Schmitt's Home Run Propels Giants to Third Straight Win
Published on May 10, 2021 under California League (CalL)
San Jose Giants News Release
Casey Schmitt's first professional home run was a tiebreaking two-run blast in the bottom of the seventh inning on Sunday night to propel the Giants to a 5-3 victory over the Fresno Grizzlies at Excite Ballpark. The win was San Jose's third in a row and secured a split of the season-opening six-game series with Fresno.
Sunday's finale was a back-and-forth affair with the Giants overcoming an early two-run deficit. The Grizzlies started the game with four straight hits off of San Jose starter Prelander Berroa to take the early lead. Issac Collins began the night with a single before Ezequiel Tovar reached on a bunt single and both runners advanced a base on the play when the third baseman Schmitt threw the ball away for an error. Rockies #1 prospect Zac Veen followed with a ringing double into left center as both Collins and Tovar scored to give Fresno a 2-0 lead. A single from Colin Simpson followed before Berroa settled down and induced a pop out and a 6-4-3 double play to limit the damage.
The Giants cut the deficit in half with a single tally in the bottom of the second. Armani Smith started the rally with a one-out single before moving to second on Harrison Freed's groundout. Schmitt then hit a sharp grounder to second that skipped under the glove and through the legs of Collins. The error allowed Smith to score with the first San Jose run of the contest.
The Giants then used the long ball to take the lead in the bottom of the fourth. After Brett Auerbach's leadoff bloop double and a strikeout of Alex Canario, Smith stepped to the plate and launched a 1-0 pitch well over the fence down the left field line for a two-run home run. The 403-foot shot put San Jose ahead by a 3-2 margin.
The Grizzlies though would answer with the tying run in the top of the sixth. Giants reliever Austin Reich walked Veen to start the inning. After Veen stole second, Reich came back to strikeout Simpson and retire Mateo Gil on a pop out. New pitcher Randy Rodriguez, however, came in and promptly allowed a two-out RBI single to Joe Aeilts as Veen came home to bring Fresno even at 3-3.
The Grizzlies threatened to move back in front in the top of the seventh, but a key double play kept the game tied. Rodriguez returned to the mound and allowed a leadoff single to Daniel Montano before Bryant Quijada was hit by a pitch. Collins then grounded into a fielder's choice as Quijada was forced at second for the first out of the inning. With runners on the corners, Justin Crump was then summoned from the bullpen and the right-hander needed just one pitch to get out of the inning as he induced Tovar to ground into a 5-4-3 double play to keep the game tied.
San Jose then went ahead for good on Schmitt's round-tripper in the bottom of the seventh. A walk to Smith started the inning before Freed struck out. Schmitt was up next and he clobbered the first pitch of his at-bat over the fence in deep left center for a go-ahead two-run home run.
Crump would finish the game with scoreless eighth and ninth innings to seal the Giants victory. In the top of the eighth, Gil singled with two outs, but Crump came back with a strikeout of Aeilts to retire the side. Then in the ninth, Montano doubled with one out to again bring the potential tying run to the plate. Crump though set down Quijada on a fly out and Collins on a groundout to finish the game.
GIANTS NOTES
Home Runs
Neither the Giants or Grizzlies had homered in the six-game series until Armani Smith's round-tripper in the bottom of the fourth. Casey Schmitt, a 2020 second round pick of the San Francisco Giants, collected his first career hit on Saturday after an 0-for-11 start to the season. His go-ahead bomb on Sunday marked his first home run as a professional.
Inside The Box Score
Smith (2-for-2, HR, 2 RBI) and Robert Emery (2-for-4, 2B) had multi-hit games for the Giants. Fresno out-hit San Jose by a 9-6 margin.
Berroa's Start
Prelander Berroa worked 3 1/3 innings in his start with two runs (both earned) and five hits allowed. He walked one and struck out two during his 60-pitch outing. After allowing hits to the first four batters of the game, Berroa retired nine of the final 11 Fresno hitters he faced.
In The 'Pen
Austin Reich struck out five batters over 2 1/3 hitless innings of relief for the Giants. He was charged with one run. Justin Crump improved to 2-0 in two relief appearances this season. He pitched the final 2 2/3 innings with two hits allowed, no walks and one strikeout.
Series Review
After Fresno won the first three games of the season-opening series (5-3, 10-4 and 2-1), the Giants earned victories of 9-4 on Friday, 3-1 on Saturday and Sunday's 5-3 triumph to secure the split.
On Deck
Following an off day, the Giants embark on a 12-game road trip to Stockton and Fresno. Tuesday's series opener against the Ports is a 7:05 PM first pitch at Banner Island Ballpark. Ryan Murphy is San Jose's scheduled starting pitcher. The entire road trip can be heard live on sjgiants.com.
California League Stories from May 10, 2021
- Fresno County Department Of Public Health To Host Pop-Up Vaccine Clinic At Fresno Grizzlies Games - Fresno Grizzlies
- Grizzlies and CW59 Announce TV Broadcast Partnership - Fresno Grizzlies
- Kyren Paris' Late Heroics Vault 66ers to Extra-Innings Win - Inland Empire 66ers
- Schmitt's Home Run Propels Giants to Third Straight Win - San Jose Giants
- Fresno Settles for Series Split with San Jose - Fresno Grizzlies
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