Giants Fall 10-5, Eliminated From Playoff Race

ADELANTO - The High Desert Mavericks smacked three home runs as part of a 15-hit offensive attack in a 10-5 come-from-behind win over the San Jose Giants on Saturday evening at Heritage Field. San Jose's loss, combined with Visalia's win in Bakersfield on Saturday, eliminates the Giants from playoff contention. San Jose (72-66) is now three games behind the Rawhide (75-63) in the North Division Wild Card standings with just two games remaining in the regular season. It marks the first time since 2003 that the Giants will not reach the playoffs snapping a league-record streak of 10 consecutive seasons.

Daniel Carbonell (3-for-5, 3B) had three hits while Mitch Delfino (2-for-4, HR, 2 RBI) slugged his 12th home run of the season for San Jose in the loss on Saturday. 

The Giants jumped out early scoring three runs in the top of the first inning to take a 3-0 lead. Carbonell started the game with an infield single before stealing second. A Brandon Bednar fly out advanced Carbonell to third and then Ryan Lollis reached on catcher's interference. Delfino followed by grounding into a fielder's choice as Lollis was forced out at second while Carbonell came home with the first run of the night. Then after Brian Ragira doubled down the left field line to put runners at second and third, Tyler Horan grounded a two-RBI single into right for a 3-0 advantage.

High Desert answered with a run in the bottom of the first as Chantz Mack delivered a two-out RBI single against San Jose starter Nick Vander Tuig. The Giants then reclaimed their three-run cushion when Delfino launched a solo homer to deep left center in the top of the third. The Mavericks, however, came back with three runs in the bottom of the third inning to tie the game. With one out, Gabriel Guerrero reached on a fielding error committed by Delfino at third. A wild pitch advanced Guerrero to second and then with two outs, Burt Reynolds lined an RBI double into right. Tim Lopes was up next and he connected for a two-run home run to left tying the score 4-4.

The Mavericks took their first lead of the series in the bottom of the fourth as Zach Shank doubled with two outs and scored when the next batter, Jack Reinheimer, grounded a single into left.

San Jose responded with a run of their own in the top of the fifth to tie the game 5-5. With one out, Delfino reached on an infield single before taking third on a wild pick-off throw committed by pitcher Grady Wood. Ragira followed with a line drive single into center plating Delfino with the tying run.

Vander Tuig's struggles though continued as Mack hit the first pitch of the bottom of the fifth over the fence in right for a go-ahead solo home run. Reynolds then singled, advanced to second on Lopes' sacrifice bunt and scored when the next batter, Travis Witherspoon, doubled off the wall in deep left center. 

High Desert extended their lead to 9-5 in the bottom of the seventh against reliever Mason McVay as Reynolds led off with a double before Lopes clubbed his second home run of the night - a two-run shot to left. Lopes entered Saturday with just two home runs in 411 at-bats this season.

The Mavericks plated their 10th and final run of the evening in the bottom of the eighth pushing their lead to 10-5. With Ray Black on the mound, Guerrero smacked a two-out triple into the right center field gap. Black then uncorked a wild pitch to bring home Guerrero giving High Desert a five-run advantage.

The Giants' only baserunners over the last four innings were a Carbonell triple with two outs in the top of the sixth and a leadoff single from Sam Mende in the ninth.

Wood (6-4) was credited with the win after tossing three innings of relief with one run and six hits allowed. He struck out three and walked none. Andrew Kittredge fired three scoreless innings to finish the game with just one hit surrendered and two strikeouts to pick-up his eighth save.

Vander Tuig (3-2) was saddled with the loss after allowing career-high totals of seven runs (four earned) and 12 hits over five innings. The right-hander struck out four and did not walk a batter.

Ragira (2-for-4, 2B, RBI), Turner (2-for-4, 2B) and Mende (2-for-4) also finished with two hits apiece for San Jose.

Notes: San Jose's streak of consecutive playoff appearances stretched from 2004 through 2013 … During the 10 years, the Giants won the first half North Division title eight times and qualified as the Wild Card team twice … San Jose won four championships (2005, 2007, 2009, 2010) over the course of the 10-year period … High Desert out-hit the Giants 15-13 on Saturday … Carbonell is 11-for-22 (.500) with two doubles, two triples and five stolen bases through the first five games of the current road trip … Turner had picked-up hits in five consecutive at-bats going back to Friday's series opener before striking out in the top of the sixth … Saturday was the Giants' first loss in five games this season against the Mavericks.

On Deck: The Giants play the third game of their season-ending four-game series against the Mavericks on Sunday evening with first pitch at Heritage Field scheduled for 5:05 PM. Jake Smith (0-0, 0.00 ERA) is slated to start on the mound for San Jose while High Desert is expected to counter with Lars Huijer (1-4, 6.85 ERA). The game can be heard live on sjgiants.com.