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Giants Avoid Sweep With 5-2 Victory Over Blaze

San Jose collects 12 hits, snaps seven-game road losing streak
By
April 26, 2015

BAKERSFIELD, CA - Nick Vander Tuig allowed only one run over 5 2/3 innings and the Giants pounded out 12 hits in a 5-2 victory over the Bakersfield Blaze on Sunday afternoon at Sam Lynn Ballpark. With the win, San Jose (7-11) salvages the finale of the series and snaps a seven-game road losing streak.

Vander Tuig (2-0) surrendered four hits, walked one and struck out three during his 76-pitch performance to pick-up the win. Dan Slania worked a scoreless ninth inning for the Giants to earn his second save of the year.

Rafael Rodriguez (2-for-4, 2 RBI) had a pair of two-out run-scoring singles and Tyler Horan (1-for-2, HR, RBI) smacked a solo home run to lead San Jose offensively. Ryan Lollis (2-for-4, RBI), Hunter Cole (2-for-5, RBI) and Ryder Jones (2-for-5, 2B) also finished with two hits apiece.  

The Giants never trailed in the contest scoring a run in the top of the first to take an early 1-0 lead. With two outs, Jones doubled down the left field line before Horan worked a walk. Rodriguez was up next and he ripped an RBI single into left to put San Jose in front.

Vander Tuig allowed only one hit over three scoreless innings to begin his start. The Blaze then tied the game in the bottom of the fourth as Tim Lopes led off with a single, stole second and scored when the next batter, Tyler O'Neill, doubled down the right field line. Vander Tuig though recovered to set down the next three hitters and strand O'Neill at second keeping the game tied.

San Jose immediately reclaimed the lead with two runs in the top of the fifth. Consecutive singles from Jesus Galindo and Lollis to start the frame put runners on the corners. Cole followed with a grounder to second that resulted in a force out of Lollis, however Galindo came home on the play to give the Giants a 2-1 lead. After Jones flied out and Horan drew another walk, Rodriguez greeted new pitcher Rafael Pineda with a sharp single up the middle to plate Cole for a 3-1 advantage.

Vander Tuig cruised through a 1-2-3 bottom of the fifth before setting down the first two batters of the sixth inning. O'Neill then singled with two outs prompting a pitching change and new hurler Mason McVay needed just one pitch to retire Tyler Marlette on a groundout to shortstop ending the inning.

McVay returned to the mound in the bottom of the seventh and immediately ran into trouble. Jay Baum led off with a single before Burt Reynolds doubled to deep left putting runners on second and third. An RBI groundout from the next hitter, Kyle Petty, scored Baum to make it 3-2 while Reynolds, the potential tying run, advanced to third. McVay, however, escaped further damage and kept the Giants in the lead as he set down Justin Seager on a groundout to second and Luis Caballero on a fly out to center.

San Jose got the run right back in the top of the eighth when Horan drove the first pitch of the inning over the fence in straightaway center for a home run. The home run, which pushed the lead to 4-2, was Horan's team-leading third of the season.

Ian Gardeck (1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO) struck out two in a perfect bottom of the eighth for the Giants before San Jose tacked on another run in the ninth. John Polonius led off with a single, advanced to second on Galindo's sacrifice bunt and scored to make it 5-2 when Lollis laced a single into left center.

Slania (1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 SO) issued a leadoff walk in the bottom of the ninth, but promptly set down the next three hitters to end the game.

Blaze starter Dan Altavilla (0-3) suffered the loss after yielding three runs (all earned) on five hits over 4 2/3 innings. He walked four and struck out two.

Notes:
* San Jose won their first road game since April 11 (at Lancaster).
* The Giants snapped a six-game losing streak to Bakersfield.
* Vander Tuig has allowed only one run in 15 2/3 innings this season (0.57 ERA).
* With two hits Sunday, Rodriguez raised his batting average to a league-leading .379.
* San Jose out-hit the Blaze 12-6. Eight Giants starters had at least one hit.
* San Jose owns a 2.09 ERA over the last seven games (4-3 record).
* Horan's home run was the Giants' first since April 16 - a stretch of nine straight games without a homer.

On Deck: After an off day, the Giants return to action Tuesday evening with the opener of a three-game series against the Visalia Rawhide at Municipal Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 PM. Tyler Beede (1-1, 2.93 ERA) is slated to start on the mound for San Jose while Visalia is expected to counter with John Omahen (2-0, 5.65 ERA). Tickets are available and can be purchased by calling (408) 297-1435 or by visiting sjgiants.com.