Martinez Dominates Visalia In 6-3 Giants Win
July 25, 2007 - California League (CalL1)
San Jose Giants News Release
Joe Martinez fanned ten over seven dominant innings to lead the San Jose Giants to a 6-3 victory over the Visalia Oaks on Tuesday night in the opener of a three-game series. In front of 3,208 fans at Municipal Stadium, Martinez allowed just three hits and one run with one walk during his stint on the mound. Offensively, David Maroul led the way with a pair of home runs as the Giants claimed their third consecutive victory. With the win, San Jose improves their Second Half record to 17-15 and remains three games behind the first-place Modesto Nuts (20-12).
Maroul (2-for-4, 2 HR, 3 RBI) hit two home runs in a game for the second time this season. Ben Copeland (3-for-4, 3B, RBI) and Brad Boyer (2-for-4, RBI) also finished with more than one hit for the Giants. Boyer extended his hitting streak to 12 games.
San Jose jumped in front with a pair of runs in the bottom of the first inning against losing pitcher Adam Howard. Brian Bocock started the rally with a one-out double into the left field corner. After Bocock stole third base, Copeland hammered a triple into deep right center field to give the Giants a 1-0 lead.
Copeland then scored when the following hitter, Adam Witter, reached on a throwing error committed by shortstop Pedro Ciriaco.
In the second, Maroul hammered an 0-2 pitch from Howard over the fence down the left field line for his first round-tripper of the contest. The blast pushed the San Jose advantage to 3-0.
Martinez allowed just one base runner - a third-inning infield single from Ciriaco - during the first six frames. The right-hander set down eight straight Visalia hitters to begin his outing before retiring 11 in a row after Ciriaco's hit.
In the top of the seventh, Aaron Cunningham belted a home run to left center field - just Visalia's second hit of the night - to make the score 3-1.
Brian Byrne followed the home run by drawing a walk before Jereme Milons smoked a two-out double into the left field corner to put runners at second and third. But Martinez pitched out of further trouble by inducing John Hester to ground out to shortstop.
The Giants reclaimed the momentum in the bottom of the seventh when Boyer led off with a single before Maroul connected for a two-run homer to left center field. The home run, Maroul's team-leading 18th of the season, extended the San Jose lead to 5-1.
Then in the eighth, Pablo Sandoval singled with one out before scoring three batters later on Boyer's single to left.
Ben Cox (2 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 3 SO) finished the contest out of the Giants bullpen. The right-hander pitched through a pair of walks to throw a scoreless eighth inning before surrendering a two-run homer to Byrne in the ninth. But Cox rebounded to set down the next three hitters after the Byrne home run to seal the San Jose victory.
Notes: Martinez (8-7) reached double figures in strike outs for the third time this year ... His season-high is 11 ... Martinez now leads the California League in strikeouts with 112 ... Copeland had reached base safely in eight consecutive plate appearances dating back to San Jose's last game before striking out in the bottom of the seventh ... Bocock (1-for-4, 2B, SB) and Sandoval (1-for-4) extended their hitting streaks to eight games apiece ... Maroul also homered twice in a game on June 10 at Lake Elsinore ... Howard (3-1) suffered his first loss of the season for the Oaks after allowing three runs (all earned) on six hits in six innings ... The Giants out-hit Visalia by a 10-5 margin ... San Jose improved their overall record to 56-46 - tops in the North Division.
On Deck: The Giants and Oaks continue this three-game series on Wednesday night with first pitch at Municipal Stadium scheduled for 7:00 P.M. Ronnie Ray (7-7, 5.40 ERA) is slated to start on the mound for San Jose while Visalia is expected to counter with Matt Torra (6-8, 7.66 ERA). Tickets can be purchased by calling (408)297-1435 or by visiting www.sjgiants.com.
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