Missed Opportunities Cost Giants In 3-2 Loss

STOCKTON, CA - The San Jose Giants went 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position and left 13 on base in a narrow 3-2 defeat to the Stockton Ports on Sunday evening at Banner Island Ballpark. A bases loaded walk in the bottom of the seventh inning gave Stockton the lead for good as the Ports claimed two out of three games in the series. With the loss, the Giants (51-69 overall, 17-33 second half) fell six games behind first-place Stockton (23-27) in the second half North Division standings with 20 to play.
Bryce Johnson (3-for-5, 2B, HR, 2 RBI) had three hits, including his first home run of the season, to lead San Jose offensively. Johnson drove home both of the Giants' runs. Kelvin Beltre (2-for-3, 2B) also finished with a multi-hit game.
San Jose threatened early as three straight walks to Jacob Heyward, Jalen Miller and Heath Quinn to begin the game loaded the bases with none out. Stockton starter Kyle Friedrichs though escaped with no runs scoring as Dillon Dobson fouled out to the catcher before Gio Brusa and Johnson both struck out swinging.
The Ports then jumped in front with a pair of runs in the bottom of the first against Giants starter Carlos Sano. After the first two batters of the inning were retired, Chase Calabuig drew a walk and Viosergy Rosa doubled to deep right to put runners on second and third. Edwin Diaz then ripped a double down the left field line to score both Calabuig and Rosa for a 2-0 Stockton advantage.
San Jose cut the Ports lead in half with a single tally in the top of the third. Miller led off with a single before stealing second. Quinn then walked before Dobson flied out to shallow center and Brusa struck out. Johnson was up next and he grounded a double down the right field line to bring home Miller with the first Giants run of the contest. Quinn stopped at third on the play and then Beltre was hit by a pitch to load the bases. San Jose though would leave the bases loaded for the second time in three innings as Chris Corbett flied out to center for the third out.
The Giants would tie the game 2-2 in the top of the fifth when Johnson crushed a pitch from Friedrichs over the fence in deep right center for a solo home run. San Jose had an opportunity then to take the lead in the sixth as Miller was hit by a pitch with two outs before Quinn walked, however Dobson struck out swinging to end the inning.
Meanwhile, Sano settled down after the first and did not allow another run for the remainder of his outing. The right-hander had retired eight straight Stockton batters until Greg Deichmann doubled with two outs in the bottom of the sixth. Brett Siddall then walked, but both runners were stranded as Sano induced Santiago Chávez to groundout to retire the side.
The Giants again threatened to take the lead in the top of the seventh, but left the possible go-ahead run at third base. With one out, Johnson singled for his third hit of the game. Beltre then hammered a double to deep right advancing Johnson to third. Corbett though struck out on three pitches and Brandon Van Horn popped out to shortstop to end the inning and keep the score tied 2-2.
Rodolfo Martinez (0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 0 SO) then relieved Sano to begin the bottom of the seventh and immediately ran into trouble. A walk to Collin Theroux started the inning before Trace Loehr reached on a bunt single. Martinez then walked Cobie Vance to load the bases with none out. Joey Marciano (1/3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 SO) was summoned from the bullpen and he induced Calabuig to ground into a fielder's choice to third with Theroux forced at the plate for the first out of the inning. Marciano though followed with a five-pitch walk to Rosa that brought home Loehr for a 3-2 Ports lead. With the bases still loaded, Frankin Van Gurp (2/3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 SO) then became the third pitcher of the inning and he prevented further damage when Diaz grounded into a 6-4-3 double play.
San Jose though would not muster another baserunner for the remainder of the game. With Stockton ahead by a run, Pat Krall struck out two in a perfect top of the eighth. Then in the ninth, Ports closer Angel Duno worked a 1-2-3 inning setting down Dobson on a groundout before Brusa and Johnson both struck out to end the game.
Krall (3-1), who worked the seventh and eighth innings out of the Stockton bullpen with no runs allowed, picked-up the win. Duno collected his 14th save.
Martinez (3-9) suffered his team-leading ninth loss of the season for the Giants.
Notes
* The Giants have still not won a road series in the second half. San Jose's last road series win was June 8-10 at Modesto.
* The Giants' 13 runners left on base was one off their season-high.
* Johnson's home run was the first of his professional career. The homer came in his 604th career at-bat.
* Stockton pitching recorded 14 strikeouts. The relief trio of Ty Damron, Krall and Duno combined for eight strikeouts over 4 1/3 scoreless innings.
* Sano pitched a season-high tying six innings with two runs (both earned) and six hits allowed. He walked three and struck out six. Sano owns a 2.45 ERA (6 ER/22.0 IP) over his last four starts.
* The Ports out-hit the Giants 8-7. The #1 through #5 spots in the San Jose lineup went a combined 1-for-18.
* The Giants played their league-leading 41st one-run game of the season (18-23 record).
On Deck
The Giants continue their road trip on Monday evening with the opener of a three-game series against the Inland Empire 66ers. First pitch at San Manuel Stadium is scheduled for 7:05 PM. Mac Marshall (0-3, 4.24 ERA) is slated to start on the mound for San Jose while Inland Empire is expected to counter with Adrian De Horta (0-1, 5.32 ERA). The game can be heard live on sjgiants.com with coverage beginning at 6:45 PM.