CalL1 San Jose Giants

Three-Run Eighth Propels Giants To Victory In Return Home

Published on May 20, 2009 under California League (CalL1)
San Jose Giants News Release


Buster Posey, Conor Gillaspie and Brian Bocock produced RBI hits in a three-run bottom of the eighth inning propelling the San Jose Giants to a 6-3 victory over the Inland Empire 66ers on Tuesday night at Municipal Stadium. In the first game back home after a season-long 13-game road trip, the Giants tied the score with a single run in the bottom of the seventh before moving ahead with three tallies in the eighth. With the victory, San Jose avoids their first three-game losing streak of the season and improves their overall record to 23-16.

Bocock (3-for-4, RBI), Posey (2-for-3, 2 2B, 2 RBI) and Gillaspie (2-for-4, 2B, RBI) each finished with more than one hit to lead the Giants offensive attack.

Daniel Turpen (2-0), who entered the game to begin the top of the eighth, earned the victory with two scoreless innings of work. Turpen retired six out of the seven batters he faced yielding only one single while striking out three.

Trailing 3-2, Bocock began the seventh inning rally for the Giants with a one-out single into center field. After a pitching change brought Jacobo Meque into the game, Trent Kline stepped to the plate and ripped a double into the left field corner. The hit scored Bocock all the way from first base to tie the game at 3-3.

After Turpen struck out a pair in a perfect top of the eighth, San Jose received a huge break to start the bottom of the frame. Nick Noonan led off the inning with a high fly ball to left field that figured to result in the first out. However, left fielder Elian Herrera saw the ball bounce out of his glove as he reached up over his head. The error allowed Noonan to advance to second base with none out.

Roger Kieschnick followed with a fly out to center field moving Noonan to third before Posey greeted new pitcher Justin Orenduff with a ground ball double down the left field line. Posey's hit easily scored Noonan and gave the Giants a 4-3 advantage.

Two batters later, Gillaspie connected for a double down the right field line plating Posey before Bocock delivered an RBI single for a 6-3 lead.

Turpen worked through a leadoff single in the top of the ninth to secure the victory. The reliever struck out pinch-hitter Steven Caseres to end the contest.

Craig Clark started on the mound for San Jose and matched a season-high with seven innings of work. Clark allowed three runs (all earned) on six hits with no walks and six strikeouts. The left-hander began his outing with three scoreless innings and had retired eight consecutive Inland Empire batters until Adolfo Gonzalez led off the top of the fourth with a single. Three batters later, Gonzalez scored the first run of the night when Pedro Baez smoked a two-out double into the left center field gap.

The Giants immediately answered with two runs of their own against 66ers starting pitcher Josh Wall in the bottom of the fourth. With one out, Kieschnick laced a single into right center field before stealing second base and advancing to third when catcher Kenley Jansen's throw bounced into center. Posey followed by clubbing a double off of the bottom of the fence in right center field to score Kieschnick with the tying run. Angel Villalona then hit a ground ball back to the mound that was fielded by Wall, but his throw to third base in an attempt to retire Posey skipped past the third baseman Baez and into foul territory. The second error of the inning allowed Posey to score giving San Jose a 2-1 lead.

Clark struck out two in a 1-2-3 top of the fifth but yielded a leadoff homer to Trayvon Robinson in the sixth as the 66ers drew back even. The southpaw then set down five straight Inland Empire hitters before Garett Green drilled a two-out solo home run down the left field line in the top of the seventh for a 3-2 66ers lead.

Notes: Tuesday marked the first meeting of the season between San Jose and Inland Empire ... Clark (3.89 ERA) has struck out 41 and walked only five over 37 innings this year ... Kieschnick (1-for-4, SB) extended his hitting streak to seven games with his fourth-inning single ... Copeland (0-for-4) played the fifth game of his rehabilitation assignment with the Giants ... San Jose out-hit the 66ers by an 11-7 margin ... Three errors committed by Inland Empire led to four unearned runs ... Turpen lowered his season ERA to 0.68 (2 ER/26.1 IP) over 14 relief appearances ... Kline has six RBI's in his last three starts ... Infielders C.J. Ziegler (.231, 0 HR, 10 RBI) and Ryan Lormand (.288, 0 HR, 5 RBI) were added to the Giants roster from Augusta (Low-A) before the game ... Vladimir Frias (.196, 0 HR, 5 RBI) was transferred to Augusta ... Before Tuesday, the Giants had played 20 out of their last 24 games on the road.

On Deck: The Giants and 66ers continue their three-game series on Wednesday evening with first pitch at Municipal Stadium scheduled for 7:00 PM. Oliver Odle (2-3, 6.59 ERA) is slated to start on the mound for San Jose while Inland Empire is expected to counter with Steven Johnson (2-2, 4.33 ERA). It's Jersey Night as fans that wear their favorite team jersey to the ballpark will receive two FREE future game tickets. Tickets to Wednesday's game are available and can be purchased by calling (408)297-1435 or by visiting www.sjgiants.com.

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California League Stories from May 20, 2009


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