SAN JOSE, Calif. - The San Jose Giants reduced their magic number to one on Sunday afternoon at Excite Ballpark. San Jose got a three-run homer from Courtney Hawkins in the third inning, the centerpiece of a 6-2 win over the Stockton Ports that puts the Giants one win or
SAN JOSE, Calif. - The San Jose Giants reduced their magic number to one on Sunday afternoon at Excite Ballpark. San Jose got a three-run homer from Courtney Hawkins in the third inning, the centerpiece of a 6-2 win over the Stockton Ports that puts the Giants one win or one Modesto Nuts loss away from clinching a postseason berth.
With the game scoreless in the top of the third inning, Hawkins came up with two on and one out and delivered a three-run blast to left that gave San Jose a 3-0 lead. Those were the only runs allowed by Ports starter Bryce Conley (3-1), who suffered the loss after going four innings and allowing four hits while walking three and striking out four.
Giants starter Casey Meisner (4-3) surrendered just one hit through the first five innings. In the sixth, however, Austin Beck hit a solo home run with one away to put the Ports on the board. Jeremy Eierman followed with a double and, two batters later, scored on a double by Payton Squier that cut the Giants lead to 3-2. Squier's double, his fourth in as many games, chased Meisner from the contest as Olbis Parra was summoned and got Jordan Devencenzi to fly out to right field to keep the San Jose lead intact.
Meisner earned the win, going 5 2/3 innings and allowing two runs on four hits while striking out five.
San Jose got the runs right back in the bottom of the sixth. Will Gilbert, on in relief of Conley, gave up a one-out single to Heath Quinn followed by a double to Manuel Geraldo that put runners at second and third with one out. Fabian Pena delivered an RBI single and Aaron Bond followed with a sac-fly to right that got it back to a three-run Giants lead at 5-2.
Gilbert allowed two runs on four hits over two innings of work.
San Jose added another run in the eighth as Ty Damron gave up a one-out single to Geraldo, who scored two batters later on a sac-fly by Bond that stretched the San Jose lead to 6-2.
Parra would work 2 1/3 scoreless innings in relief of Meisner, while Frank Rubio came on and worked a scoreless ninth to seal the San Jose victory.
The Ports and Giants play the final game of the 2019 regular season on Monday afternoon at Excite Ballpark. Xavier Altamirano (5-12, 5.60 ERA) makes the start for Stockton, opposed by San Jose right-hander Tristan Beck (2-2, 2.51 ERA). First pitch is set for 2 p.m. PDT.
