Suarez Sensational In 5-2 Giants Victory
SAN JOSE, CA - Andrew Suarez struck out a career-high nine batters over seven dominant innings in a 5-2 Giants victory over the Modesto Nuts on Thursday evening at Municipal Stadium. San Jose (6-6) took control of the contest with a four-run bottom of the fifth inning en route to claiming the opener of the four-game series.
Suarez (1-1) surrendered just one run and six hits during his seven-inning masterpiece to pick-up his first win of the season. The left-hander didn't issue a walk and threw 63 out of his 82 pitches for strikes.
Brandon Bednar (3-for-4, RBI, SB) and Steven Duggar (2-for-3, 2B, RBI, SB) had multi-hit games to lead the Giants offensively.
San Jose jumped out to a 1-0 lead with a single run in the bottom of the second inning. With one out, Duggar ripped a double down the right field line before moving to third when Ty Ross grounded out. Bednar then stepped to the plate and singled sharply into right to score Duggar with the first run of the night.
Suarez began his start by retiring 10 out of the first 11 Nuts hitters. Modesto's only baserunner over the first three innings was a leadoff double from Shane Hoelscher in the top of the third. The Nuts then tied the game with a single run in the top of the fourth. Dom Nunez doubled with one out and then with two down, Drew Weeks blooped an RBI single into shallow center to plate the tying run.
Suarez then pitched around a pair of two-out singles in the top of the fifth to keep the game tied before the Giants erupted in the bottom of the inning. Bednar led off with a single and then stole second. Following a sacrifice bunt from Cristian Paulino that moved Bednar to third, Johneshwy Fargas and Ronnie Jebavy were both hit by a pitch to load the bases. Modesto starter Carlos Polanco then walked C.J Hinojosa on four pitches to bring home Bednar with the go-ahead tally. Chris Shaw followed with a sacrifice fly to right to score the second run of the inning and then Jose Vizcaino, Jr. and Duggar produced consecutive two-out RBI singles to make it 5-1.
Suarez returned to the mound in the top of the sixth and worked through a two-out single before breezing through a 1-2-3 seventh inning. Suarez retired seven out of the last eight batters he faced.
Dusten Knight (2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 SO) pitched the last two innings for San Jose to close out the victory. In the top of the eighth, the Nuts put runners on the corners with none out, but Knight struck out Nunez and then induced Roberto Ramos to fly out to left. On the fly ball, Wes Rogers tagged from third and attempted to score, but was thrown out by Paulino to end the inning.
In the top of the ninth, Weeks led off with a single, stole second, moved to third on a groundout and scored when Hoelscher hit a sacrifice fly. The run trimmed the Giants lead to 5-2 before Knight then walked Max White with two outs. However with the potential tying run in the on-deck circle, Knight struck out Emerson Jimenez to end the game.
Polanco (0-1) suffered the loss for Modesto after surrendering five runs (all earned) on seven hits over 4 2/3 innings. He walked two and struck out one.
Notes:
* Thursday was the opener of a seven-game homestand for the Giants. It was also the first of 24 meetings this season between San Jose and Modesto.
* Suarez's seven innings pitched also achieved a career-high.
* Shaw (1-for-3, RBI) extended his hitting streak to nine games with a double in the fourth inning.
* Before the game Thursday, Giants relief pitcher Martin Agosta was transferred to Triple-A Sacramento. Pitcher Jose Morel joined San Jose from Extended Spring Training.
On Deck: The Giants and Nuts continue their four-game series on Friday evening with first pitch at Municipal Stadium scheduled for 7:00 PM. Sam Coonrod (0-1, 0.00 ERA) is slated to start on the mound for San Jose while Modesto is expected to counter with Ryan Castellani (0-0, 4.35 ERA). It's a KRTY Family Friday and a fireworks night at the ballpark. Tickets can be purchased by calling (408) 297-1435 or by visiting sjgiants.com.