CalL1 San Jose Giants

Reeling Giants Lose on Walk-Off Home Run

Published on July 17, 2016 under California League (CalL1)
San Jose Giants News Release


ADELANTO, CA - High Desert's Josh Morgan hit a walk-off two-run home run in the bottom of the ninth inning to lift the Mavericks to a 7-6 series-opening victory over the San Jose Giants on Saturday evening at Heritage Field. Morgan's homer was the fourth of the night for High Desert as San Jose (48-45) suffered their season-high sixth consecutive loss.

Ty Ross (3-for-4, 2B, HR, 3 RBI) and Dylan Davis (2-for-5, HR, RBI) both homered as part of multi-hit games to lead the Giants offensively in defeat. Ronnie Jebavy (2-for-5, 2B, RBI), Jose Vizcaino, Jr. (2-for-5, 2 2B) and Cristian Paulino (2-for-4, 2B, RBI, SB) added two hits apiece.

San Jose took a 6-5 lead into the bottom of the ninth with their closer Reyes Moronta on the mound. Moronta retired the first batter of the inning on a groundout before issuing a four-pitch walk to Scott Heineman. Morgan was up next and he lined a 1-2 pitch from Moronta over the fence in left for the game-winning two-run homer. The home run was Morgan's seventh of the season.

Moronta (0-1) suffered his first loss and first blown save of the season.

The back-and-forth contest saw the Mavericks take an early 2-0 lead on a Travis Demeritte two-run home run in the bottom of the first. The Giants though immediately cut into the High Desert advantage with a run in the second. T.J. Bennett doubled with one out and scored two batters later when Ross lined a two-out single into right.

San Jose starter Jose Reyes settled down to throw back-to-back scoreless innings in the second and third before the Giants took the lead in the top of the fourth. With one out, Paulino doubled into the left field corner and then stole third. Ross followed with a double down the left field line to plate Paulino with the tying run. Then with two outs, Jebavy laced a single into left scoring Ross for a 3-2 San Jose advantage.

The Mavericks answered in the bottom of the fourth as Luke Tendler launched a game-tying solo home run to right. However in the top of the fifth, Davis connected for an opposite field solo home run to right putting the Giants back in the lead at 4-3. Ross then led off the top of the sixth with a home run to left center making the score 5-3.

Working with a two-run lead, Reyes quickly retired the first two batters of the bottom of the sixth before running into trouble. Three straight singles from Jose Cardona, Tendler and Juremi Profar produced a run and brought High Desert to within 5-4. D.J. Snelten was then summoned from the bullpen, but he walked Tripp Martin to load the bases. Snelten though recovered inducing Michael De Leon to groundout to shortstop to end the inning with San Jose still ahead by a run.

The Giants reclaimed their two-run lead with a single tally in the top of the seventh. Vizcaino doubled with one out before moving to third on Bennett's groundout. Paulino then reached on a bunt single along the third base line to bring home Vizcaino for a 6-4 cushion.

Snelten (1 1/3 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO) returned to the mound in the bottom of the seventh, but promptly allowed a leadoff home run to Heineman as the Mavericks cut the San Jose lead to 6-5. Jose Trevino then singled with one out, but Snelten struck out Demeritte and retired Cardona on a fly out to retire the side.

Tyler Cyr (1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO) struck out two in a perfect bottom of the eighth to maintain the one-run lead before the Mavericks rallied in the ninth against Moronta.

Cody Palmquist (3-1) was credited with the win for High Desert after tossing a perfect top of the ninth out of the bullpen.

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California League Stories from July 17, 2016


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