LAKE ELSINORE, CA - Lake Elsinore's Eguy Rosario hit a tiebreaking solo home run in the bottom of the eighth inning to propel the Storm to a 3-2 victory over the Giants on Friday night at The Diamond. San Jose took a one-run lead into the seventh, but was unable
LAKE ELSINORE, CA - Lake Elsinore's Eguy Rosario hit a tiebreaking solo home run in the bottom of the eighth inning to propel the Storm to a 3-2 victory over the Giants on Friday night at The Diamond. San Jose took a one-run lead into the seventh, but was unable to hold off Lake Elsinore late as the Storm rallied for the series-opening win. The loss was the Giants' (26-22) second straight one-run setback on their road trip.
Sandro Fabian (1-for-3, HR, 2 RBI) hit a two-run home run to account for all of San Jose's offense in defeat.
The Storm jumped out early on Friday as Buddy Reed smacked a solo home run to begin the bottom of the first giving a Lake Elsinore a 1-0 lead. The Giants though immediately answered in the second as Jacob Heyward led off with a double before Fabian stepped to the plate and launched a towering two-run home run to left. The homer, Fabian's fifth of the season, put San Jose in front by a 2-1 margin.
Sandro Cabrera started on the mound for the Giants and tossed a season-high six innings with just one run allowed. Cabrera, who didn't allow a run after the first-inning homer, surrendered seven hits, walked none and struck out six during his 77-pitch outing.
The game remained at 2-1 all the way until the bottom of the seventh when the Storm rallied against San Jose reliever Nolan Riggs. Back-to-back walks issued by Riggs to Jorge Oña and Ruddy Giron started the inning before Marcus Greene Jr. and Nate Easley were retired on consecutive fly outs to center. Reed though followed with a line drive single into center to bring home Ona with the game-tying run.
The Giants threatened to reclaim the lead in the top of the eighth as Wander Franco doubled with two outs, but was stranded when Heyward was called out on strikes to end the inning.
Lake Elsinore then took a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the eighth when Rosario crushed the first pitch of the inning from Riggs over the fence in left for a solo home run. The homer was Rosario's fourth of the season. Following the home run, tempers flared and both benches cleared as Riggs, Rosario and San Jose catcher Tanner Murphy were ejected.
In the top of the ninth, Storm reliever Elliot Ashbeck set down the Giants in order on two strikeouts on a fly out to seal the Lake Elsinore victory.
Blake Rogers (1-1) earned the win out of the Storm bullpen after tossing a scoreless top of the eighth. Ashbeck picked-up his second save of the year. Lake Elsinore starter Pedro Avila struck out a career-high 10 batters over the first seven innings. Avila allowed just three hits and two runs. He surrendered only one hit after yielding Fabian's home run in the top of the second.
Riggs (0-2) took the loss after giving up two runs (both earned) in his one-plus inning of relief work.
Notes
* The Giants fell to 3-4 on their road trip.
* San Jose carried a lead into the seventh inning in each of their last two games - both losses.
* Fabian has homered in back-to-back games. His five homers overall this season are tied for the team lead.
* The Storm out-hit the Giants 10-4.
* Jalen Miller's (0-for-3, BB) hitting streak was snapped at 10 games.
* Lake Elsinore pitching recorded 14 strikeouts.
* The home run allowed by Riggs was his first given up in 22 1/3 innings this season.
* San Jose fell three games behind first-place Stockton (29-19) in the first half North Division standings.
On Deck
The Giants and Storm continue their three-game series on Saturday evening with first pitch at The Diamond scheduled for 6:00 PM. Conner Menez (2-2, 3.40 ERA) is slated to start on the mound for San Jose while Lake Elsinore is expected to counter with Reggie Lawson (3-2, 2.38 ERA). The game can be heard live on sjgiants.com with coverage beginning at 5:40 PM.
