Giants Season Ends With Game 2 Loss In Fresno
September 16, 2022 – California League (CalL) – San Jose Giants News Release
The San Jose Giants saw their 2022 season conclude with a 7-3 loss to the Fresno Grizzlies on Thursday night at Chukchansi Park. Following a 74-58 regular season and a playoff berth, the Giants were swept two-games-to-none by Fresno in the best-of-three North Division Series. The Grizzlies now advance to the Championship Series while San Jose’s bid for back-to-back titles came up short.
In Thursday’s Game 2, Fresno jumped out early scoring twice in the bottom of the first inning to take an early 2-0 lead. Giants starter Ryan Murphy issued a walk to Adael Amador to start the frame before Benny Montgomery singled putting runners on first and second. After Yanquiel Fernandez flied out, Jordan Beck grounded a single into left plating Amador with the first run of the game. A Juan Brito fly out then advanced Montgomery to third before Murphy uncorked a wild pitch scoring another run to make it 2-0.
The Grizzlies added to their lead in the bottom of the third as Montgomery led off with a triple to deep right center that ended Murphy’s night. Seth Lonsway was summoned from the bullpen, but he promptly allowed an RBI single to Fernandez as Fresno stretched their advantage to 3-0.
Meanwhile, San Jose managed only one hit over the first four innings against Grizzlies starting pitcher Brayan Castillo. The Giants loaded the bases in the top of the second with one out on a Ghordy Santos double, a walk and an HBP, but Castillo escaped when he retired Yorlis Rodriguez on a foul out and Diego Velasquez on a groundout. San Jose also had two on with none out in the top of the third as Wade Meckler reached on an error and Victor Bericoto walked, however Aeverson Arteaga lined out to right and Logan Wyatt bounced into an inning-ending double play.
With the score still at 3-0, the Giants though would finally breakthrough in the top of the fifth. A walk to Velasquez started the inning before Meckler singled to chase Castillo. Luis Amoroso entered for Fresno and was greeted by a Bericoto RBI single as Velasquez scored the first San Jose run of the contest. After Arteaga struck out, Wyatt stepped to the plate and blasted a deep fly ball to right center that bounced off the warning track and over the fence for an automatic double. The hit brought home Meckler as the Giants pulled within 3-2. Adrian Sugastey followed with an RBI groundout to shortstop as Bericoto scored tying the game 3-3.
Fresno, however, immediately responded in the bottom of the fifth with a four-run inning to take control of the game. With Lonsway still on the mound, Amador led off with a solo home run to left center to give the Grizzlies back the lead at 4-3. A one-out single from Fernandez prompted another pitching change as Jose Cruz was brought in and he surrendered a single to Beck as Fresno put runners on first and second. After a wild pitch advanced the runners, Brito hit a grounder to second that saw Velasquez throw out Fernandez at home for the second out. Brito then stole second before Juan Guerrero singled sharply through the hole on the left side to plate two and extend the Grizzlies lead to 6-3. A ringing triple to deep right center off the bat of Sterlin Thompson then scored the fourth run of the inning to put San Jose in a 7-3 hole.
The Giants would then not manage another hit for the remainder of the game as Fresno closed out the series. Grizzlies reliever Gabriel Barbosa, who entered to begin the top of the sixth, fired three scoreless innings with no hits allowed, one walk and three strikeouts. Fresno closer Angel Chivilli then tossed a 1-2-3 top of the ninth to end San Jose’s season.
The 2023 season for the San Jose Giants is scheduled to begin on April 6 at Excite Ballpark. For more information on season tickets and group packages in 2023, visit sjgiants.com.
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