SJ Giants Series Preview August 27-September 1 vs. Rancho Cucamonga
August 27, 2024 - California League (CalL)
San Jose Giants News Release
Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (59-59, 29-25) at San Jose Giants (68-51, 31-23)
Tuesday, August 27 - Sunday, September 1
Excite Ballpark (San Jose, CA)
Video: MiLB.TV/Bally Live
Radio: sjgiants.com
FINAL HOMESTAND: The San Jose Giants play their final home series of the regular season when they host the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (Dodgers affiliate) in a six-game set this week at Excite Ballpark. This series marks the Quakes' only visit to the South Bay this year. The Giants went 2-4 during their lone trip to Rancho Cucamonga this season (July 30-August 4). The Giants haven't won a series against the Quakes since July 2022 (6-12 record since).
HITTING SHINES IN MODESTO: The Giants are coming off of a big series offensively when they split a six-game set at Modesto last week. San Jose scored a total of 53 runs during the series (8.8 runs/game) and hit .295 as a team. Included in the series was a 15-run outburst last Friday (one run off season-high) and a season-high 19-hit performance in Saturday's 14- 2 triumph. Guillermo Williamson set a new San Jose Giants single-game record with eight RBI's in last Friday's victory. Williamson went 4-for-6 at the plate in the contest with a pair of three-run home runs, a two-run single and an additional single.
All eight RBI's came in the first five innings of the game. The following day, Lisbel Diaz tied a Giants single-game record with five hits when he went 5-for-6 with four singles, a triple, four runs scored and an RBI in San Jose's win. He became the first Giants player to record five hits in a game this season. Diaz enjoyed a stretch of seven consecutive at-bats with a hit spanning two games last Friday and Saturday.
PLAYOFF RACE: The Giants begin the week with a 31-23 second half record - seven games ahead of Fresno (24-30) for the final playoff spot in the North Division. Modesto has already qualified for the postseason in the North after winning the first half title. The Giants are attempting to reach the playoffs for a fifth consecutive season (2019, 2021-23). Entering the week, San Jose has 12 games remaining in the regular season. The Giants' magic number (combination of San Jose wins & Fresno losses) to clinch a playoff berth is five. San Jose owns the tiebreaker with Fresno by virtue of posting an 8-1 record against the Grizzlies in the second half. The Giants finish the regular season with a six-game series in Fresno next week.
LEAGUE-LEADING PITCHING STAFF: The Giants enter the week with a league-best 3.98 team ERA (Fresno next-closest at 4.06). San Jose is attempting to lead the California League in ERA for a fourth consecutive season (2021-23). The Giants have also issued the second-fewest walks (3.8 per game) and allowed the second-fewest home runs (68 HR in 119 games) in the league. 15 different Giants pitchers have recorded a save this season. San Jose continues to lead the league in earned run average despite recent struggles on the mound as the club owns a 5.51 ERA through their first 22 games of August (10-12 record).
BACK-TO-BACK PLAYER OF THE WEEK AWARDS: Bo Davidson has enjoyed a torrid stretch at the plate recently for the Giants. Davidson earned back-to-back California League Player of the Week honors when he claimed the award following the August 6-11 series at Inland Empire and then after the August 13-18 series against Stockton. During the month of August, Davidson is batting .471 (24-for-51) with three doubles, three triples, five home runs and 19 RBI's in 15 games. He's hit two grand slams this month and three since July 27. Davidson was on San Jose's IL from May 24-July 18 and is hitting .446 (37- for-83) in 24 games since his return (7 HR, 29 RBI). Davidson has raised his season AVG from .224 at the time of his injury on May 24 to its current mark of .326.
PROSPECT RANKINGS: MLB.com recently re-ranked the top 30 prospects in the San Francisco Giants organization and five current San Jose players are on the list: #7 Walker Martin, #18 Jacob Bresnahan, #20 Robert Hipwell, #26 Bo Davidson and #28 Josh Bostick. Martin is the highest-rated shortstop prospect and Hipwell the highest-rated third base prospect in the Giants system according to MLB.com.
WELCOME TO SAN JOSE: The Giants added two more 2024 draftees to their roster last weekend when second baseman Zander Darby and first baseman Jeremiah Jenkins joined the club. Both players made their professional debuts in last Saturday's game at Modesto. Darby is a local product from nearby Palo Alto (Palo Alto HS) who attended UC Santa Barbara before his selection in the 12th round by the San Francisco Giants last month. Jenkins, a 14th round pick, had a standout collegiate career at the University of Maine where he was a two-time All-American and the 2023 America East Conference Player of the Year. Jenkins hit 50 home runs over 148 games during his three seasons at Maine (2022-24). He then homered in his first professional game (second at-bat) last Saturday. The duo joins James Tibbs III (1st round - since promoted to High- A Eugene on August 20) and Robert Hipwell (6th round) as 2024 draft picks to play in San Jose this season.
INSIDE THE RECORD: With two weeks remaining in the regular season, the Giants boast the top overall record in the California League at 68-51. San Jose last finished with the best record in the league during the 2013 season. The Giants have guaranteed a fourth straight winning season (2021-24). San Jose has now posted a winning record in 28 out of their 36 seasons overall.
The Giants have lost only one home series since the end of April (2-4 vs. Modesto from July 23-28). San Jose is 6-1-2 in their last nine home series' overall. The Giants are 23-15 (.605) in one-run games this season and have posted six walk-off wins since June 13.
ON DECK: Following the current series against Rancho Cucamonga, the Giants head back out on the road for a six-game set in Fresno (September 2-8) to close out the regular season.
SERIES SCHEDULE AND PROBABLE STARTING PITCHERS
Date Time Giants Pitcher Quakes Pitcher Broadcast
Tuesday, August 27 6:30 PM RHP Ubert Mejias (3-6, 4.68) LHP Luke Fox (0-0, 1.88) sjgiants.com/MiLB.TV
Wednesday, August 28 1:00 PM RHP Ryan Vanderhei (2-2, 4.08) RHP Hyun-Seok Jang (0-1, 3.24) sjgiants.com/MiLB.TV
Thursday, August 29 6:30 PM RHP Josh Bostick (2-9, 4.85) RHP Cam Day (4-5, 4.85) sjgiants.com/MiLB.TV
Friday, August 30 7:00 PM RHP Cale Lansville (3-4, 4.97) RHP Christian Zazueta (1-5, 7.44) sjgiants.com/MiLB.TV
Saturday, August 31 5:00 PM LHP Jacob Bresnahan (0-3, 14.21) LHP Sterling Patick (0-0, 4.38) sjgiants.com/MiLB.TV
Sunday, September 1 1:00 PM RHP Ubert Mejias (3-6, 4.68) LHP Luke Fox (0-0, 1.88) sjgiants.com/MiLB.TV
California League Stories from August 27, 2024
- SJ Giants Series Preview August 27-September 1 vs. Rancho Cucamonga - San Jose Giants
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