San Jose Edges Stockton 3-2
STOCKTON, Calif. - For a second straight night, the San Jose Giants pitching staff proved too strong for the Stockton Ports. The Ports plated just two runs on a pair of solo homers as they fell to the Giants 3-2 before a crowd of 4,671 at Banner Island Ballpark.
San Jose scored the first two runs of the contest in the third on an error that loomed very large for the remainder of the contest. With two aboard and two out, Bobby Haney hit a fly ball toward the left field line. Left fielder Rashun Dixon approached the ball, went to make the catch and missed the pop fly, allowing both runners to score and giving the Giants a 2-0 lead.
The Giants added to their lead in the third when Pablo Sandoval, no Major League rehab, hit a solo home run to left off Ports starter Shaeffer Hall (1-2) to make it a 3-0 ballgame. Sandoval went 1-for-3 in three at-bats and also committed a defensive error in his first game of rehab.
Hall retired the final 10 batters he faced to close out his outing, beginning with the final out of the third. Despite that, Hall suffered the loss as he went six innings and allowed three runs (one earned) on five hits while striking out four.
Giants starter Kyle Crick proved dominant over four innings pitched in his first start off the disabled list since April 18th. Crick struck out 10 batters over his four innings and did not have the defense make an out behind him on a ball put in play during that span. Crick, with two aboard in the first, caught Addison Russell at third on a double-steal attempt. In the second, Antonio Lamas tried to steal prior to a pitch being thrown and was thrown out by Crick going to second.
Crick received a no-decision, going four shutout innings and allowing three hits while matching a career-high with 10 strikeouts.
Edwin Escobar (2-3) followed Crick into the ballgame to pitch the fifth and set the side down in order as he was credited with the victory.
Stockton got on the board in the seventh on a one-out home run hit by Dusty Robinson, his 10th of the season, to make it a 3-1 ballgame. The home run came off Luis Rojas, who left the game with one on and one out in the seventh in favor of Cody Hall, who went on to retire all five batters he faced.
Josh Osich (SV, 11) came on to pitch the ninth, trying for his second save in as many nights. Osich got off to a rocky start as he gave up a leadoff home run to Dixon that brought the Ports to within a run at 3-2. Osich, though, struck out Phil Pohl and got Robinson to fly to center after the homer. Bobby Crocker came up with two outs and reached first on a catcher's interference, extending the game for Russell who flew out to deep right to end the contest.
Tucker Healy made his California League debut for Stockton and pitched around a pair of hits in the seventh for a scoreless frame. T.J. Walz pitched a scoreless eighth and Jake Brown a scoreless ninth for the Ports.
Stockton and San Jose will play the third game of their four-game set on Saturday night at Banner Island Ballpark. Tanner Peters (7-4, 4.37 ERA) heads to the hill for the Ports, opposed by Giants left-hander Adalberto Mejia (2-1, 4.07 ERA). First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. PDT.