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Ragira's Home Run Lifts Giants To 1-0 Victory

San Jose records 10th shutout of the season
By
July 31, 2015

SAN JOSE, CA - Brian Ragira hit a seventh-inning solo home run and four San Jose pitchers combined to shutout the Stockton Ports in a 1-0 victory on Friday evening at Municipal Stadium. The shutout was the Giants' 10th of the season as San Jose (52-52) won their second straight game over Stockton to begin the series and secured their eighth consecutive home victory overall.

Jake Dunning, added to the Giants roster earlier Friday from the Sacramento (AAA) disabled list, tossed six shutout innings with four hits allowed - all singles - no walks and six strikeouts. Ray Black, Ian Gardeck and Dan Slania then each fired a scoreless inning of relief. The Ports did not advance a runner past first base for the entire game.

San Jose managed only two hits in the contest - a Christian Arroyo fourth-inning single and Ragira's blast in the bottom of the seventh. Ragira stepped to the plate with two outs and the bases empty and launched a 1-0 pitch from Stockton starter Daniel Mengden over the fence in straightaway left for a homer. The home run was Ragira's ninth of the season.

Dunning allowed only one hit over the first three innings - a single from Matt Chapman to begin the top of the second. The right-hander had retired seven straight Ports hitters until Jacob Nottingham singled with one out in the top of the fourth. However, Dunning quickly set down the next two batters to retire the side.

After a nine-pitch top of the fifth, Dunning allowed a leadoff single to Branden Cogswell in the top of the sixth, but Coco Crisp followed by grounding into a 3-6-3 double play. Melvin Mercedes then singled, but was stranded when the next batter, Nottingham, grounded out. Dunning threw 68 pitches, including 49 strikes, during his six-inning performance.

Black (1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO) entered from the bullpen to begin the top of the seventh with the game still scoreless and registered back-to-back swinging strikeouts of Chapman and Tyler Marincov before B.J. Boyd grounded out.

After the Giants took the lead in the bottom of the seventh, Gardeck (1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 SO) came in for the eighth. With one out, pinch-hitter Brett Vertigan singled down the left field line, but was thrown out at second by left fielder Skyler Stromsmoe as he attempted to stretch the hit into a double. Cogswell then singled to bring the go-ahead run to the plate, however Gardeck induced Crisp to groundout ending the inning.

Slania then finished the game in style notching three straight swinging strikeouts of Mercedes, Nottingham and Chapman in a 1-2-3 frame.

Black (2-1) was credited with the win for San Jose with Slania collecting his 15th save of the season.

Mengden (3-2) allowed only one run and two hits over seven innings, but suffered the loss for the Ports. The right-hander, who retired 21 out of 25 batters, walked one and struck out five.

Notes:
* The Giants finished July with a league-best 20-9 record - their first 20-win month since May of 2011 (22-7).  
* San Jose's 10 shutouts are second in the league (Visalia leads with 11).
* The Ports out-hit the Giants 6-2 on Friday. The teams were a combined 0-for-1 with runners in scoring position.
* Dunning made 41 appearances (seven starts) with San Jose during the 2011 season (6-3, 4.74 ERA, 10 SV).  
* The Giants are 12-1 in their last 13 home games.
* Brandon Bednar's (0-for-3) hitting streak was snapped at nine games.
* San Jose pitchers combined for 11 strikeouts and no walks.
* The Giants are one game behind Stockton (53-51) for the North Division Wild Card lead.
* Friday's game was played in two hours and five minutes - San Jose's quickest game of the season.

On Deck: The Giants and Ports continue their four-game series on Saturday evening with first pitch at Municipal Stadium scheduled for 5:00 PM. Chase Johnson (7-3, 2.77 ERA) is slated to start on the mound for San Jose while Stockton is expected to counter with Casey Meisner (0-0, --- ERA). The first 1,000 fans will receive a Brandon Crawford Bobblehead courtesy of Sheet Metal Workers Local Union 104 and the Santa Clara Valley Contractors Association. It's also Back to the Future Night at the ballpark with the Giants wearing special jerseys that will be available for fans to bid on during an in-game silent auction. For tickets, call (408) 297-1435 or visit sjgiants.com.