Giants Rally For 8-6 Series-Opening Win

SAN JOSE, CA - The San Jose Giants earned a come-from-behind 8-6 win over the Visalia Rawhide on Friday evening at Municipal Stadium. In the opener of a four-game series, the Giants (42-51 overall, 8-15 second half) blew an early four-run lead before rallying themselves to secure the comeback win.
Jalen Miller (2-for-5, 2B, HR, 2 RBI), Wander Franco (2-for-5, HR, 2 RBI) and Matt Winn (1-for-2, HR, RBI) each homered while all nine players in the San Jose lineup recorded at least one hit.
The Giants jumped out to a 4-0 lead on Friday before the Rawhide scored the next six runs to move in front. San Jose though responded with a two-run bottom of the sixth to tie the game and then took the lead for good an inning later.
Nolan Riggs (4-4) picked-up the win out of the Giants bullpen after tossing 2 2/3 innings with one run allowed. Frank Rubio worked a scoreless top of the ninth inning for his fifth save.
The scoring opened in the bottom of the first when Miller connected for his 11th home run of the season. Bryce Johnson led off the frame with a single before Miller stepped to the plate and launched a two-run homer to left.
In the bottom of the third, Miller started a run-scoring rally with a double. Franco was up next and he crushed a towering two-run homer to left - his second round-tripper of the year - extending the San Jose lead to 4-0.
Meanwhile, Logan Webb started on the mound for the Giants and breezed through three scoreless innings of one-hit ball to begin his night. Visalia's comeback effort though started when Marcus Wilson led off the top of the fourth with a home run to left center. Webb settled down to retire the next five Rawhide hitters before a two-out walk to Camden Duzenack in the top of the fifth. Duzenack then stole second before Adam Walton delivered an RBI single to make it 4-2.
With San Jose still ahead by two runs and reliever Sandro Cabrera on the mound, Visalia's top of the sixth began with a double off the center field fence from Renae Martinez. After Pavin Smith struck out, Drew Ellis belted a double to deep left center bringing home Martinez to trim the Giants lead to 4-3. Mark Karaviotis then singled to force a pitching change as Riggs entering from the bullpen and he promptly surrendered a go-ahead three-run home run to Ramon Hernandez. The homer was Hernandez's 13th of the season as the Rawhide took their first lead of the evening at 6-4.
San Jose, however, would immediately respond in the bottom of the sixth. Three straight singles from Gio Brusa, Sandro Fabian and Jacob Heyward to start the inning produced one run to cut the Visalia lead in half. Following a walk to Winn that loaded the bases, Brandon Van Horn lifted a sacrifice fly to left plating Fabian to tie the game 6-6.
Riggs pitched around a one-out single and a two-out walk in the top of the seventh to keep the contest tied before the Giants moved back in front in the bottom of the inning. With one out, Heath Quinn walked and then stole second. After Brusa struck out, Fabian hit a grounder to second that Walton fielded, but threw away to first for an error. The miscue allowed Quinn to score giving San Jose a 7-6 lead.
Riggs then cruised through a 1-2-3 top of the eighth before Winn led off the bottom of the inning with a home run down the left field line to make it 8-6.
Rubio was summoned to begin the top of the ninth and needed only eight pitches to slam the door on the Rawhide. Walton led off by reaching on a fielding error committed by Van Horn at shortstop, but Stephen Smith followed by grounding into a double play. Wilson then grounded out to end the game.
Visalia reliever Matt Brill (1-2) was saddled with the loss despite not allowing a hit over two innings out of the bullpen. Brill surrendered the go-ahead run in the bottom of the seventh. Rawhide starter Matt Peacock was tagged for six runs (all earned) on nine hits over five-plus innings of work.
Notes
* The Giants improved to 10-10 against Visalia this season (7-5 at Municipal Stadium).
* San Jose has hit 26 home runs in 23 second half games. The Giants' 17 homers in July are second in the California League.
* San Jose out-hit Visalia by an 11-9 margin. The Rawhide were 5-for-7 with runners in scoring position compared to 2-for-10 for the Giants.
* Webb pitched a season-high 4 2/3 innings with two runs (both earned) and three hits allowed. He walked three and struck out five during his 74-pitch outing. Wilson's homer in the top of the fourth was the first earned run surrendered by Webb at home this season (24 innings).
* Franco's home run was his first since May 4 (at Lancaster).
* San Jose won for just the fourth time in their last 18 home games.
* Rubio is 5-for-5 in save opportunities with the Giants.
On Deck
The Giants and Rawhide continue their series on Saturday evening with first pitch at Municipal Stadium scheduled for 5:00 PM. Domenic Mazza (1-1, 1.98 ERA) is slated to start on the mound for San Jose while Visalia is expected to counter with Austin Mason (2-4, 4.37 ERA). The first 1,000 fans in attendance will receive a San Francisco Giants Willie McCovey bobblehead. For tickets, call (408) 297-1435 or visit sjgiants.com.