Bakersfield Blaze Hold Off San Jose Giants with 5-3 Victory - California League

Bakersfield - Blake Beavan tossed eight solid innings and the Bakersfield Blaze were able to hold off San Jose’s late rally to post a 5-3 victory over the Giants on Tuesday night at Sam Lynn Ballpark.  In the opener of a four-game series, Beavan limited the Giants to four hits during his stint on the mound while closer Evan Reed was able to pitch out of a bases loaded jam in the top of the ninth to secure the Bakersfield win.  With the loss, San Jose’s overall record drops to 32-26 – 3 1/2 games behind the Visalia Rawhide (36-23) for the top spot in the first half North Division race.
 
Ryan Lormand (2-for-4) was the lone Giants player to finish with a multi-hit game at the plate.  Buster Posey (1-for-3, 2B) extended his hitting streak to 10 games, but San Jose managed only five hits overall in the contest.

 
Trailing 5-1, the Giants finally got to Beavan in the top of the eighth inning.  The right-hander had retired 12 consecutive San Jose hitters until Lormand began the eighth frame with a line drive single into center field.  David Maroul followed by grounding a double down the left field line to easily score Lormand all the way from first base.  After Darren Ford sacrificed Maroul to third on a bunt, Tyler Graham drew a walk to put runners on first and third.  Brian Bocock followed with a deep fly ball that was caught by left fielder Aja Barto on the warning track in deep left center for the second out.  The play scored Maroul from third base bringing the Giants to within 5-3.
 
Graham kept the rally alive by stealing second base before advancing to third on a balk, however Beavan recovered to strike out Thomas Neal on a 3-2 pitch to end the inning.
 
Corey Young relieved Beavan to begin the top of the ninth and promptly issued a leadoff, four-pitch walk to Posey.  After Roger Kieschnick struck out, Conor Gillaspie drew a walk to put runners on first and second.  Lormand then delivered a sharp single into center field to load the bases and force another pitching change as Reed was summoned from the bullpen.
 
Maroul was up next and with the potential tying run at second, hit the first pitch of his at-bat directly to third baseman Jonathan Greene, who threw home to get the force out on Posey before catcher Jose Felix fired to first to easily retire Maroul.  The 5-2-3 double play ended the game as Reed notched his fourth save of the season.
 
Beavan (5-4) was credited with the victory after allowing three runs (all earned) with two walks and six strikeouts.  The former first round draft pick is a perfect 5-0 in his last seven starts.
 
Paul Oseguera (0-1), who was making his 2009 debut with San Jose, suffered the loss on the mound.  Oseguera worked the first five innings and surrendered three runs (all earned) on four hits with three walks and five strikeouts.
 
The Giants initially took a 1-0 lead when Posey led off the top of the second with a double into the right field corner before scoring on Conor Gillaspie’s ground out to shortstop.
 
Oseguera needed just 18 pitches to work through a pair of hitless innings to begin his evening before running into trouble in the bottom of the third.  With one out, Davis Stoneburner doubled before Matthew Lawson grounded an RBI single into right field plating the tying run.
 
In the bottom of the fourth, Greene started a rally with a one-out walk.  After Mauro Gomez singled into left, Barto drew a walk to load the bases.  Felix followed with a sacrifice fly to right giving the Blaze their first lead of the night and then Stoneburner came through with an RBI infield single to shortstop extending the Bakersfield advantage to 3-1.
 
The Blaze added two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning against Giants reliever T.J. Brewer.  A one-out single from Joey Butler drove home Lawson, who had led off with a walk, to score the first run of the frame.  Then with two outs, Ian Gac belted a solo homer to deep left field to make it a 5-1 contest.
 
San Jose opened the fourth inning with a pair of baserunners against Beavan when Bocock walked and Neal singled.  However, Beavan recovered to set down the next three hitters and the Giants wouldn’t have another batter reach base until Lormand’s single to start the eighth.

Are You an Insider Yet?
SZ Insider. A look ahead into the big player feature, the big story, tips, rumors, and special opportunities for collectibles and memorabilia only available for our insiders. Free monthly to your e-mailbox. Click the link to subscribe to this FREE newsletter!