Stellar Pitching, Late Offense Highlight Series-Opening Win
April 19, 2023 - California League (CalL)
San Jose Giants News Release
The San Jose Giants returned home on Tuesday night and continued their winning ways with a 4-1 series-opening victory over the Inland Empire 66ers at Excite Ballpark. Three pitchers - Manuel Mercedes, John Michael Bertrand and Hayden Wynja - combined on a five-hitter while the Giants scored two runs in both the seventh and eighth innings on their way to the win. The victory was San Jose's (6-4) sixth in their last eight games overall.
Mercedes was masterful in his second start of the year tossing four strong innings with only two hits and one unearned run allowed. The right-hander walked one and struck out five. Mercedes retired nine of the first 10 batters he faced.
Inland Empire's only run of the contest came in the top of the fourth when Jorge Ruiz led off with a double and scored on an error to make it a 1-0 game.
Bertrand relieved Mercedes to begin the top of the fifth and ultimately earned the win with an excellent four-inning stint in a piggyback role. Bertrand surrendered three hits, walked none, struck out five and needed only 48 pitches to get through his four frames.
Meanwhile, the Giants offensively were held off the scoreboard over the first six innings. San Jose didn't manage a baserunner until Carter Howell's leadoff single in the bottom of fourth and wouldn't breakthrough with their first runs until the seventh. With the score still at 1-0, the key seventh-inning rally began with a one-out single from Jose Ramos. After Ramos stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch, Tanner O'Tremba lined an RBI double into the right center gap tying the game 1-1.
The rally then continued as Garrett Frechette singled to put runners on the corners before another wild pitch allowed O'Tremba to come home giving the Giants a 2-1 lead.
After Bertrand fired a 1-2-3 top of the eighth to keep the lead intact, San Jose added a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the inning. A single from Howell started the rally for the Giants. After Howell stole second, Matt Higgins lined an RBI single into left for a 3-1 advantage.
Then with two outs, Ramos smacked a double to the fence in deep left to bring home Higgins to make it a 4-1 margin.
Wynja closed it out for San Jose with a scoreless top of the ninth pitching around a one-out walk to collect his first save of the season.
The trio of Giants pitchers combined to record 12 strikeouts with only two walks in a dominant effort. Howell (2-for-4, SB), Ramos (2-for-4, 2B, RBI, SB) and O'Tremba (2-for-4, 2B, RBI) had two hits apiece to lead the offensive attack. San Jose out-hit Inland Empire 8-5.
John Michael Bertrand fired four scoreless innings for the Giants in Tuesday's 4-1 victory The Giants and 66ers continue their series on Wednesday evening with first pitch at Excite Ballpark set for 6:30 PM. Carson Whisenhunt is San Jose's scheduled starting pitcher.
California League Stories from April 19, 2023
- Fresno Grizzlies Game Notes at Rancho Cucamonga - Fresno Grizzlies
- Stellar Pitching, Late Offense Highlight Series-Opening Win - San Jose Giants
- With MLB Rehabber on the Mound, Storm Beat Modesto Nuts - Lake Elsinore Storm
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