the game before erupting for a nine-run bottom of the seventh on their way to the blowout win. San Jose (19-11) has claimed five out of their last six games overall, including two of the first three contests in the current series against Lake Elsinore.

Matt Higgins (3-for-5, HR, 6 RBI) homered as part of a three-hit, six-RBI night at the plate to lead the Giants offensively in the convincing win. Thomas Gavello (1-for-3, HR, 3 RBI) and P.J. Hilson (2-for-5, HR, 3 RBI) also went deep while Diego Velasquez (3-for-4, 2B, RBI) produced three hits and scored five runs. Other multi-hit games came from Onil Perez (2-for-5, 2B, 3 RBI) and Andrew Kachel (2-for-5, 2B, RBI, SB). Every player in the San Jose lineup scored at least one run while eight of the nine produced a hit and collected an RBI.

The 18-run margin tied the team record set on May 5, 1995 in a 20-2 victory over the Stockton Ports. The Giants' 19 runs scored on Thursday was one shy of matching the club record for runs in a game at Excite Ballpark (20 runs on August 9, 2019 vs. Modesto).

San Jose jumped out early on Thursday scoring three runs in the bottom of the first inning to take a 3-0 lead. With one out, Velasquez drew a walk before Higgins' potential double play grounder to second was misplayed for an error. Perez followed with an RBI groundout to score Velasquez and then Gavello stepped to the plate and launched an opposite field two-run home run to deep left center. The round-tripper was Gavello's third in three games during the current series and team-leading sixth overall this season.

The Storm's only run of the night came in the top of the third before the Giants offense went right back to work in the bottom of the inning. Carter Howell reached on an infield single to start the rally and Velasquez was hit by a pitch to put two runners on base. Higgins then crushed a three-run home run out to left to push the lead to 6-1. The homer was Higgins' third of the season.

San Jose then kept the pressure on with three more runs in the bottom of the fourth. With one out, Hilson belted a solo homer down the left field line to make it a 7-1 game. It was Hilson's first homer of the year.

A walk to Howell followed before Velasquez singled. Higgins then collected his fourth RBI of the game as his single knocked in Howell for an 8-1 advantage. Perez was up next and he hit a sacrifice fly to bring home Velasquez to give the Giants a 9-1 lead.

The margin stayed at eight runs until San Jose exploded in the bottom of the seventh. The first nine batters of the inning reached safely with all nine eventually coming to score. Jose Ramos singled to start the inning before consecutive walks to Kachel and Zach Morgan loaded the bases. Hilson then singled down the left field line plating Ramos and Kachel with the first two runs of the frame as the lead grew to 11-1.

After Howell walked, Velasquez plated another run with a single. A catcher's interference call with Higgins batting and the bases loaded produced the fourth run of the inning to make it 13-1. Perez then singled home another run before Gavello worked a bases loaded walk to stretch the lead to 15-1. Lake Elsinore then finally recorded an out when Ramos bounced into a force play, however Higgins was able to score as the Giants extended their lead to 16-1. Kachel was up next and he singled home another run before Morgan's sacrifice fly plated the ninth and final run of the inning to make it 18-1. San Jose sent 13 batters to the plate in the bottom of the seventh and scored nine runs on five hits with also drawing four walks.

The Giants completed the scoring in the bottom of the eighth as Velasquez doubled with one out and came home on a Higgins single - his sixth RBI of the evening - to push the margin to 19-1.

Tyler Vogel (3-1) earned the win out of the San Jose bullpen after tossing three scoreless innings of long relief with one hit allowed. Vogel, who entered the game to begin the top of the fifth, walked one and struck out five. Manuel Mercedes started on the mound for the Giants and limited the Storm to one run over the first four innings. Mercedes surrendered five hits, walked two and struck out three during his 71-pitch outing. Dylan Cumming finished the game with two scoreless innings.

San Jose out-hit Lake Elsinore 15-8 and went 8-for-17 with runners in scoring position. The Giants' three homers matched a season-high. San Jose also hit three home runs in Tuesday's series opener versus the Storm. The nine runs in the bottom of the seventh were the most scored by the Giants in an inning this season while the 19 total runs was also the high mark this year (previous high: 15 runs in a 15-6 win over Inland Empire on April 22).

The Giants and Storm continue their series on Friday evening with first pitch at Excite Ballpark set for 7:00 PM. Liam Simon is San Jose's scheduled starting pitcher.

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California League Stories from May 12, 2023


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