Giants Close Out First Half With 7-1 Win

SAN JOSE, CA -Raffi Vizcaino tossed six strong innings while Heath Quinn and Brandon Van Horn homered en route to a 7-1 Giants win over the Visalia Rawhide in the first half finale on Sunday afternoon at Municipal Stadium. With the victory, San Jose salvaged the final game of the series and finished the first half with a 34-36 record.
Vizcaino (4-4) allowed just one run and three hits during his masterful start to pick-up the win. The right-hander walked three and struck out five.
Quinn (2-for-3, HR, RBI), John Riley (2-for-3, 2 2B, RBI) and Wander Franco (2-for-5, 2B) each produced multi-hit games at the plate for the Giants on Sunday.
The game was scoreless until San Jose broke through with a run in the bottom of the fourth against Rawhide starter Riley Smith. Jacob Heyward led off with a single before a one-out walk to Riley put runners on first and second. Then with two down, Johneshwy Fargas grounded a single up the middle to bring home Heyward with the first run of the contest.
Meanwhile, Vizcaino began his start with five scoreless innings of one-hit ball. The only hit allowed by the Giants starter over the first five frames was a double to Stephen Smith leading off the game. However, Smith stepped to the plate with one out in the top of the sixth and belted a solo home run to deep left center tying the game 1-1. The home run was Smith's second of the season.
San Jose though answered with two runs in the bottom of the sixth to reclaim the lead. Quinn led off with a line drive single to right and immediately scored the go-ahead run when the next batter, Riley, laced a double into the left center field gap. Riley was eventually at third base with two outs and scored the second run of the inning on a wild pitch.
Nolan Riggs (2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 SO) relieved Vizcaino to begin the top of the seventh and pitched around a one-out walk and a two-out single to maintain the 3-1 lead. Riggs then breezed through a seven-pitch 1-2-3 eighth inning.
The Giants broke the game open with a four-run bottom of the eighth. Quinn led off with a towering home run to left - his fourth round-tripper of the season - to make it 4-1. Riley followed with his second double of the game before a walk to Matt Winn. Then with two outs, Van Horn stepped to the plate and launched a three-run home run to left. The homer, Van Horn's fourth of the year, stretched the lead to 7-1.
Rodolfo Martinez (1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 SO) pitched a scoreless top of the ninth to seal the San Jose victory.
Jordan Watson (0-1) suffered the loss out of the Visalia bullpen after surrendering both runs in the bottom of the sixth.
Notes
* The Giants out-hit the Rawhide 10-4.
* San Jose's run in the bottom of the fourth ended a 22-inning scoreless streak for the Giants dating back to Thursday in Stockton. Visalia posted back-to-back shutout wins over San Jose on Friday and Saturday.
* Quinn (13 games) and Franco (12 games) both extended their hitting streaks. Quinn is 9-for-17 (.529 AVG) with a home run in five games since coming off the disabled list.
* Over his last two starts, Vizcaino has pitched 12 innings and allowed only six hits and three runs.
* The Giants finish the first half in third place in the four-team North Division.
On Deck
San Jose Giants Sandro Cabrera, Johneshwy Fargas, Wander Franco, Jalen Miller and Logan Webb will participate in the California League All-Star Game on Tuesday evening at The Hangar in Lancaster. The Giants then open the second half on Thursday in Rancho Cucamonga. First pitch against the Quakes at LoanMart Field is scheduled for 7:05 PM. Thursday's second half opener can be heard live on sjgiants.com with coverage beginning at 6:45 PM.