Giants Defeat Mavericks, Extend Win Streak To Six
SAN JOSE - The San Jose Giants extended their winning streak to a season-high six games with a 5-2 victory over the High Desert Mavericks on Saturday evening at Municipal Stadium. San Jose took the lead for good with a two-run bottom of the sixth while three Giants relievers combined to hold High Desert scoreless over the final four innings en route to the win. The victory improves San Jose's overall record to 25-11.
Devin Harris (2-for-4, 2 2B) doubled twice and Ryan Cavan (1-for-3, 2B, 2 RBI) drove home a pair of runs to lead the Giants offensively. Cavan's first-inning double extended his hitting streak to 19 games - the longest of any player in the California League this season. Shawn Payne (2-for-4, SB) also finished with a pair of hits for San Jose.
Jose Casilla (1-0) picked-up the win for the Giants in his season debut. The right-hander, who joined the club from Extended Spring Training earlier in the day, tossed two hitless innings with two strikeouts. Hunter Strickland struck out the side in a perfect top of the ninth to record his sixth save of the year.
With the game tied 2-2, Cavan began the sixth-inning rally by drawing a leadoff walk. Harris followed with a double down the left field line to move Cavan to third. Mac Williamson then struck out, but with Angel Villalona at the plate, a balk was called on Mavericks reliever Blake Houser allowing Cavan to score the go-ahead run. High Desert manager Jim Horner was ejected by base umpire Derek Eaton for arguing the balk call.
Villalona eventually struck out, but then Jeff Arnold reached base on a fielding error committed by shortstop Chris Taylor to bring home Harris for a 4-2 lead.
Casilla, who entered the game to begin the top of the sixth, pitched around a pair of two-out errors in his first inning of work to keep the game tied. After San Jose took the lead, Casilla fired a 1-2-3 top of the seventh.
Josh Osich (1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO) pitched the eighth inning for the Giants and allowed back-to-back one-out singles to Jabari Blash and Steven Baron to bring the potential go-ahead run to the plate. However, Osich recovered to set down Nate Melendres on a pop out before Jamal Austin struck out to end the inning.
San Jose added an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth as Harris doubled into the left center field gap with one out, moved to third on Williamson's single and scored when Villalona hit a sacrifice fly to center.
In the ninth, Strickland registered three consecutive strikeouts of Taylor, Anthony Phillips and Ji-Man Choi to end the game. Strickland threw only 10 pitches - all strikes - to notch the save.
High Desert starting pitcher Trevor Miller (1-4) suffered the loss after yielding four runs (three earned) on seven hits in five-plus innings of work. Miller, who was removed from the game after Harris' sixth-inning double, walked one and struck out two during his stint on the mound.
The Giants initially took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first as Payne began the frame with a single before Chris Lofton was hit by a pitch. Cavan then ripped a double to deep right center to score both runners.
Austin Fleet started on the mound for San Jose and worked the first five innings. Fleet allowed two runs (both earned) on five hits with two walks and three strikeouts. He began his outing with four scoreless innings as the Mavericks stranded runners in scoring position in the first, third and fourth frames. High Desert finally broke through against Fleet in the top of the fifth when Choi delivered a one-out, two-run single to tie the game 2-2.
Notes: San Jose has won the first two games of the series … Cavan's hitting streak is tied for the fifth-longest in San Jose Giants history … Casilla, who is coming back from Tommy John Surgery, last pitched in a game on May 6, 2011 … The Giants out-hit the Mavericks by a 9-7 margin … High Desert was just 1-for-11 with runners in scoring position … Strickland has picked-up the save in each of the first two games of the series combining for two perfect innings and five strikeouts … Williamson (1-for-4) extended his hitting streak to nine games.
On Deck: The Giants and Mavericks continue their four-game series on Sunday afternoon with first pitch at Municipal Stadium scheduled for 1:00 PM. Clayton Blackburn (2-0, 3.00 ERA) is slated to start on the mound for San Jose while High Desert is expected to counter with Bobby Shore (2-0, 4.38 ERA). It's a KBAY's Giant Sunday at the ballpark and tickets can be purchased by calling (408) 297-1435 or by visiting sjgiants.com.