MODESTO, CA - Modesto's Gareth Morgan hit a tiebreaking three-run home run in the bottom of the fourth before the Nuts scored eight times in the sixth to break the game open on their way to a 12-1 victory over the Giants on Tuesday evening at John Thurman Field. The
MODESTO, CA - Modesto's Gareth Morgan hit a tiebreaking three-run home run in the bottom of the fourth before the Nuts scored eight times in the sixth to break the game open on their way to a 12-1 victory over the Giants on Tuesday evening at John Thurman Field. The series-opening loss was San Jose's (25-20) largest margin of defeat this season.
Jacob Heyward (2-for-3, RBI) and Wander Franco (2-for-5) had multi-hit games for the Giants in the loss.
San Jose jumped out to an early 1-0 lead against Modesto starter Darren McCaughan with a run in the top of the first. Bryce Johnson led off the game with a single before Franco's one-out double down the left field line put runners on second and third. Heyward then reached on an infield single to shortstop plating Johnson with the first run of the game. McCaughan though came back with consecutive strikeouts of Gio Brusa and Sandro Fabian to end the inning and the Giants wouldn't score again for the remainder of the contest.
The Nuts immediately tied the game in the bottom of the first as Evan White smacked a two-out solo home run to left.
With the game still tied 1-1, San Jose threatened in the top of the fourth as Brusa led off with a double, but was stranded at second when Fabian grounded out before Matt Winn and Frandy De La Rosa both struck out. Modesto then took the lead with a three-run bottom of the fourth. Facing Giants starter Raffi Vizcaino, the inning began with a single from Kyle Lewis. Luis Liberato then singled with one out before Morgan stepped to the plate and launched a three-run home run to left center. The homer was Morgan's team-leading 11th of the season and it put the Nuts in front by a 4-1 margin.
Down by three runs, San Jose loaded the bases with two outs in the top of the fifth on singles from Jalen Miller and Franco before a walk to Heyward, but McCaughan came back with a three-pitch strikeout of Brusa to retire the side.
Modesto then erupted for eight runs in the bottom of the sixth to put the game away. Jeff Burke (2/3 IP, 4 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 3 BB, 0 SO) entered from the Giants bullpen to begin the inning and issued a leadoff walk to Nick Zammarelli before Morgan walked with one out. Tyler Baker then belted a double off the fence in deep right center to score the first run of the frame. Kevin Santa was up next and he singled sharply into right plating both Morgan and Baker to stretch the lead to 7-1. Santa would also advance to third on the play when the right fielder Fabian mishandled the ball for an error. Following a groundout off the bat of Bryson Brigman, Burke walked Donnie Walton. Back-to-back RBI singles from White and Lewis then extended the Nuts lead to 9-1 and ended Burke's night. Caleb Baragar (2 1/3 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 SO) was summoned from the bullpen and he surrendered a bloop RBI double down the left field line to Zammarelli to make the score 10-1. Liberato followed with an RBI infield single to second while the eighth and final run of the inning came home on an error. All told, Modesto sent 12 batters to the plate in the bottom of the sixth scoring eight runs on six hits while also taking advantage of two Giants errors.
McCaughan (3-3) earned the win after tossing six innings with one run and seven hits allowed. He walked one and struck out a career-high nine. Jack Anderson (1 IP), Michael Koval (1 IP) and Wyatt Mills (1 IP) then combined on three scoreless innings of relief to seal the Nuts victory.
Vizcaino (3-3) surrendered four runs (all earned) on five hits over five innings to take the loss for San Jose. The right-hander walked three and struck out one.
Notes
* San Jose's previous largest margin of defeat this season was seven runs.
* The eight runs allowed in the bottom of the sixth were also the most given up by the Giants in an inning this year.
* Nuts pitchers combined for 16 strikeouts.
* Miller (1-for-4) extended his hitting streak to eight games.
* Franco has recorded multi-hits in nine out of his last 15 games.
* Modesto out-hit San Jose 11-9. The Giants went 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position and left 11 on base.
* San Jose is 2-2 on their road trip.
* Pitcher Dylan Rheault was transferred to Sacramento (AAA) before the game on Tuesday. Pitcher Carlos Sano joined the team from Augusta while infielder Kevin Rivera was added from Extended Spring Training.
* The Giants are now two games behind first-place Stockton (27-18) in the first half North Division race.
On Deck
The Giants and Nuts continue their three-game series on Wednesday evening with first pitch at John Thurman Field scheduled for 7:05 PM. Melvin Adon (0-3, 4.89 ERA) is slated to start on the mound for San Jose while Modesto is expected to counter with Randy Bell (2-2, 4.06 ERA). The game can be heard live on sjgiants.com with coverage beginning at 6:45 PM.
