CalL1 San Jose Giants

SAN JOSE GIANTS GAME RECAP (9/2/16): Menez Masterful in 6-1 Giants Victory

September 3, 2016 - California League (CalL1)
San Jose Giants News Release


Conner Menez pitched into the seventh inning and the Giants knocked out 11 hits in a convincing 6-1 victory over the Visalia Rawhide on Friday evening at Municipal Stadium. The series-opening win snapped San Jose's (68-69) four-game losing streak.

Menez (2-0) surrendered just one unearned run over a career-high 6 2/3 innings to pick-up the win. The Hollister native, who was making his first home start, allowed six hits, walked one and struck out five. Menez twice had a stretch where he retired eight consecutive Visalia hitters.

Rando Moreno (2-for-4, 2B, RBI), T.J. Bennett (2-for-4, 2B, RBI), Ronnie Jebavy (2-for-5, 2B) and Miguel Gomez (2-for-4, 2B) each collected two hits to lead a balanced offensive attack.

A three-run bottom of the fourth inning gave the Giants the lead for good in the contest. With the score tied 1-1, Heath Quinn led off with a single to left. Gomez then grounded a single through the hole on the right side advancing Quinn to second. Aramis Garcia was up next and he blasted a double to deep left center plating Quinn with the go-ahead run before Bennett singled home Gomez to make it 3-1. The four straight hits to start the inning all came on the first pitch. The rally then continued with a walk to Robbie Garvey to load the bases before a Jebavy double play grounder scored Garcia for a 4-1 cushion.

Menez then worked back-to-back 1-2-3 innings in the fifth and sixth throwing a total of just 22 pitches over the two frames. In the bottom of the sixth, Gomez led off with a double into the left field corner and eventually scored on Garvey's two-out single extending the lead to 5-1.

Menez returned to the mound in the top of the seventh and ran into trouble as Trevor Mitsui and Henry Castillo produced back-to-back singles to start the inning. Joey Armstrong though flied out to center before Tyler Baker popped out to shortstop. Menez then hit Sergio Alcantara with a pitch to load the bases and bring the potential tying run to the plate. Dusten Knight was then summoned from the bullpen and he promptly struck out Robelys Reyes on three pitches to end the inning.

San Jose scored their final run of the night in the bottom of the seventh. Moreno led off with a double and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Then with one down, Dylan Davis hit a high chopper to second that was misplayed by Castillo for an error as Moreno came home. Davis was credited with an RBI on the play as the Giants pushed their lead to 6-1.

Knight (2 1/3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 SO) finished the game for San Jose to earn his second save of the season. In the eighth, Victor Reyes led off with a triple, but was later thrown out at the plate by the catcher Garcia when he tried to score on a pitch in the dirt. Knight sealed the victory with a 1-2-3 top of the ninth.

Rawhide starter Joel Payamps (7-5) suffered the loss after he was charged with five runs (four earned) on nine hits over six innings. Payamps walked one and struck out four.

Menez began his start with three scoreless innings. In the top of the first, Robelys Reyes led off with a single, but was picked-off by Garcia at first base. Victor Reyes then lined a single into right center, but was thrown out at second by Quinn attempting to stretch the hit into a double. Marty Herum followed by drawing a walk before Austin Byler singled, but Menez stranded both when he retired Mitsui on a pop out to first. Menez then cruised through consecutive 1-2-3 innings in the second and third.

The Giants took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third as Garvey reached on an error to leadoff before Jebavy singled. Then with Moreno at the plate, an errant pick-off throw to second from the catcher Baker allowed the runners to advance. Moments later, Moreno grounded out plating Garvey with the first run.

Visalia answered with an unearned run in the top of the fourth. With one out, Byler struck out, but reached first safely on a passed ball. Mitsui followed with a single before Castillo grounded into a force out. Then with Armstrong at the plate, Menez uncorked a wild pitch allowing Byler to score the tying run. The San Jose starter though prevented further damage when he struck out Armstrong leaving the potential go-ahead run at second. The Giants then reclaimed the lead with their rally in the bottom of the inning.

Notes - * Friday marked the beginning of the final series of the regular season for the Giants. * San Jose won for just the second time in their last nine games overall. * Menez's previous four starts with the Giants all came on the road. He had four 1-2-3 innings on Friday. * Gomez extended his hitting streak to eight games. * San Jose out-hit Visalia 11-7. The Giants were 4-for-19 with runners in scoring position compared to 0-for-7 for the Rawhide. * Quinn (1-for-4) was playing in his first game with San Jose after joining the team on Thursday from Salem-Keizer (Short-Season). * The Giants improved to 8-12 against Visalia this season (4-3 at Municipal Stadium).

On Deck: The Giants and Rawhide continue their four-game series on Saturday evening with first pitch at Municipal Stadium scheduled for 6:00 PM. Mark Reyes (9-8, 4.97 ERA) is slated to start on the mound for San Jose while Visalia is expected to counter with Markus Solbach (4-2, 3.99 ERA). It's the ninth annual Italian Night at the ballpark, presented by Country Club Villa Properties and Battaglia Ranch Tree Farm. Municipal Stadium will be transformed with Italian themed vendor booths, traditional Italian food and music, raffles and giveaways. There will also be an in-game silent auction for the special Italian themed jerseys the players will be wearing. Additionally, the first 1,000 fans in attendance will receive a Joe Panik backpack. For tickets, call (408) 297-1435 or visit sjgiants.com.




California League Stories from September 3, 2016


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