Grand Slam Sinks Giants In 7–3 Loss
Rancho Cucamonga’s Jeter Downs hit a second-inning grand slam and the Giants were unable to recover in a 7–3 series-opening loss to the Quakes on Thursday night at LoanMart Field. In the first meeting of the season between Giants and Dodgers Cal League affiliates, San Jose hitters struck out 15 times as the club lost for the sixth time in their last seven games overall.
It was another abbreviated outing for a Giants starting pitcher as Aaron Phillips labored through his three-inning stint. Phillips escaped a bases loaded jam in the bottom of the first, but was unable to do it again in the second. A walk to Nick Yarnall began the pivotal second-inning rally before Tre Todd grounded a single into center. Brayan Morales then dropped down a bunt and reached safely when Phillips mishandled the ball for an error. Downs was up next and the Quakes leadoff man, who is considered one of the top hitting prospects in the Dodgers system, crushed a Phillips pitch over the fence down the left field line for a grand slam. The homer was Downs’ first of the year as Rancho Cucamonga jumped out to a 4–0 lead.
San Jose would chip away at the Quakes advantage as Logan Baldwin drove in all three Giants runs in the contest, but the comeback effort was ultimately halted.
In the third, Chris Corbett laced a one-out double into the left field corner before Baldwin stepped to the plate and launched the first pitch of his at-bat to deep center for a two-run home run. Baldwin smacked six homers last year in Augusta with Thursday’s blast marking his first in the California League.
Listen to Baldwin’s home run:
San Jose managed only one hit over the fourth, fifth and sixth innings against Rancho pitching, but would scratch across a run in the seventh to pull within 4–3. With one out, Kyle McPherson doubled down the right field line before Corbett grounded a single into left, his third hit of the game, to put runners on the corners. Baldwin then delivered a sacrifice fly to left as McPherson scored to trim the Quakes lead to a single run. Corbett, however, was stranded at first and the Giants then went down 1–2–3 in the top of the eighth before Rancho Cucamonga erupted in the bottom of the inning.
With reliever John Russell on the mound in the bottom of the eighth, Starling Heredia doubled to leadoff and Yarnell drew a walk. An errant pick-off throw from the catcher Corbett then advanced the runners to second and third before a Russell wild pitch brought home the first run of the inning. Morales followed with a ringing triple into the right field corner to score another run and then a Downs sacrifice fly, his fifth RBI of the night, made it 7–3.
Quakes reliever Max Gamboa fanned three in a scoreless top of the ninth bringing the final total of strikeouts for Quakes pitching in the game to 15.
GIANTS NOTES
Giants-Quakes Matchup
Thursday was the first of 12 meetings this season between San Jose and Rancho Cucamonga.
Chase Johnson Returns
2015 California League All-Star Chase Johnson returned to San Jose on Thursday from Triple-A Sacramento and tossed three hitless innings of long relief. Johnson, who is only expected to be with the club temporarily to provide bullpen innings, struck out five and retired nine of the ten batters he faced.
Starting Slow
Phillips (0–2) took the loss after yielding four runs (three earned) in three innings of work. He walked a career-high four batters and struck out three. It marked the fifth consecutive games that a San Jose starter failed to pitch past the third inning.
8–9 Spots Deliver
McPherson (2-for-4, 2B) and Corbett (3-for-4, 2B) combined for five of the Giants’ seven hits out of the #8 and #9 spots in the lineup.
On Deck
The Giants and Quakes play game two of their series on Friday evening with DJ Myers scheduled to start for San Jose. First pitch is at 7:05 PM.
