Giants Power Past Grizzlies, 12-4
September 10, 2022 – California League (CalL) – San Jose Giants News Release
Eight extra-base hits, including three home runs, powered the San Jose Giants to a 12-4 victory over the Fresno Grizzlies on Friday evening at Excite Ballpark. Alexander Suarez hit a three-run homer and a two-RBI triple to lead the way offensively while Wade Meckler and Aeverson Arteaga also went deep in the convincing win. The Giants (74-56, 34-30 second half) evened their series with Fresno at two games apiece and won for the 10th time in their last 13 contests overall.
Every player in the San Jose lineup recorded a hit on Friday with Suarez (2-for-4, 3B, HR, 5 RBI) driving in five runs from the ninth spot in the order. Meckler (2-for-5, 2B, HR, RBI), Arteaga (2-for-5, HR, RBI) and Garrett Frechette (2-for-4, RBI) also finished with multi-hit games for the Giants. Meanwhile, three San Jose pitchers – Liam Simon, Manuel Mercedes and Julio Rodriguez – combined to limit the Grizzlies to only four hits.
Meckler opened the scoring when he blasted a leadoff home run to deep center in the bottom of the first inning. It was the first home run of Meckler’s professional career after the outfielder was selected in this year’s draft by the San Francisco Giants.
Simon, another 2022 draftee, was making his second with San Jose and worked 1 2/3 innings with one hit and one run allowed. After pitching around a pair of walks in the top of the first, Simon surrendered a single run in the second inning as Fresno tied the game. Braxton Fulford walked to start the frame before Juan Guerrero singled to put runners on the corners. A.J. Lewis then hit a sacrifice fly to plate Fulford as the Grizzlies drew even at 1-1. A groundout and another walk followed to end Simon’s night as Mercedes was then summoned from the bullpen. Mercedes walked Benny Montgomery to load the bases, but escaped without further damage when he retired the next hitter, Yanquiel Fernandez, on a fly out to left.
The Giants then went ahead for good on Suarez’s blast in the bottom of the second. Back-to-back walks to Anyesber Sivira and Andrew Kachel began the inning before Rayner Santana’s sacrifice bunt advanced the runners. After Frechette struck out, Suarez stepped to the plate and belted a three-run homer to left center. The home run, Suarez’s 12th of the season, gave San Jose a 4-1 lead.
A pair of unearned runs against Mercedes in the top of the third immediately brought Fresno back within 4-3, however Mercedes was able to keep the Giants in front. With a runner at third base and two outs, Guerrero hit a grounder to shortstop, but reached safely when Arteaga threw high to first. The error allowed the first run of the inning to score. Guerrero then stole second and scored himself when Lewis laced a double down the right field line. Mercedes though responded to strikeout Ben Sems with the potential tying run at second base to end the inning.
Mercedes breezed through the next two innings to maintain the one-run advantage tossing a 1-2-3 top of the fourth before pitching around a two-out walk in the fifth. Arteaga then connected for San Jose’s third home run of the night when he crushed a fly ball out to deep left center for his 13th round-tripper of the year and a 5-3 lead.
After another scoreless inning from Mercedes in the top of the sixth, the Giants began to break the game open with three runs in the bottom half. The first two batters of the inning were set down before Santana walked and Frechette singled. Suarez followed with a ringing triple off the fence in deep center as both runners easily scored. Suarez was then caught rounding third base too far on the play, but was also able to score when the throw home from the third baseman Sems sailed high. With three runs in the inning, San Jose stretched their lead to 8-3.
Mercedes finished his night with a four-pitch top of the seventh and the Giants would keep the pressure on with four more runs in the bottom of the inning. A leadoff double from Diego Velasquez, a single off the bat of Arteaga and a walk to Sivira loaded the bases with one out. Kachel then cleared the bases with a double to deep center as all three runners scored to make it 11-3.
Two batters later, Frechette brought home San Jose’s 12th and final run of the evening with an RBI single.
Rodriguez finished the game for the Giants pitching two innings with one run and no hits allowed. Two walks, a groundout and a sacrifice fly plated a run for Fresno in the top of the ninth to bring the game to its final margin of 12-4.
GIANTS NOTES
Home Run Chase: With their three long balls on Friday, the Giants are up to 148 home runs this season. San Jose needs three homers over their final two games to set a new single-season team record.
Suarez’s Big Night: Alexander Suarez’s five RBI’s matched the most by a Giants player in a game this season.
Mercedes Masterful: Manuel Mercedes earned the win after pitching a season-high tying 5 1/3 innings with no earned runs allowed (two runs total). Mercedes gave up three hits, walked four, struck out four and induced three double plays. Mercedes owns a 1.72 ERA (3 ER/15.2 IP) over his last three appearances.
Inside The Box Score: The Giants out-hit the Grizzlies 13-4. San Jose had eight extra-base hits to only one for Fresno. Aeverson Arteaga extended his hitting streak to 14 games. The Giants won despite issuing a season-high tying 10 walks.
Leadoff Blast: Wade Meckler hit the Giants’ sixth leadoff home run of the year. The previous five leadoff homers were all hit by Grant McCray before he was promoted to High-A Eugene last month.
Versus The Grizzlies: The Giants improved to 13-15 against Fresno this season, including a 10-6 mark at Excite Ballpark.
On Deck: The Giants and Grizzlies play the fifth game of their series on Saturday evening with first pitch at Excite Ballpark set for 6:00 PM. Joe Kemlage is San Jose’s scheduled starting pitcher.
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