Sweep Bid Falls Short with 3-1 Loss
August 24, 2018 - California League (CalL1)
San Jose Giants News Release
VISALIA, CA - San Jose's bid for their first series sweep of the season fell short with a 3-1 loss to the Visalia Rawhide on Thursday night at Recreation Park. Marcus Wilson and Stephen Smith each hit solo homers for the Rawhide while Visalia ace Riley Smith surrendered just one run over six strong innings to pick-up the win. The loss snapped San Jose's (56-73 overall, 22-37 second half) season-high tying four-game win streak.
Kelvin Beltre (1-for-3, HR, RBI) smacked a solo home run while Jacob Heyward (2-for-3, 2B) collected a pair of hits to lead the Giants offensively in defeat.
San Jose starter Domenic Mazza suffered the loss despite a season-high 10 strikeouts over six innings. Mazza, who at one point struck out five hitters in a row, surrendered two runs (both earned) and four hits while issuing just one walk. Both runs allowed by Mazza came on solo homers.
The Giants threatened early against Smith putting runners on first and third with none out in the top of the first, but were unable to score. Heyward started the game with a double down the left field line before moving to third on Heath Quinn's single to left. Smith though came back with consecutive strikeouts of Jalen Miller and Gio Brusa before Wander Franco grounded out to end the inning.
San Jose would take a 1-0 lead in the top of the second when Beltre blasted a two-out solo home run to left. The homer was Beltre's fifth of the season. The Giants, however, did not score again for the remainder of the contest.
Meanwhile, Mazza pitched around a leadoff double in the bottom of the second before striking out the side on nine pitches in a perfect third inning. Mazza had set down eight hitters in a row until Wilson stepped to the plate with two outs in the bottom of the fourth and launched an opposite field solo homer to right center. The home run, Wilson's ninth of the season, tied the game 1-1.
Visalia then took a 2-1 lead when Stephen Smith crushed a solo home run to left in the bottom of the fifth. It marked the Rawhide's first lead of the series. Following the home run, Mazza retired the next five batters he faced to end his outing.
Trailing by a run, San Jose loaded the bases in the top of the seventh. Three straight one-out singles from Franco, Johneshwy Fargas and Sandro Fabian put three runners on for the Giants. However with the potential tying and go-ahead runs in scoring position, Visalia reliever Jason Creasy struck out Beltre and retired Tanner Murphy on a fly out to center to end the inning.
In the top of the eighth, Miller reached on a two-out infield single, but Creasy fanned Brusa for the third out. The Rawhide then pushed across a key insurance run in the bottom of the eighth. With Joey Marciano (2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 SO) on the mound, Luis Alejandro Basabe started the rally when he reached on a one-out fielding error committed by Beltre at shortstop. Jazz Chisholm then bounced into a fielder's choice with Basabe forced out at second. With Daulton Varsho at the plate, Chisholm stole second and moved to third when Murphy's throw bounced into center for another error. Moments later, Varsho grounded a single into left plating Chisholm for a 3-1 Visalia advantage.
The Giants would put the potential tying runs on base in the top of the ninth, but fell short against Rawhide closer Matt Brill. Fargas worked a one-out walk before Beltre walked with two down for San Jose. Brill though came back to strikeout Murphy looking for the final out of the game.
Riley Smith (8-5) surrendered just one run on four hits over his six innings on the mound. He walked one and struck out six. Brill notched his fifth save of the year.
Notes
* The Giants have not swept a series since July 31-August 2, 2017 (vs. Visalia). San Jose last swept a series at Recreation Park during the 2011 season.
* Mazza's 10 strikeouts matched the most by a Giants pitcher this season (Conner Menez, DJ Myers). Mazza was one strikeout shy of equaling his career-high.
* San Jose out-hit Visalia 8-5.
* Thursday was the 29th and final meeting of the year between the Giants and Rawhide. San Jose won the season series 15-14.
* Smith entered his start third in the California League in ERA and second in strikeouts.
* The Giants fell five games behind first-place Stockton (27-32) and Visalia (27-32) in the second half North Division standings with 11 to play.
On Deck
The Giants continue their road trip on Friday evening with the opener of a four-game series against the Modesto Nuts. First pitch at John Thurman Field is scheduled for 7:05 PM. Carlos Sano (4-3, 3.39 ERA) is slated to start on the mound for San Jose while Modesto is expected to counter with Austin Hutchison (2-3, 3.88 ERA). The game can be heard live on sjgiants.com with coverage beginning at 6:45 PM.
California League Stories from August 24, 2018
- Sixers Overcome Self-Immolation, Surge Back in Ninth over Storm - Inland Empire 66ers
- Milburn Near-Perfect in 2-0 Victory - Stockton Ports
- Riley Smith Delivers Again in Rawhide Win - Visalia Rawhide
- Sweep Bid Falls Short with 3-1 Loss - San Jose Giants
- Matt Milburn Prevents Sweep of Ports - Modesto Nuts
- 'Hawks Drop One-Run Game, Get Swept - Lancaster JetHawks
- Champions of the Second Half - Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
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