SAN JOSE, CA - Modesto's Scott Boches tossed six strong innings with only one run allowed in his California League debut as the Nuts earned a 3-1 series-opening victory over the Giants on Friday evening at Municipal Stadium. With the defeat, San Jose (57-80) reached 80 losses overall for the
SAN JOSE, CA - Modesto's Scott Boches tossed six strong innings with only one run allowed in his California League debut as the Nuts earned a 3-1 series-opening victory over the Giants on Friday evening at Municipal Stadium. With the defeat, San Jose (57-80) reached 80 losses overall for the first time since the 2003 season. The Giants have now dropped the first four games of their final homestand of the season.
Wander Franco (2-for-4) had a pair of singles to extend his hitting streak to nine games in the loss.
Boches (1-0) surrendered six hits, walked two and struck out four for Modesto to pick-up the win. The only run allowed by the right-hander was unearned.
The Nuts jumped out to a 2-0 lead on a two-run home run against San Jose starter DJ Myers in the top of the second. A walk to Luis Liberato started the inning before Nick Zammarelli struck out. Anthony Jimenez then stepped to the plate and crushed a two-run home run to deep left center. The homer was Jimenez's sixth of the season.
The Giants cut the Modesto lead in half with a single tally in the bottom of the third. With two outs, Jacob Heyward doubled into right center. Franco was up next and he singled to left center and when the left fielder Liberato mishandled the ball for an error, Heyward came home to bring San Jose to within 2-1. Jalen Miller then reached safely on another Nuts error advancing Franco to third, but Boches came back to retire Gio Brusa on a pop out to end the inning.
Modesto would then immediately get the run back in the top of the fourth. Evan White was hit by a pitch to leadoff and immediately scored when the next batter, Liberato, bounced a triple down the right field line. The RBI hit stretched the Nuts lead to 3-1 and neither team would score again for the remainder of the contest.
The Giants threatened in the bottom of the fourth as Sandro Fabian drew a leadoff walk and Johneshwy Fargas singled with one out, however Brandon Van Horn followed by grounding into a double play. Boches then pitched around a Franco two-out single in the fifth and a two-out walk to Bryce Johnson in the bottom of the sixth to maintain the two-run Modesto advantage.
Van Horn led off the bottom of the seventh with a single prompting a Nuts pitching change as Jeffeson Medina was summoned from the bullpen. Medina promptly induced Tanner Murphy to ground into a double play before Heyward flied out to end the inning. In the eighth, Brusa singled with two outs to bring the potential tying run to the plate, however Heath Quinn followed by grounding out. Collin Kober then set down San Jose 1-2-3 in the bottom of the ninth to seal the Modesto victory. Kober collected his second save with the Nuts this season.
Myers (6-4) was saddled with the loss after yielding three runs (all earned) over 5 2/3 innings. The right-hander gave up only three hits, walked one and struck out six.
Notes
* With Friday's loss, the Giants clinched the worst overall record in the California League this season. It marks the second straight year that San Jose will finish with the worst record in the league (62-78 in 2017).
* Boches was added to Modesto's roster from Class-A Clinton before the game on Friday.
* The Giants out-hit the Nuts 7-3. Modesto did not record a hit after Liberato's fourth-inning triple.
* Joey Marciano (2 1/3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO) and Rodolfo Martinez (1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 SO) combined for 3 1/3 hitless innings of relief for San Jose.
* The Giants have been outscored 29-13 during their current four-game losing streak.
* San Jose finished with a 10-18 August record (April 15-10, May 14-15, June 10-16, July 8-21).
On Deck
The Giants and Nuts continue their four-game series on Saturday evening with first pitch at Municipal Stadium scheduled for 5:00 PM. John Gavin (1-2, 4.56 ERA) is slated to start on the mound for San Jose while Modesto is expected to counter with Nick Wells (5-4, 5.52 ERA). The first 1,000 fans will receive a San Jose Giants Tim Lincecum Bobblehead giveaway presented by Pepsi! For tickets, call (408) 297-1435 or visit sjgiants.com.
