Storm Hold Off Giants, 5-4
SAN JOSE, CA - The Lake Elsinore Storm scored four runs in the top of the sixth inning and then held off a late San Jose rally to post a 5-4 victory over the Giants on Monday evening at Municipal Stadium. In the opener of a four-game series, San Jose (8-17) left 13 runners on base, including five over the last two innings. The Giants have now dropped nine out of their last 11 games.
Austin Slater (2-for-5, HR, RBI, SB) homered for the second straight game to lead San Jose offensively in defeat. Hunter Cole (2-for-5, RBI), Dylan Davis (2-for-3, 2B) and Brennan Metzger (2-for-4) also finished with two hits apiece.
With the score tied 1-1, the top of the sixth began with Giants starter Tyler Beede issuing a four-pitch walk to Jeremy Baltz. Jose Rondon followed with a bunt single to put runners on first and second. Auston Bousfield then hit a grounder to deep short that Brandon Bednar fielded, but threw wildly to third in an attempt to force out Baltz. The ball bounced into the Storm dugout allowing Baltz to score the go-ahead run while Rondon advanced to third and Bousfield was awarded second. Fernando Perez then singled down the left field line to plate both runners for a 4-1 advantage. Beede recovered to set down the next two hitters, but Yale Rosen then produced a two-out, RBI single to make it 5-1. Three of the four runs charged to Beede in the top of the sixth were unearned.
San Jose immediately got two runs back in the bottom of the sixth as Slater led off with a home run to left center. The home run was Slater's second of the season. Travis Ishikawa then doubled down the right field line and scored when the next batter, Ryder Jones, grounded a single up the middle. Now trailing 5-3, the Giants looked to further cut into the Storm lead as Davis walked, but Jones was picked-off at second by catcher Adolfo Reina, Ty Ross struck out and Bednar grounded out to end the inning.
San Jose pushed across a run in the bottom of the seventh to trim the deficit to 5-4 as Metzger led off with a single, advanced to second on Jesus Galindo's sacrifice bunt and scored when Cole singled.
In the bottom of the eighth down by one run, the Giants loaded the bases with one out, but failed to score. Jones reached on an error to start the frame before Davis drew a walk. The runners moved to second and third on Ross' sacrifice bunt before an intentional walk to Bednar loaded the bases. Lake Elsinore closer Eric Yardley though entered and promptly struck out Metzger and retired Galindo on a groundout to shortstop to retire the side.
San Jose threatened in the bottom of the ninth, but again fell short. After Yardley quickly retired the first two batters of the inning, Brian Ragira lined a single into right. Jones then struck out, but reached first safely when the strike-three pitch bounced away from the catcher Reina. Davis was up next and he hit a grounder into the hole at shortstop that was smothered by Rondon. Pinch-runner John Polonius, who represented the potential tying run, easily advanced to third, but rounded the base too far and after a brief rundown, was tagged out to end the game.
Storm starting pitcher Rafael De Paula (2-1) earned the win after tossing five-plus innings with three runs (all earned) and six hits allowed. He struck out seven and walked none. Yardley earned his league-leading sixth save.
Beede (1-2) suffered the loss after yielding five runs (two earned) on five hits in a season-high tying six innings. Beede walked one, struck out three and recorded 12 groundouts.
The Giants jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second when Davis doubled down the left field line to leadoff, advanced to third on Ross' groundout and scored when Bednar hit a sacrifice fly to left.
Beede began his start by retiring 11 consecutive Lake Elsinore batters, including seven groundouts. In the top of the fourth with two outs, Perez tripled to deep center and scored the tying run when Beede uncorked a wild pitch. Beede surrendered just two hits and one run over the first five innings before the Storm rallied in the top of the sixth.
Notes:
* Monday was the opener of a seven-game homestand for the Giants.
* San Jose out-hit Lake Elsinore 11-6.
* The Giants' 13 runners left on base was one shy of their season-high.
* Slater extended his hitting streak to eight games.
* San Jose fell to 1-6 in one-run games this season.
* Jason Forjet (2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 SO) and Mason McVay (1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 SO) combined for three scoreless innings of relief for the Giants.
* Ishikawa finished 1-for-3 with a double and a hit by pitch in his first game with San Jose as part of a rehabilitation assignment.
* Before the game, pitcher Austin Fleet was transferred to Sacramento (AAA) while pitcher Jeff Soptic was activated off the disabled list.
* The Giants are batting .115 (3-for-26) as a team with the bases loaded this season.
On Deck: The Giants and Storm continue their four-game series on Tuesday evening with first pitch at Municipal Stadium scheduled for 6:30 PM. Chase Johnson (2-1, 2.25 ERA) is slated to start on the mound for San Jose while Lake Elsinore is expected to counter with Kyle Lloyd (1-0, 2.30 ERA). Tickets are available and can be purchased by calling (408) 297-1435 or by visiting sjgiants.com.