Bakersfield Blaze Defeat San Jose Giants 5-3 - Advanced A, California League

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San Jose - The Bakersfield Blaze took advantage of four Giants errors to post a 5-3 victory over San Jose and claim their second straight win to open the series on Wednesday evening at Municipal Stadium.  Bakersfield scored a single run in the top of the sixth inning to take the lead for good as the Giants suffered their third consecutive loss on the homestand.  With the defeat, San Jose’s overall record drops to 59-43.
 
Brad Boyer (2-for-4, 2 RBI, SB) and Tyler Graham (2-for-3, RBI, SB) each had multiple-hit games at the plate to lead the Giants offensive attack.  San Jose though on two separate occasions had a runner at third base with none out and was unable to score the run.

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With the game tied 2-2, reliever Craig Whitaker went to the mound to begin the top of the sixth inning.  Whitaker issued a leadoff walk to Truan Mehl before a one-out walk of K.C. Herren put runners on first and second.  After Jake Kaase grounded out to advance both runners up 90 feet, Marcus Lemon hit a grounder to Sharlon Schoop.  However on the play, the Giants shortstop bobbled the ball and never got a throw off to first base as Lemon reached safely and the go-ahead run scored.
 
Another error doomed the Giants in the top of the seventh as Bakersfield scored a single run, again without the benefit of a hit.  Whitaker started the frame by hitting Chad Tracy with a pitch.  After the next hitter, Ian Gac, drew a walk, Whitaker was removed from the game in favor of Joe Paterson.  Paterson promptly struck out Johnny Whittleman before Mehl stepped to the plate and hit a ground ball to third base that appeared to give San Jose an opportunity to turn an inning-ending double play.  But the ball rolled through the legs of Matt Downs at third base and into left field for an error as Gac raced around third base to give the Blaze a 4-2 lead.  Paterson would recover as he eventually recorded a strikeout of Herren before Kaase grounded out to strand the bases loaded.
 
San Jose answered with a tally of their own in the bottom of the seventh, but left the potential tying run at third base.  Facing reliever Tyler Tufts, Brett Pill led off with a bloop single into center field.  Jackson Williams then grounded a ball to shortstop that was mishandled by Lemon for an error.  Lemon then attempted a throw to first base that sailed over the head of Gac and out of play for a second error.  The two miscues advanced Pill all the way to third base and Williams to second.  Graham followed with an infield single to second base plating Pill and moving Williams, the potential tying run, to third.  But Tufts would get out of the inning with Bakersfield still in front as Darren Ford followed with a pop out to second base before Boyer grounded into a 4-6-3 double play.
 
The Blaze added another run in the eighth when Lemon led off with a single on an 11-pitch at-bat against Paterson.  Juan Trinidad was then summoned from the bullpen and he would eventually allow a two-out RBI single to Gac extending the Bakersfield lead to 5-3.
 
The Giants collected one single each in the eighth and ninth innings, but failed to score in both frames.  Jordan Stewart pitched the final inning to earn his second save of the series.
 
Whitaker (0-3) was saddled with the loss for San Jose after surrendering two runs (both unearned) in one-plus inning of work.  Whitaker did not allow a hit, but issued three walks, hit a batter and also threw a wild pitch.
 
The Giants plated their first run of the evening in the bottom of the third inning when Graham led off by drawing a walk, stole second, moved to third on an error and scored on Boyer’s single into center field.  
 
Bakersfield went back in front by a 2-1 score in the top of the fifth thanks to a San Jose error.  Lemon led off the inning with a double before advancing to third on Renny Osuna’s ground out.  Tracy then grounded a ball to third that Downs fielded cleanly, but threw wildly to the plate in an attempt to retire Lemon.
 
San Jose starting pitcher Henry Sosa tossed the first five innings and yielding two runs (one earned) on six hits.  The right-hander, who threw 91 pitches during his stint on the mound, walked two and struck out three.
 
The Giants climbed back into a tie in the bottom of the fifth when Graham singled with one out and scored on Boyer’s two-out line drive single into center field.

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