Six-Run Inning Keys Comeback Win over Grizzlies
April 17, 2022 - California League (CalL)
San Jose Giants News Release
The San Jose Giants overcame a four-run deficit on Saturday night scoring six times in the bottom of the fifth to take the lead before holding off Fresno's late rally in the ninth inning to post an 8-7 victory at Excite Ballpark. With the win, the Giants (5-3) have now claimed three of the first five games in the series against the Grizzlies.
Vaun Brown was a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate on Saturday while Dilan Rosario (2-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI) and Garrett Frechette (1-for-4, 2 RBI) each delivered key two-run singles during the fifth-inning rally to lead San Jose offensively.
Fresno built a 4-0 lead in the contest as they looked for a third consecutive win in the series. Adael Amador led off the game with a towering home run to deep right center off of Giants starter Mason Black. Warming Bernabel's two-out, two-run double in the top of the third then extended the lead for the Grizzlies before a sacrifice fly from Juan Guerrero driving in Hunter Goodman, who had led off the fourth with a double, made it 4-0.
San Jose had gone 13 straight innings without scoring before erupting in the bottom of the fifth. With the score still at 4-0, the first two Giants batters of the fifth were retired. Max Wright was then plunked on the eighth pitch of his at-bat to extend the inning before Brown singled and Aeverson Arteaga walked to load the bases. Tyler Ras was then summoned from the Fresno bullpen to replace starter Victor Juarez and the Grizzlies reliever promptly walked the next two hitters - Adrian Sugastey and Victor Bericoto - to force home two runs to make it 4-2. Frechette was up next and he grounded a single up the middle to easily score both Arteaga and Sugastey to tie the game 4-4.
After a wild pitch advanced Frechette to second, Rosario continued the rally when he lined a single into left plating two more runs for a 6-4 San Jose lead. All told, seven straight Giants batters reached base safely in the inning after there were two outs.
Landen Roupp entered from the San Jose bullpen to begin the top of the sixth and fired three scoreless innings in dominating fashion to maintain the 6-4 advantage. Roupp, who didn't allow a hit during his outing, walked one and struck out four.
The Giants then pushed across two insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth to stretch their lead to 8-4. Rosario led off with a double down the left field line before taking third on an errant pick-off throw. After Alexander Suarez walked, Abdiel Layer hit a sacrifice fly to center plating the first run of the inning. Suarez later moved to second on a passed ball before Brown's two-out RBI single - his fourth hit of the night - made it 8-4.
Tyler Myrick relieved Roupp to begin the top of the ninth for San Jose, but immediately ran into trouble as the first four Fresno hitters of the inning reached safely. Guerrero led off with a single before Zach Kokoska doubled and Amador walked to load the bases. Benny Montgomery then produced an RBI single to bring the Grizzlies to within 8-5 as the bases remained loaded. Myrick though came back and induced the next hitter, Juan Brito, to hit a grounder to shortstop that resulted in a key double play. While one run scored to make it 8-6, the Giants had moved to within one out of victory. Fresno, however, kept the pressure on as Yanquiel Fernandez blasted a long single to the fence in right to score Amador trimming the San Jose lead to 8-7. Bernabel though followed by grounding into a force play to third for the final out as Myrick secured the Giants victory.
GIANTS NOTES
Big Inning: The six-run bottom of the fifth was San Jose's highest scoring inning of the season. The four-run deficit was also the Giants' largest comeback win of the early season.
Brown's Perfect Night: Vaun Brown singled in all four of his at-bats on Saturday - the first San Jose player with a four-hit game this year. Brown raised his season batting average 101 points from .172 to .273.
Rosario Returns: Dilan Rosario returned to the lineup after leaving Thursday's game early due to a hit by pitch. With two hits on Saturday, Rosario is now 6-for-13 (.462 AVG) in the series against Fresno.
On The Mound: Mason Black pitched 3 2/3 innings in his start with four runs (all earned) and seven hits allowed. Black walked none and struck out three. Jose Cruz (1 1/3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 SO) and Landen Roupp (3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 SO) then combined for 4 1/3 hitless innings of relief with eight strikeouts before Fresno scored three times off of Tyler Myrick in the top of the ninth.
On Deck: The Giants and Grizzlies conclude their six-game series on Sunday afternoon with first pitch at Excite Ballpark set for 1:00 PM. Matt Mikulski is San Jose's scheduled starting pitcher.
California League Stories from April 17, 2022
- Storm Survive Second Straight One Run Game to Take Series Win - Lake Elsinore Storm
- Ports Prevail in Pitchers' Duel for Series Win - Stockton Ports
- Grizzlies Display Their Comeback Claws in 9th with 2-1 Win over Giants - Fresno Grizzlies
- Fresno's Ninth-Inning Rally Sinks Giants - San Jose Giants
- Fresno Grizzlies Game Notes at San Jose - Fresno Grizzlies
- Quakes Hit Four Homers in Late-Inning Loss - Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
- Six-Run Inning Keys Comeback Win over Grizzlies - San Jose Giants
- Early Offense, Bullpen Carry Ports to Third Straight Win - Stockton Ports
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