San Jose wins Low-A West title

On Friday night, it was all smiles for the baseball teams in the Bay Area.

After the San Francisco Giants reached the 100-win threshold, their Low-A affiliate, the San Jose Giants, clinched the Low-A West title for the seventh league title in the organization’s history with a 7-2 win to close out a three-game sweep of Fresno.

San Jose’s last title came in 2010, and they captured a championship as a San Francisco affiliate in the years of 1998, 2001, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2010 and now, 2021.

The first inning was highlighted with offense by both sides. Fresno struck first with a two-run single off the bat of outfielder Robby Martin Jr., which would prove to be the only runs Fresno would score in the game.

San Jose quickly regained the lead in the bottom of the first, off an RBI single from No. 8 prospect Patrick Bailey, a wild pitch on a walk by No. 3 prospect Luis Matos that brought home second baseman Jimmy Glowenke and an RBI single by designated hitter Ghordy Santos.

After the explosive opening inning, the bats went quiet for both teams due to San Jose’s starter Nick Swiney and Fresno’s bullpen arms settling in. Swiney, the Giants’ No. 16 prospect, tossed four innings with six strikeouts, allowing four hits and two walks.

Fresno’s starter Noah Gotsis was yanked after allowing three runs in 1 2/3 innings, but relievers Anderson Pilar and Blair Calvo combined to toss 4 1/3 innings, striking out six, walking four and allowing one run while yielding no hits.

The run came on a sacrifice fly from Matos in the fifth inning and San Jose would continue to tack on runs from there. In the seventh inning, No. 26 prospect Grant McCray smacked a solo homer to make the score 5-2.

In the eighth, Matos would crank a solo homer of his own and third basemen Yorlis Rodriguez doubled in a run to give the game its final score of 7-2.

The game was closed out with a clean ninth inning from reliever Cole Waites to give San Jose its Low-A West trophy.

Despite finishing the season with two more wins, San Jose ended the year a half game behind Fresno in the standings. San Jose had a record of 76-44 in its championship season.