SF Giants Minors Press Clips
Sunday, June 11, 2017
Sacramento River Cats
Calixte, Gillaspie lead River Cats to win in return
Evan Arnold-Gordon
Duo combine to go 3-for-7 with two runs, three RBI in 5-2 win over Reno
Orlando Calixte and Conor Gillaspie made their returns to the River Cats lineup Saturday night, helping
lead the Sacramento River Cats (24-37) to a 5-2 win over the Reno Aces (39-24) at Raley Field.
Sacramento took an early 3-0 lead in the second inning and never looked back, getting a bases-loaded
walk from Tim Federowicz and a two-run single from Calixte. After Reno got a run of their own in the
third, the River Cats responded by scoring two more runs to take a 5-1 lead. Seven of the eight River
Cats position players had a base hit in tonight's win.
The final Aces run came off starter Roberto Gomez who made his third spot-start of the season tonight.
He threw a season-high 74 pitches (43 strikes) and held the best offense in the Pacific Coast League to
two runs. From there on, the bullpen closed the door with left-hander Kraig Sitton picking up the win,
his team-leading fifth of the season. Submariner Tyler Rogers relieved Sitton in the seventh and earned
his third hold followed by Steven Okert who earned his first save in the ninth.
The River Cats will send right-hander Dan Slania (0-7, 7.85) to the hill for the third and decisive game of
the series. Left-hander Aaron Laffey (2-0, 3.99) will get the ball for Reno. First pitch is set for 1:05 p.m.
(PT) and the game can be heard live online at rivercats.com and on the air on ESPN 1320.
Postgame Notes
Calixte: Second baseman Orlando Calixte made his first start with Sacramento since May 28…Calixte
finished with the only two-hit performance of the night and also collected two RBI.
Gillaspie: Conor Gillaspie played all nine innings at third base in his rehab start with the River Cats
tonight…was Gillaspie's first game with Sacramento since May 23…went 1-for-3 with a run and an RBI,
his first with Sacramento this season.
Stepping up: Right-hander Roberto Gomez went a season-high 4.2 innings, allowing two runs (one
earned) on two hits while walking three…in each of his three starts, Gomez has increased his outing by
one inning…the River Cats are 3-0 when Gomez starts on the mound.
Turn two: The River Cats tied a season-high by turning three double plays tonight…Sacramento is now
second in the PCL with 68 double plays turned this year…Jae-Gyun Hwang has been involved in a team-
most 34 of them.
Richmond Flying Squirrels
Twice As Nice; Surging Squirrels Sweep Doubleheader
Red Hot Richmond Wins 4th Straight
Altoona, PA - The surging Flying Squirrels defeated Altoona twice on Saturday, extending their winning
streak to a season-high four games. Richmond (27-34) grabbed game one of the doubleheader by a final
of 6-2 and held on for a 3-2 win in the night cap. Andrew Suarez earned his fourth win of the season in
the first contest and the bullpen - led by Colin Balester - did the job in game two. The Squirrels have now
won eight of the past ten games and will seek their first series sweep of the season on Sunday evening
at 6 p.m.
Game 1
After collecting a season-high 18 hits on Friday, the Squirrels offense continued to impress in game one
on Saturday. The Squirrels struck for six runs on six hits, including a pair of home runs in the second
inning off of Austin Coley. Jeff Arnold opened the scoring with a two-run, line drive homer over the left
field wall. Myles Schroder brought home another pair of runs with a triple to right center and Miguel
Gomez added a two-run homer to go ahead 6-0. Gomez, hitting left-handed, lofted a soft fly ball that
carried over the left field wall. It was the sixth home run of the season for Gomez.
Andrew Suarez took the ball in game one for the Squirrels and turned in his eighth quality start of the
season. Suarez was solid and also received some stellar defense behind him, especially in the third
inning. With runners on second and first, Kevin Kramer lifted a single into right field. Elvis Escobar
attempted to score from second base on the hit but Myles Schroder came up with the ball and threw
him out at home plate.
The Curve managed a run off of Suarez on the fourth inning. Edwin Espinal doubled up the third base
line to begin the inning and advanced to third base on a wild pitch. Two batters later, Jordan Luplow
grounded out to shortstop, bringing home Espinal to make it 6-1. Suarez ended the inning with his first
of two strikeouts in the game.
It appeared Suarez might be in more trouble in the fifth when the first two batters reached. Suarez
gathered his composure and retired the next three hitters to keep the 6-1 lead in his favor. The lefty
needed just five pitches to retired the side in the sixth inning and returned to start the seventh. He came
up one out shy of tossing the seven inning complete game, leaving with two outs and runners on base.
