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SAN JOSE, CA - The Lancaster JetHawks scored eight runs from the third through the sixth innings on their way to an 8-2 victory over the San Jose Giants on Thursday afternoon at Municipal Stadium. The Giants were held to four hits in defeat as San Jose settled for a split of the four-game series.
Heath Quinn (2-for-3, HR, 2 RBI) drove home both of the Giants' runs with a fifth-inning RBI single and a seventh-inning solo home run.
Shaun Anderson started on the mound for San Jose and began his afternoon with two perfect innings. The right-hander had retired seven straight JetHawks hitters before Scott Burcham doubled with one out in the top of the third. Wilson Soriano then stepped to the plate and also doubled as Burcham scored to give Lancaster a 1-0 lead. Following a Garrett Hampson single, Yonathan Daza grounded into a force play to shortstop as Soriano came home to make it 2-0.
The JetHawks then added to their lead with two more runs against Anderson in the top of the fourth. Avery Romero led off with a single before taking second on a passed ball. Anderson came back to strikeout Wes Rogers, but the strike three pitch bounced away from catcher Matt Winn. The wild pitch allowed Rogers to reach first safely as Romero advanced to third. Rogers then stole second before Mylz Jones delivered a two-RBI single extending the Lancaster advantage to 4-0.
The JetHawks continued to pour it on in the fifth scoring three times with reliever Michael Cederoth on the mound. Two singles and a walk loaded the bases for Lancaster with none out before Cederoth came back to strikeout Rogers. Jones though followed with another two-run single as the lead was pushed to 6-0. Then with two outs, another passed ball allowed a third run to score in the frame as the JetHawks stretched their lead to 7-0.
San Jose didn't manage their first hit of the day against Lancaster starter Ty Culbreth until Dillon Dobson's leadoff double in the bottom of the fifth. Two batters later, Quinn lined a single into left plating Dobson to cut the Lancaster lead to 7-1.
The JetHawks though got the run right back in the top of the sixth as Hampson singled with one out, stole second, moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on Winn's third passed ball of the game.
Quinn launched a solo home run to deep left center in the bottom of the seventh to bring the Giants within 8-2, but San Jose would get no closer in the contest.
Culbreth (5-1) earned the win after tossing seven innings with two runs (both earned) and four hits allowed. He struck out five and walked none.
Anderson (2-2) was charged with four runs (all earned) on seven hits over 3 2/3 innings to take the loss. The right-hander struck out two and walked none during his 66-pitch outing.
Notes
* Lancaster out-hit San Jose 13-4.
* The Giants had only five baserunners for the entire game.
* Quinn hit his first home run since June 14 - a span of 129 at-bats. He's 4-for-6 with one double, one home run and three RBI's over his last two games.
* San Jose finishes the season with a 9-8 record against Lancaster.
* Anderson began his start retiring seven straight JetHawks batters, but then set down just two out of the next ten hitters before departing.
* Drew Muren pitched the top of the sixth in his Giants organizational debut. Muren signed with San Francisco last week after he was released by the Arizona Diamondbacks. He allowed one unearned run and struck out two in his only inning of work on Thursday.
* Caleb Simpson (2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 SO) and Rodolfo Martinez (1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 SO) combined for three scoreless innings of relief for the Giants to finish the game.
* San Jose (26-28) fell a half-game behind Modesto (26-27) for first place in the second half North Division standings. 16 games remain in the regular season for the Giants. The Nuts play later Thursday night at Visalia.
On Deck
The Giants continue their homestand on Friday evening with the opener of a three-game series against the Visalia Rawhide. First pitch at Municipal Stadium is scheduled for 7:00 PM. Conner Menez (6-6, 4.29 ERA) is slated to start on the mound for San Jose while Visalia is expected to counter with Jon Duplantier (4-2, 1.87 ERA). The San Jose Giants are celebrating their 11th Annual "Giant Luau" on Friday. The evening will be full of Hawaiian festivities including hula dancers, island music, Hawaiian cuisine and a special pig roasting ceremony in Turkey Mike's BBQ. A spectacular fireworks show will also follow the game. For tickets, call (408) 297-1435 or visit sjgiants.com.
