Storm Hold off Giants, 4-3
June 11, 2022 - California League (CalL)
San Jose Giants News Release
The San Jose Giants suffered a 4-3 loss to the Lake Elsinore Storm on Friday night at The Diamond. Trailing by one run, the Giants (32-23) left the bases loaded in both the seventh and eighth innings as the Storm held on late to even the series at two games apiece. Vaun Brown smacked his team-leading 13th home run of the season for San Jose in defeat.
Lake Elsinore connected for a pair of home runs in their victory Friday night, including a two-run shot off the bat of Cole Cummings in the bottom of the first to take an early 2-0 lead. The Giants though immediately answered with two runs of their own in the top of the second to tie the game. Back-to-back one-out singles from Yorlis Rodriguez and Garrett Frechette started the rally before a walk to Dilan Rosario loaded the bases. Max Wright then laced a single into right plating Rodriguez with the first San Jose run. Alexander Suarez followed with a sacrifice fly to deep left bringing home Frechette to bring the Giants even at 2-2.
The Storm, however, went right back ahead with a single tally in the bottom of the second off San Jose starter Eric Silva. With one out, Kervin Pichardo doubled, advanced to third on a wild pitch and then scored on Victor Duarte's groundout.
The Giants responded again though in the top of the third as Brown led off with a towering solo home run to left. The blast evened the score at 3-3.
After Silva tossed hitless third and fourth innings, San Jose had an opportunity to take their first lead of the game in the top of the fifth. Suarez led off with a double into the left field corner, but was stranded at second when the next three Giants hitters - Grant McCray, Brown and Riley Mahan - all struck out.
Lake Elsinore then hit their second homer of the night when Max Ferguson crushed a solo shot to right center in the bottom of the fifth giving the Storm a 4-3 lead. The home run was Ferguson's second of the season.
Missed opportunities would then plague the Giants for the remainder of the contest. Down by one run in the top of the sixth, Frechette singled with two outs before Rosario worked a walk, but Wright popped out to end the threat. An inning later, Brown's two-out single was followed by consecutive walks to Mahan and Victor Bericoto to load the bases. Yorlis Rodriguez though grounded into a force out to end the inning.
In the top of the eighth, San Jose loaded the bases with only one out, but again came away empty-handed. After Frechette flied out to start the inning, Rosario lined a single into center. Following a walk to Wright, Suarez blooped a single into shallow center to move the potential tying run to third and go-ahead run to second. McCray though struck out on three pitches for the second out before Brown grounded out to end the inning.
In the top of the ninth, with the score still at 4-3, Bericoto singled with one out, but Rodriguez bounced into a game-ending 4-6-3 double play.
Vaun Brown hit his 13th home run of the season in Friday's loss to Lake Elsinore
GIANTS NOTES
Missed Opportunities: The Giants left 11 runners on base, including eight over the final four innings. San Jose was 2-for-10 with runners in scoring position.
Brown Bash: Vaun Brown (2-for-5, HR, RBI) ranks third in the California League with his 13 home runs. Following his two-hit game on Friday, he raised his season batting average to .350 - also third in the league.
On The Mound: Eric Silva was saddled with the loss after yielding four runs (all earned) on six hits over five innings of work. Silva walked two and struck out two. Manuel Mercedes followed in his piggyback role and fired three hitless innings of long relief. Mercedes, who retired nine of the 10 batters he faced, struck out two and did not issue a walk.
Inside The Box Score: The Storm won despite being out-hit 10-6 and going 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position. Garrett Frechette (2-for-4) and Alexander Suarez (2-for-3, 2B) also had multi-hit games for the Giants. Grant McCray's (0-for-5) hitting streak was snapped at seven games. Lake Elsinore pitching finished with 14 strikeouts.
First Half Race: The Giants (32-23) fell four games behind first-place Fresno (36-19) in the North Division race with 11 games remaining in the first half.
On Deck: The Giants and Storm continue their series on Saturday evening with first pitch at The Diamond set for 5:05 PM. Keaton Winn is San Jose's scheduled starting pitcher.
California League Stories from June 11, 2022
- Storm Sink Giants with Ninth-Inning Rally - San Jose Giants
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- Fresno Grizzlies Game Notes vs Visalia - Fresno Grizzlies
- Manager Robinson Cancel Notches His 300th MiLB Win as Fresno Defeats Visalia 7-3 Friday - Fresno Grizzlies
- Storm Hold off Giants, 4-3 - San Jose Giants
- Howard, Garcia Dock Ports on Friday - Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
- Big Innings Sink Ports in Loss to Quakes - Stockton Ports
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