Giants End Slide With 4-3 Victory Over Bakersfield
August 12, 2007 - California League (CalL1)
San Jose Giants News Release
The San Jose Giants edged the Bakersfield Blaze by a 4-3 score to snap a five-game losing streak on Sunday afternoon at Municipal Stadium. Adam Witter smacked a key two-run homer in the bottom of the fifth inning to break a 2-2 tie and give the Giants their first lead of the homestand. On the mound, Jason Waddell and Taylor Wilding combined to hold Bakersfield scoreless over the final three innings preserving the Giants lead. With the victory, San Jose improves their Second Half record to 26-24 and moves within four games of first-place Modesto (30-20) in the North Division.
Gregorio Martinez (6-10) earned the win on the mound to snap a personal three-game losing streak. Martinez worked five innings yielding two runs (both earned) on seven hits with two walks and five strikeouts.
Waddell (1 2/3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO) retired all five Blaze hitters he faced over the seventh and eighth innings. Wilding (1 1/3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO) was credited with his 12th save of the year after pitching through a two-out single in the eighth before a perfect top of the ninth.
With the score tied 2-2, Ben Copeland started the fifth-inning rally by drawing a two-out walk. After Copeland stole second, Witter blasted a 3-2 pitch from Bakersfield reliever Mike Wagner over the fence in straightaway center field for a two-run home run. The blast, Witter's 16th of the year, gave San Jose a 4-2 lead.
The Blaze jumped in front 2-0 on a pair of early solo home runs against Martinez. In the top of the first, John Whittleman connected for a two-out home run to right field. Then in the second, Jim Fasano, in his first game of the season with Bakersfield, belted a home run to deep left center.
San Jose tied the score with a pair of runs in the bottom of the third. Consecutive one-out doubles from Mike Mooney and Anthony Contreras produced the first run of the frame. Three batters later, Contreras scored on Copeland's ground out to shortstop.
Martinez allowed five hits after the Fasano home run, but did not surrender another run. Anthony Moreno (1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO) gave up a single run in the top of the sixth inning when Ben Harrison doubled with one out and eventually scored on Nick Cadena's ground out to make it 4-3.
Notes: The Giants had lost the first five games of the homestand ... Bakersfield out-hit San Jose by a 9-6 margin ... Witter has hit eight of his 16 home runs this season against the Blaze ... Waddell and Wilding lowered their ERA's to 1.31 and 1.70 respectively ... The Giants improved their overall record to 65-55 - one game better than Modesto (64-56) for the top mark in the North Division ... 20 games remain in the regular season.
On Deck: The Giants open a seven-game road trip with the first of three straight against the Stockton Ports on Monday night. First pitch at Banner Island Ballpark is scheduled for 7:05 P.M. Darren Sack (1-2, 4.58 ERA) is slated to start on the mound for San Jose while Stockton is expected to counter with Andrew Bailey (2-2, 3.89 ERA). The game can be heard live on www.sjgiants.com.
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California League Stories from August 12, 2007
- Giants End Slide With 4-3 Victory Over Bakersfield - San Jose Giants
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