San Jose Giants Stamp Out Bakersfield Blaze, Win 7-2 - A, California League

MLN - THE RAW FEED - www.mlntherawfeed.com - Matt Downs and Ryan Rohlinger both smacked home runs while Pablo Sandoval delivered three hits to lead the offensive attack as the San Jose Giants defeated the Bakersfield Blaze 7-2 on Friday night at Sam Lynn Ballpark. Kevin Pucetas notched the victory on the mound with five quality innings of work and three Giants relievers combined to no-hit Bakersfield over the last four frames. With the win, San Jose posted their second consecutive victory to open the season. Sandoval (3-for-5, 2 2B, RBI) and Brett Pill (2-for-4, 2B, 3 RBI) both finished with multiple-hit games. The Giants out-hit the Blaze by an 11-6 margin and never trailed for the second straight night.

With the score tied 2-2 in the top of the fourth inning, Downs lined a two-out solo home run over the fence in left center field to give San Jose a lead they would not relinquish. In the fifth, Sharlon Schoop walked with one out before a two-out single from Tyler Graham followed by a walk to Rohlinger loaded the bases. Pill then doubled to left field scoring Schoop and Graham to extend the Giants lead to 5-2.

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San Jose added to their advantage in the top of the sixth inning when Downs led off with a walk and scored four batters later on Mike McBryde’s fielder’s choice ground out.

Then in the seventh, Rohlinger capped the Giants scoring with a towering solo home run down the left field line. Pucetas (1-0) allowed two runs (both earned) on six hits during his stint on the mound. The reigning South Atlantic League Pitcher of the Year walked one and struck out two. He allowed a pair of runs in the bottom of the third inning as Bakersfield tied the score at 2-2. Jose Vallejo brought home the first run when he reached on a fielding error committed by the second baseman Downs. Then Chad Tracy lined a single into left field to score the second run of the frame. Grant Gerrard followed Tracy’s hit with a double into the left field corner.

However, the Giants got out of the inning without further damage when Tracy was tagged out at third base after rounding the bag too far on the double. Pucetas managed to pitch out of a second and third, one-out jam in the bottom of the fifth by striking out Tracy and inducing Gerrard to ground out.

The San Jose starter threw 77 pitches during his five innings of work. Reliever Mike Musgrave walked three consecutive hitters with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning, but set down Julio Borbon on a ground out to leave the bases loaded.

Steve Edlefsen (2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 SO) and Juan Trinidad (1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 SO) then combined to hold the Blaze off the scoreboard over the final three innings to seal the victory.

San Jose initially jumped in front with a pair of runs in the top of the first. McBryde and Graham started the contest with back-to-back walks before a sacrifice bunt from Rohlinger. Pill followed with a sacrifice fly to score McBryde and then Sandoval came through with a clutch two-out single to plate Graham for a 2-0 lead.

Bakersfield’s Zach Phillips (0-1) suffered the loss after yielding five runs (all earned) on four hits in 4 2/3 innings. Phillips walked five and struck out four.

Notes: The Giants have outscored Bakersfield 19-4 in the first two games of the series … Rohlinger led Augusta (Low-A) with 18 home runs last season … Pill, Rohlinger, and Sandoval lead San Jose with four hits apiece through two games while Pill paces the club with five RBI … Every Giants starter recorded a hit Friday with the exception of McBryde (0-for-4, RBI) … Pucetas recorded nine ground ball outs … Bakersfield’s last hit was a single from Borbon with none out in the bottom of the fifth inning.

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