SAN JOSE, CA - The Rancho Cucamonga Quakes erupted for five runs in the top of the 10th inning on their way to an 8-3 victory over the San Jose Giants on Thursday evening at Municipal Stadium. The Quakes collected three hits and capitalized on a pair of critical Giants
SAN JOSE, CA - The Rancho Cucamonga Quakes erupted for five runs in the top of the 10th inning on their way to an 8-3 victory over the San Jose Giants on Thursday evening at Municipal Stadium. The Quakes collected three hits and capitalized on a pair of critical Giants errors in the 10th en route to securing their second straight win to open the series. The loss was San Jose's (39-46 overall, 5-10 second half) season-high tying fifth in a row overall.
Brandon Van Horn (1-for-4, HR, RBI) smacked a solo home run to lead the Giants offensively in defeat. San Jose managed only three hits in the contest and also struck out a season-high 19 times.
With the score tied 3-3, Rodolfo Martinez entered from the bullpen to begin the top of the 10th for the Giants. With automatic runner at Connor Wong at second base to start the inning, Jeren Kendall dropped down a bunt out in front of home plate. Catcher Matt Winn picked-up the ball, but his throw to third was late in an effort to retire Wong. Omar Estevez followed with a grounder to shortstop that deflected off the glove of Van Horn for an error allowing Wong to score from third with the go-ahead run. Logan Landon was up next and he sliced a double down the right field line to bring home Kendall and Estevez for a 6-3 Rancho Cucamonga advantage. Following a Jared Walker single and a walk to Steve Berman that loaded the bases, Gavin Lux lined out to shortstop for the first out of the inning. Rylan Bannon though followed with an RBI single into left as Landon scored the fourth run of the frame. Cody Thomas then hit a sharp grounder to first that Gio Brusa fielded, but his throw home pulled Winn off the plate for another error as Walker scored to make it 8-3.
Andre Scrubb (2-0) earned the win for the Quakes after tossing 2 1/3 hitless innings out of the bullpen to finish the game. Scrubb struck out four.
Martinez (3-7) was charged with all five runs (two earned) in the top of the 10th to take the loss.
The Giants enjoyed an early 1-0 lead on Thursday with a single tally in the bottom of the first. Bryce Johnson led off by drawing a walk, stole second, moved to third when the throw sailed into center field and scored on a wild pitch.
Three solo home runs though for Rancho Cucamonga off of San Jose starter Jason Bahr gave the Quakes a 3-1 advantage. Estevez blasted a home run to leadoff the top of the second before going deep again to begin the fourth. Landon then followed Estevez's second homer with another round-tripper to stretch the Rancho Cucamonga lead to two runs.
The Giants would then rally with single runs in the fourth and fifth innings to tie the game. In the bottom of the fourth, Heath Quinn worked a leadoff walk before Wander Franco doubled down the left field line - San Jose's first hit of the game - to put runners on second and third with one out. Then with two down, a wild pitch allowed Quinn to score bringing the Giants to within 3-2.
Van Horn then crushed a solo home run to deep left in the bottom of the fifth to tie the score 3-3. The homer was Van Horn's sixth of the season.
Peter Lannoo (3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO) and Franklin Van Gurp (2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 2 SO) combined for five scoreless innings of relief for San Jose from the fifth through the ninth innings. Lannoo retired nine out of the ten batters he faced during his stint on the mound. Van Gurp pitched around a two-out double in the eighth and a pair of walks in the top of the ninth to keep the game tied.
The Giants, however, would manage only one hit after Van Horn's game-tying home run - a Sandro Fabian leadoff infield single in the bottom of the seventh. Fabian was ultimately stranded at second. San Jose was then set down in order in the eighth and were unable to capitalize on a one-out error in the bottom of the ninth before the Quakes reclaimed the lead in the top of the 10th.
Notes
* The Giants have been held to only five total hits over the first two games of the series.
* Rancho Cucamonga out-hit San Jose 10-3 on Thursday.
* Van Horn has hit four out of his six home runs since the beginning of June.
* The Giants' previous season-high in strikeouts was 18 (April 7 at Inland Empire).
* San Jose was 0-for-11 with runners in scoring position.
* Van Gurp was making his California League debut after joining the Giants from Augusta (A) earlier on Thursday.
* Bahr pitched four innings with three runs (all earned) allowed. He surrendered five hits, walked one and struck out five. Bahr has a 1.69 ERA (3 ER/16.0 IP) in three starts with San Jose this season.
* The Quakes have won 10 games in a row and are off to a 13-2 start in the second half.
* The Giants fell to 6-5 in extra-inning games.
On Deck
The Giants and Quakes continue their five-game series on Friday evening with first pitch at Municipal Stadium scheduled for 7:00 PM. Melvin Adon (2-5, 4.87 ERA) is slated to start on the mound for San Jose while Rancho Cucamonga is expected to counter with Issac Anderson (3-5, 3.96 ERA). It's a fireworks night at the ballpark and tickets can be purchased by calling (408) 297-1435 or by visiting sjgiants.com.
