CalL1 San Jose Giants

Win Streak Snapped with 8-5 Loss to Blaze

Published on May 1, 2013 under California League (CalL1)
San Jose Giants News Release


SAN JOSE - The San Jose Giants were unable to hold an early four-run lead in an 8-5 loss to the Bakersfield Blaze on Tuesday evening at Municipal Stadium. Bakersfield rallied from a 4-0 deficit scoring three runs in the top of the seventh inning to take the lead for good en route to the series-opening victory. San Jose saw their season-high five-game winning streak snapped as they finished the month of April with a league-best 18-7 record.

Devin Harris (2-for-4, HR, 2 RBI) homered for a sixth consecutive game to lead the Giants offensively. Ryan Cavan (3-for-4) and Mac Williamson (3-for-4, 2B) also produced three hits each while Jeff Arnold (1-for-4, 3B, 2 RBI) drove home a pair of runs.

San Jose jumped on Blaze starter Jacob Johnson for four runs in the bottom of the first inning to take an early 4-0 lead. With two outs, Cavan singled before Harris stepped to the plate and belted a two-run homer to left. The home run was Harris' league-leading ninth of the season.

The rally continued as Williamson singled before Angel Villalona drew a walk. Arnold then ripped a triple into the right center field gap to score both runners for a 4-0 advantage.

Clayton Blackburn started on the mound for the Giants and allowed a season-high four runs (all earned) on seven hits over six innings. Blackburn struck out eight and walked two during his stint on the mound.

Bakersfield began their comeback with a run in the top of the third against Blackburn. Juan Silva led off with a double before Juan Perez walked and Ryan Wright reached on a bunt single to load the bases with none out. Kyle Waldrop then grounded into an RBI fielder's choice as Wright was forced out on the play and Silva scored. A caught stealing of Waldrop at second and a strikeout though ended the inning without further damage.

The Blaze though kept the pressure on with two more runs in the top of the fourth. Dominic D'Anna led off with a single before Yorman Rodriguez doubled off the wall in center. Both runners then scored when the next batter, Chris Berset, reached on a bad-hop single to second off the glove of Cavan. The hit brought Bakersfield to within 4-3.

San Jose got one run back in the bottom of the fourth to make it 5-3 as Myles Schroder led off with a single, advanced to second on a balk and scored on Lofton's one-out single.

Blackburn breezed through a 1-2-3 top of the fifth and had retired six straight hitters until Juan Silverio launched a solo homer to left in the top of the sixth. The home run was Silverio's second of the year as it cut the Giants advantage to 5-4.

Jeff Soptic relieved Blackburn to begin the top of the seventh, but retired only two out of the seven batters that he faced as the Blaze took their first lead of the night. A leadoff single from Perez was followed by a Wright fielder's choice groundout. Consecutive walks to Waldrop and Smith then loaded the bases before D'Anna lined a double into right center field to score all three runners for a 7-5 Bakersfield lead.

The Giants had leadoff singles in the seventh and eighth innings, but couldn't cut into the margin before the Blaze added an insurance run against Kelvin Marte in the top of the ninth to make it 8-5.

In the bottom of the ninth, Schroder drew a leadoff walk, but Bobby Haney struck out and Lofton grounded into a game-ending double play.

Johnson (2-1) earned the win for Bakersfield after working the first six innings with five runs (all earned) and nine hits allowed. He walked one and struck out three. Johnson surrendered just one run after the first inning. Brian Pearl pitched the ninth inning for his second save of the year.

Soptic (2-1) was charged with his first loss of the season after yielding three runs (all earned) on two hits and three walks in 2/3 of an inning.

Notes: Both teams finished with 12 hits ... Cavan (10 games), Harris (nine games) and Arnold (eight games) all extended hitting streaks ... Over his last six games, Harris is 11-for-25 (.440) with seven home runs and 16 RBI's ... Blackburn had allowed just four runs total in his first four starts of the season entering Tuesday ... In addition to Soptic, Bryce Bandilla (1/3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 SO) and Marte (2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 4 SO) pitched out of the Giants bullpen ... Tuesday marked the first of 19 meetings this season between San Jose and Bakersfield.

On Deck: The Giants and Blaze continue their three-game series on Wednesday evening with first pitch at Municipal Stadium scheduled for 7:00 PM. Edwin Escobar (0-0, 1.89 ERA) is slated to start on the mound for San Jose while Bakersfield is expected to counter with Tanner Robles (0-4, 10.42 ERA). Tickets can be purchased by calling (408) 297-1435 or by visiting sjgiants.com. The game will also be televised live on Comcast Hometown Network, Channel 104.

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California League Stories from May 1, 2013


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