CalL1 San Jose Giants

Villalona's Home Run, Solid Pitching Lift Giants To Win

Published on May 17, 2009 under California League (CalL1)
San Jose Giants News Release


Angel Villalona blasted a two-run home run in the fourth inning and Giants pitchers combined to allow only six hits lifting San Jose to a 3-1 victory over the Modesto Nuts on Saturday night at John Thurman Field. Villalona's homer gave the Giants the lead for good as San Jose bounced back from a heartbreaking 12-inning loss to the Nuts the previous night. With the win, the Giants improve their record to 22-14.

Scott Barnes (4-1) earned his team-leading fourth victory of the season after holding the Nuts to one run on four hits over five innings. Barnes walked one and struck out one during his 87-pitch performance.

Sergio Romo (1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 SO), David Mixon (2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 SO) and Steve Edlefsen (1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO) combined to keep Modesto off the scoreboard over the last four innings to seal the victory.

Trailing 1-0, Buster Posey started the fourth-inning rally for the Giants with a one-out single. After Roger Kieschnick popped out, Villalona stepped to the plate and crushed a 2-1 pitch from Nuts starting pitcher Brandon Durden over the fence in left center field. The home run, Villalona's fifth of the season, gave San Jose a 2-1 lead.

The Giants scored their final run of the night in the top of the eighth inning while facing Colorado Rockies relief pitcher Ryan Speier. Speier, who is on a rehabilitation assignment as he recovers from a hamstring injury, surrendered back-to-back singles to Shane Jordan and Ben Copeland to begin the frame. After Thomas Neal grounded out and Posey walked to load the bases, Kieschnick lined an RBI single into right center field. The hit plated Jordan to make it a 3-1 contest, but Copeland, who was also trying to score, was thrown out on a perfect throw from Nuts center fielder Charlie Blackmon.

Barnes allowed his only run in the bottom of the first inning when Maikol Gonzalez tripled with one out before Hector Gomez produced an RBI ground out to third base.

Barnes faced the minimum three hitters in the second, third and fifth innings, but labored in the bottom of the fourth. With the Giants ahead by a run, Gonzalez led off with a single before a one-out single from Jay Cox put runners on first and third. Cox advanced to second on the play when Copeland threw wildly back into the infield for an error, but Barnes recovered by inducing the next hitter, Wilin Rosario, to pop out. After Brian Rike drew a walk to load the bases, Barnes fanned Radames Nazario to end a 33-pitch inning.

Romo, who is on a major league rehabilitation assignment, relieved Barnes to begin the bottom of the sixth and worked through a leadoff single to keep the Giants ahead. In the seventh, Romo issued a leadoff walk to Rike before Mixon yielded a single to Nazario. After Michael Mitchell flied out, pinch-hitter Jeff Cunningham grounded into a fielder's choice to put runners on first and third with two outs. Blackmon was up next, but on the third pitch of his at-bat, Cunningham broke for second base on an attempted steal. On the play, Posey bluffed a throw to second and caught Rike several steps off the bag at third base. After a brief rundown, Rike was tagged out by Posey to end the inning.

Mixon then worked a 1-2-3 eighth inning before Edlefsen retired all three batters he faced in the ninth. Edlefsen, who earned his second save of the year, ended the contest with consecutive strikeouts of Rosario and Rike.

Kieschnick (3-for-4, RBI) and Copeland (2-for-4) both finished with more than one hit to lead the Giants offensive attack. San Jose out-hit Modesto by a 10-6 margin.

Notes: The Giants improved to 7-4 on their 13-game road trip ... Saturday's win guaranteed a winning record on the trip ... Barnes is tied for third in the California League in wins ... Barnes, who was making his sixth consecutive start on the road, has beaten Modesto twice in the last week ... Andres Torres (1-for-3, 2B) played the first six innings in center field in the second game of his rehabilitation assignment (hamstring) ... Romo has now worked two scoreless innings over two relief appearances with the Giants as he recovers from an elbow injury ... Kieschnick has three consecutive three-hit games to raise his season batting average to .341 - eighth in the league ... San Jose is 5-4 versus Modesto this season ... Durden (2-2) suffered the loss for the Nuts after allowing two runs over a season-high seven innings ... He walked none and struck out seven ... The Giants remained three games behind the Visalia Rawhide (25-11) for first place in the North Division.

On Deck: The Giants and Nuts continue their four-game series on Sunday afternoon with first pitch at John Thurman Field scheduled for 1:05 PM. T.J. Brewer (1-0, 3.06 ERA) is slated to start on the mound for San Jose while Modesto is expected to counter with Kenny Durst (1-2, 3.86 ERA). The game can be heard live on www.sjgiants.com.

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California League Stories from May 17, 2009


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