Nuts Rally Past Giants With Late Outburst

MODESTO, CA - The Modesto Nuts used a six-run bottom of the eighth inning to race past the Giants, 9-4, on Saturday evening at John Thurman Field. The San Jose bullpen was twice unable to hold leads in the late-innings as the Nuts claimed their second straight game to open the series.
Conner Menez fired five scoreless innings in his start for the Giants to lower his season ERA to a sparkling 0.45 (1 ER/20.0 IP). Menez worked around five hits and one walk on Saturday while also recording five strikeouts.
San Jose carried a 2-0 lead into the bottom of the seventh before Modesto mounted their first comeback of the night. With reliever Michael Cederoth on the mound, the inning began with a walk to Gareth Morgan. After Kevin Santa flied out, Jorge Solano hit a slow grounder to first that was misplayed by Gio Brusa for an error. Bryson Brigman then stepped to the plate and grounded a triple down the left field line to score both Morgan and Solano tying the game 2-2. Joe Rizzo was up next and he doubled into the left center field gap plating Brigman giving the Nuts their first lead of the game at 3-2.
Trailing by a run, the Giants though would rally in the top of the eighth scoring twice without the benefit of a hit. Consecutive walks to Bryce Johnson and Jalen Miller started the inning. Jacob Heyward then dropped down a bunt that Modesto reliever Michael Koval fielded, but threw wildly to third and down the left field line. The error allowed both Johnson and Miller to score giving San Jose a 4-3 advantage.
The Giants lead, however, would be short-lived. Rodolfo Martinez, who relieved Cederoth in the bottom of the seventh and recorded the final two outs of the frame, returned to the mound with San Jose ahead by a run. A four-pitch walk to Garrett Kennedy led off the inning before Morgan struck out swinging. Another walk to Santa followed and then Martinez uncorked a wild pitch advancing the runners to second and third. Moments later, Solano bounced a single up the middle to score both Kennedy and Santa giving the Nuts back the lead at 5-4. A Brigman single then advanced Solano to third before Rizzo greeted new pitcher Nolan Riggs with a bunt RBI single to make it 6-4. Taylor followed with a ringing double off the left center field wall plating two more runs before a Nick Zammarelli sacrifice fly two batters later stretched the lead to 9-4 and capped the eighth-inning scoring.
Over the seventh and eighth innings, Modesto scored nine runs on six hits. Giants relievers issued five walks and threw three wild pitches during the two innings.
Seth Elledge (2-0) earned the win out of the Nuts bullpen after tossing 1 1/3 perfect innings to finish the game.
Martinez (2-1) was charged with four runs (all earned) on two hits and two walks during his one inning of work to take the loss.
San Jose built their initial 2-0 lead with single runs in the third and sixth innings against Modesto starter Reggie McClain. In the top of the third, Matt Winn led off with a double, advanced to third on a Brandon Van Horn sacrifice bunt and scored on Johnson's infield single to shortstop.
In the sixth, Miller drew a leadoff walk before a Heyward double put runners on second and third. Two batters later, Brusa hit a sacrifice fly to make it 2-0.
Menez pitched around a leadoff triple in the bottom of the second to keep the Nuts off the scoreboard while also working through a bases loaded, one-out jam in the fifth to complete his outing. Cederoth (1 1/3 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 1 SO) relieved Menez to begin the bottom of the sixth and threw a scoreless inning before running into trouble in the bottom of the seventh.
Notes
* The Giants lost for the first time this season when leading after six innings (11-1).
* Modesto out-hit San Jose 12-5. No Giants players finished with more than one hit.
* Winn (1-for-4, 2B) extended his hitting streak to six games.
* Menez leads the California League in ERA.
* San Jose suffered their fourth consecutive road loss.
* The Giants (13-10) fell one game behind Stockton (14-9) and Visalia (14-9) for first place in the North Division standings.
On Deck
The Giants and Nuts conclude their three-game series on Sunday afternoon with first pitch at John Thurman Field scheduled for 2:05 PM. Mac Marshall (0-0, 0.00 ERA) is slated to start on the mound for San Jose while Modesto is expected to counter with Danny Garcia (0-2, 6.33 ERA). The game can be heard live on sjgiants.com with coverage beginning at 1:45 PM.