Carlos Alvarado entered to close out the game and earn his second save of the season.
Altoona's starting right-hander Austin Coley (1-2) lasted five innings for the Curve and allowed six runs
on nine hits in the defeat. Coley struck out three and walked two prior to being relieved by RHP Buddy
Borden.
Game 2
Richmond's offensive onslaught carried over once again, this time with three runs in the first inning.
Myles Schroder began the attack with a single and Jerry Sands followed with a base hit to shallow left
center field. Schroder moved first to third on the play and forced a throwing error, allowing Sands to
take second base. Brandon Bednar then lined a single into center field to take a 1-0 lead and Carlos
Garica struck a two-run base hit to right. Altoona's Sean Keselica finally ended the inning on his 24th
pitch. The three runs in the first were just enough to complete the doubleheader sweep.
The Squirrels leaned on reliever Collin Baluster in a spot start for game two. Balester rose to the
occasion and allowed only one hit through the first three innings. Altoona scraped together an unearned
run in the fourth, but Balester was able to finish the inning in his longest outing since 2013. Balester
tossed four full innings and allowed one run (unearned) on two hits. He walked one and struck out two
in the no-decision.
Ryan Halstead replaced Balester in the fifth and retired the side in order. Halstead allowed a base hit in
the sixth and was removed in favor of Jarret Martin with one out in the inning. Martin recorded a strike
out and fly out to end the inning and earn the hold. Halstead (1-0) earned the win and Tyler Cyr closed
out the contest to pick up his seven save of the season. Cyr allowed a run in the seventh, but shut the
door with the tying run in scoring position.
The Flying Squirrels conclude their six day road trip in Altoona on Sunday evening. RHP Jose Flores (1-0,
1.21) is slated to start for Richmond against Altoona RHP Tanner Anderson (3-6, 4.37). Richmond will
return to The Diamond for a brief three game series starting on Tuesday, June 13 against New
Hampshire. Individual tickets, mini plans and group packages are on sale by contacting the Richmond
box office at 804-359-FUNN or online at www.squirrelsbaseball.com
San Jose Giants
Giants Drop Second Straight To Rawhide, 3-2
Reynolds hitting streak ends at 17 games in loss
VISALIA, CA - Visalia's Bo Takahashi struck out eight and allowed just one run over 6 1/3 innings before
the Rawhide bullpen held off the Giants late in a 3-2 victory over San Jose on Saturday evening at
Recreation Park. The Giants (26-36) have now dropped two out of the first three games in the series
with both losses coming by a single run.
Ryan Howard (3-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI) knocked out three hits and drove home both San Jose runs to lead the
way offensively in defeat. Jalen Miller (2-for-3, 2B, 3B) added a double and a triple for the Giants. Bryan
Reynolds saw his hitting streak snapped at 17 games following an 0-for-4 at the plate on Saturday.
Jake McCasland started on the mound for San Jose and escaped a bases loaded, none out jam in the
bottom of the first with a pair of strikeouts and a pop out. McCasland had retired six straight Visalia
batters until Matt McPhearson singled to begin the bottom of the third. A Sergio Alcantara groundout
then advanced McPhearson to second before Tyler Baker hammered an RBI double to the fence in deep
left center giving the Rawhide a 1-0 lead. Baker also took third on the throw home and scored himself to
make it 2-0 when the next batter, Marty Herum, hit a sacrifice fly to left.
Visalia pushed their advantage to 3-0 in the bottom of the fourth as Austin Byler walked with two outs
and immediately scored when the following batter, Daniel Lockhart, belted a double to deep left center.
Meanwhile, Takahashi allowed just two hits over five scoreless innings to begin his start. The Rawhide
right-hander retired 15 out of the first 17 batters he faced before Miller doubled into the left field
corner to begin the top of the sixth. Miller would then move to third on a Ronnie Jebavy groundout
before scoring the first Giants run when Howard grounded a single up the middle.
In the top of the seventh, Heath Quinn singled with one out to knock Takahashi out of the game, but
reliever Kirby Bellow entered from the bullpen and quickly got out of the inning by striking out Dillon
Dobson and setting down Gio Brusa on a pop out to second.
In the eighth, Miller tripled to deep right center with one out bringing the tying run to the plate for San
Jose. Bellow came back with a strikeout of Jebavy, but Howard then lined a two-out single into right
center bringing home Miller to trim the Visalia lead to 3-2. Bellow though prevented further damage
when he struck out Reynolds to retire the side.
