Four Home Runs Power Giants To 10-3 Victory
BAKERSFIELD - The San Jose Giants hit a season-high four home runs, including two from Jeff Arnold, in a 10-3 victory over the Bakersfield Blaze on Tuesday night at Sam Lynn Ballpark. San Jose exploded for five straight extra-base hits during a key five-run fourth-inning rally en route to the win. The series-opening victory moves the Giants (21-11) back into sole possession of first place in the North Division - a half-game ahead of the Visalia Rawhide (20-11).
Arnold (2-for-3, 2 HR, 4 RBI) hit two-run homers in consecutive at-bats in the fourth and fifth innings to lead the San Jose offensive attack. Bobby Haney (2-for-4, HR, 2 RBI) and Mac Williamson (1-for-5, HR, RBI) also homered for the Giants while Myles Schroder (4-for-5, 2B) added four hits. Ryan Cavan (2-for-4, RBI) singled twice to extend his hitting streak to 17 games.
Bakersfield took an early 3-0 lead with three runs in the bottom of the second before San Jose immediately tied the score with three runs of their own in the top of the third. Arnold started the frame by drawing a walk before consecutive singles from Schroder and Haney loaded the bases. Shawn Payne then grounded into a fielder's choice as Haney was forced out at second, but Arnold scored on the play to cut the Blaze advantage to 3-1. A sacrifice bunt from Chris Lofton advanced Payne, the potential tying run, to second as Schroder held at third. Cavan was up next and he ripped an infield single to shortstop that was knocked down by Bakersfield's Juan Perez. Cavan was credited with one RBI on the play as Schroder scored and when Perez threw wildly to first for an error, Payne also came home to tie the game 3-3.
The Giants then erupted in the top of the fourth with five straight extra-base hits to begin the inning. Williamson drove the first pitch of the frame over the wall in left for a home run and a 4-3 San Jose lead. After Angel Villalona doubled, Arnold launched a two-run homer to left center extended the lead to 6-3. Schroder then doubled off the wall in right before Haney clubbed a two-run home run to deep right center for an 8-3 advantage.
The Giants pushed their lead to 10-3 in the fifth as Elliott Blair singled with one out before Arnold belted his second two-run home run of the night.
Kelvin Marte (1-0) earned the win out of the San Jose bullpen after tossing 2 1/3 scoreless innings. Marte, who entered the game with two outs in the bottom of the second, retired seven out of the eight batters that he faced. He struck out one and walked none during his stint on the mound.
Marte, Jeff Soptic, Luis Rojas and Josh Osich combined for 7 1/3 scoreless innings of relief for the Giants. Soptic (2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 SO) took over for Marte to begin the bottom of the fifth and retired all six batters that he faced. Rojas (2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO) held the Blaze off the scoreboard in the seventh and eighth innings stranding a runner at third in each frame. Osich (1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 SO) then struck out the side in a 1-2-3 bottom of the ninth.
San Jose starter Edwin Escobar lasted just 1 2/3 innings yielding three runs (all earned) on three hits. Escobar retired the first four batters he faced, but surrendered a one-out, two-run triple to Juan Silverio in the bottom of the second before Yovan Gonzalez's RBI double two batters later extended the Blaze lead to 3-0. Escobar, who threw 33 pitches in the second inning, walked one and struck out one during his outing.
Jon Moscot (0-5) suffered the loss for Bakersfield after allowing seven runs (six earned) on eight hits over three-plus innings.
Notes: San Jose out-hit Bakersfield by a 13-7 margin … The Giants have rallied from three-run deficits in each of their last two games to win … The 7-8-9 spots in the lineup (Arnold, Schroder, Haney) combined to go 8-for-12 with six runs scored, three home runs and six RBI's … San Jose's previous season-high in home runs was three (accomplished twice) … The quartet of Giants relievers combined to allow just four hits with no walks and nine strikeouts … Haney homered for the first time in 104 career games with San Jose … The Blaze lost their sixth game in a row.
On Deck: The Giants and Blaze continue their three-game series on Wednesday evening with first pitch at Sam Lynn Ballpark scheduled for 7:30 PM. Ty Blach (3-1, 1.88 ERA) is slated to start on the mound for San Jose while Bakersfield is expected to counter with James Allen (1-3, 5.81 ERA). The game can be heard live on sjgiants.com with coverage beginning at 7:00 PM.