San Jose Giants Win 10th Consecutive Home Game Beating Modesto Nuts 5-4 - Advanced A, California League

San Jose - The San Jose Giants won their 10th consecutive home game over the Modesto Nuts with a come-from-behind 5-4 victory on Sunday evening at Municipal Stadium.  San Jose scored three two-out runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to take the lead for good while Jesse English allowed just two hits over six frames to earn his 10th win of the year.  With the victory, the Giants’ second straight to begin the series, San Jose improves their overall record to 59-40.

 
The Giants have now posted a remarkable 10-0 record this season versus the Nuts at Municipal Stadium.  San Jose swept a pair of four-game series’ from Modesto in May before back-to-back wins the past two nights.
 
Dayton Buller (2-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI) hit a key two-run double in the sixth-inning rally to lead the Giants offensive attack.  Mike McBryde (2-for-5), Matt Downs (2-for-4, 2B) and Sharlon Schoop (2-for-3, 2B, RBI) also finished with multiple-hit games for San Jose.
 
English (10-4) matched Tim Alderson for the team-lead in victories with a stellar outing on Sunday.  The only blemish for the left-hander was surrendering a two-run homer to Victor Ferrante in the top of the fourth inning as Modesto jumped in front by a 2-0 margin.  Michael McKenry started the frame by getting hit by a pitch before Ferrante stepped to the plate and hit a towering home run to deep left field.
 
English had retired eight Nuts hitters in a row before plunking McKenry.  Then after Ferrante’s home run, English set down eight more Modesto batters without anyone reaching base.  The only other hit allowed by the southpaw was a two-out single to Ferrante in the top of the sixth.  English finished his outing with three walks – all in the first inning – and four strikeouts.
 
Trailing 2-0, the Giants began their comeback in the bottom of the fifth inning.  Mike Mooney led off with a double into the left field corner before Buller singled to put runners on the corners.  Schoop followed with a fielder’s choice ground out to second base bringing home Mooney with San Jose’s first run of the contest.  Modesto’s Keith Weiser though would prevent further damage in the fifth when he eventually retired Brock Bond on a ground out to leave runners at first and second.
 
In the sixth, Downs led off with a marathon 15-pitch at-bat that resulted in a line drive single into center field.  With one out, Brett Pill singled before Mooney flied to right.  Buller then hit a line drive over the head of first baseman Mike Paulk and into right field for a double as both Downs and Pill scored to give the Giants the lead.  Schoop was up next and he reached on an infield single to third base.  On the play, Buller rounded the bag too far at third and Nuts third baseman Matt Repec threw behind the runner as shortstop Jason Van Kooten covered the bag.  However, the throw deflected off the glove of Van Kooten and skipped into foul territory as Buller raced home with the third run of the inning.  Van Kooten was officially charged with an error.
 
The Giants added to their lead in the bottom of the seventh when Bond walked with one out, advanced to third on Downs’ double off the fence in center field and scored on Bobby Felmy’s sacrifice fly to right.
 
Taylor Wilding (2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 3 SO) relieved English to begin the seventh inning and worked a scoreless frame.  However in the eighth, Paulk led off by drawing a walk before McKenry lined a two-run homer to left field bringing Modesto to within 5-4.  Then with two outs, Van Kooten singled before advancing to second on a wild pitch and to third base on a passed ball.  But Wilding recovered to strikeout Nelson Robledo to strand the potential tying run at third.
 
Joe Paterson fired a perfect top of the ninth inning for his fourth save with the Giants.  Paterson struck out Daniel Mayora to end the game and seal the San Jose victory.