CalL San Jose Giants

Three-Run Ninth Inning Propels Giants To 7-4 Victory

Published on April 15, 2023 under California League (CalL)
San Jose Giants News Release


The San Jose Giants used a three-run rally in the top of the ninth inning to post a 7-4 victory over the Modesto Nuts on Friday night at John Thurman Field. Andrew Kachel's RBI double broke a 4-4 tie in the final frame before the Giants went on to score two more runs in the inning en route to the win. With the victory, San Jose (4-3) has now claimed three out of the first four games in the series against Modesto.

Matt Higgins (2-for-5, HR, 2 RBI) smacked his first home run of the season while Onil Perez (2-for-4, 2 RBI) and Garrett Frechette (2-for-5) also produced multi-hit games for the Giants in Friday's triumph.

San Jose enjoyed an early 2-0 lead with a pair of runs in the top of the first as Carter Howell started the game with a double, Diego Velasquez followed by drawing a walk and both runners would later score on Perez's one-out single. The lead, however, was short-lived as the Nuts rallied for three runs in the bottom of the second against Giants starter Hayden Birdsong. A bases loaded walk brought home the first Modesto run before a fielding error committed by Velasquez at shortstop on Gabriel Gonzalez's grounder allowed two more to score for a 3-2 Nuts advantage.

The game would stay at 3-2 all the way until the top of the sixth when Higgins led off with a home run to center. Then later in the inning, an RBI triple to right off the bat of Alexander Suarez gave San Jose back the lead at 4-3.

The Nuts tied the game 4-4 in the bottom of the seventh on a Gonzalez RBI single before the Giants went in front for good with their three-run top of the ninth. Velasquez started the inning with a double and immediately scored the go-ahead run when the next hitter, Kachel, also doubled. After Perez was hit by a pitch, Higgins drove in another run as his single plated Kachel to make it 6-4. Tanner O'Tremba followed with an RBI groundout to push the lead to 7-4.

Daniel Blair (1-0) tossed 1 2/3 scoreless innings to finish the game for San Jose to earn the win. Blair allowed only one hit, walked none and struck out two. Birdsong worked three innings in his start yielding only one earned run (three runs total). Piggyback reliever Jack Choate also had a dominant outing with six strikeouts over three hitless innings.

The Giants out-hit the Nuts by an 11-6 margin.

The Giants and Nuts continue their series on Saturday evening with first pitch at John Thurman Field set for 6:05 PM. Will Kempner is San Jose's scheduled starting pitcher.

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California League Stories from April 15, 2023


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