Rawhide closer Bud Jeter then breezed through a 1-2-3 top of the ninth to seal the Visalia victory. Jeter
needed just seven pitches to set down the Giants in order.
Takahashi (4-2) earned the win for Visalia while Jeter collected his league-leading 14th save of the
season.
McCasland (2-6) suffered the loss despite matching a season-high with six innings pitched. McCasland
surrendered eight hits and three runs (all earned), walked two and struck out a season-high seven.
Notes
* The Giants fell to a league-worst 4-10 in one-run games this season.
* Reynolds went hitless in a game for the first time since May 19. He struck out twice and grounded out
twice (once into a double play) in his four plate appearances on Saturday.
* Visalia out-hit San Jose 8-7.
* Howard and Miller combined for five of the seven Giants hits.
* Takahashi, the reigning California League Pitcher of the Week, saw his scoreless inning streak snapped
at 18 with the Giants run in the top of the sixth.
* Connor Kaden (1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 SO) and Dylan Rheault (1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO) pitched scoreless
bottom of the seventh and eighth innings respectively out of the San Jose bullpen.
* Brusa (1-for-3) extended his hitting streak to eight games with a third-inning single.
* The Giants are 3-7 against Visalia this season.
* Saturday's loss guaranteed San Jose remains without a series win at Recreation Park since April 2013.
The Giants have gone 14-37 during the regular season in Visalia since that series win.
* Pitcher Michael Cederoth was added to San Jose's roster from Extended Spring Training before the
game on Saturday. Pitcher Matt Solter was placed on the 7-day DL while pitcher Heath Slatton was
transferred to Sacramento (AAA).
On Deck
The Giants will look to split the four-game set against Visalia when the teams conclude their series on
Sunday evening. First pitch at Recreation Park is scheduled for 6:00 PM. Conner Menez (4-2, 3.05 ERA) is
slated to start on the mound for San Jose while the Rawhide are expected to counter with Ryan Atkinson
(3-2, 3.11 ERA). The game can be heard live on sjgiants.com with coverage beginning at 5:40 PM.
Augusta GreenJackets
GreenJackets Take No No into Ninth
GreenJackets Pitch a Combined One Hitter
Augusta, GA-It was an historic day for the Augusta GreenJackets pitching staff. On Saturday night, the
GreenJackets combined to allow only one hit in a 7-1 victory over the Greenville Drive at Lake Olmstead
Stadium. The victory gave the GreenJackets their fourth win in five games and improved them to 19-38
on the season.
Raffi Vizcaino went six innings in his first start of the season with the GreenJackets after two previous
relief appearances. He allowed only one run without allowing any hits. He walked one and struck out
nine. He was perfect through the first four innings. Caleb Smith came on in relief and continued the
team no hit bid through the seventh and eighth. The bid ended when Lorenzo Cedrola singled to lead off
the ninth against Nolan Riggs who closed the game out for the GreenJackets.
Vizcaino's bid for a perfect game ended when he walked Chris Madera to begin the top of the fifth.
Madera advanced to third on a throwing error by Michael Bernal on a ball hit by Tucker Tubbs. He came
in to score on a sacrifice fly by Tyler Spoon to put the Drive on the board.
The GreenJackets took the early lead when Skyler Ewing hit a three run bases clearing double in the
bottom of the third making it 3-0 GreenJackets. With the GreenJackets leading 3-1 in the sixth, Ewing
came in to score on a single by Sandro Fabian to give the GreenJackets a 4-1 lead. Fabian then stole
second. Jacob Heyward followed by drawing a walk. Fabian came in to score on a single by Bernal.
Bernal advanced to second after being caught in a rundown and Heyward snuck home all the way from
first to extend the lead to 5-1. Bernal's hustle allowed him to score from second on a ground out by
Brandon Van Horn to make it 7-1.
The GreenJackets will be back in action Sunday evening for game three of their four game series with
the Drive. First pitch is scheduled for 5:05pm with the gates opening at 4:00pm. It is Super Hero,
Minions Day as part of Junior Jackets Kids Club Day presented by Associated Credit Union, EdVenture
Kids Museum, Pediatric Partners of Augusta, Tum-E Yummies, and PDQ. Kids ages 12 and under will also
be able to run the bases after the game. Before the game, kids will be able to play catch on the field with
the players.
Caleb Baragar (0-5, 5.66) will start on the mound for the GreenJackets against Bryan Mata (1-0, 1.80) for
the Drive.