Playoff Bound: Giants Clinch Postseason Berth, Will Play Fresno In Division Series
September 7, 2022 – California League (CalL) – San Jose Giants News Release
For the third consecutive season, the San Jose Giants are headed to the playoffs! The Giants officially clinched a postseason berth on Tuesday night and will play the Fresno Grizzlies in the best-of-three North Division Series beginning on September 13. By virtue of Modesto’s elimination from the second half race, San Jose (72-55) secured the Wild Card in the North Division. Fresno clinched the second half title in the North with a 12-6 win over the Giants on Tuesday at Excite Ballpark.
San Jose will host Game 1 of the North Division Series on Tuesday, September 13 at Excite Ballpark. Games 2 and 3 will be in Fresno on Thursday, September 15 and Friday, September 16 respectively. The winner advances to the California League Championship Series beginning on Sunday, September 18.
Tuesday marked the beginning of the final series of the regular season with Fresno snapping the Giants’ five-game win streak behind a barrage of four home runs. The Grizzlies scored five runs in the top of the second inning on the strength of a pair of homers and never looked back. After the first two batters of the frame were retired, San Jose starting pitcher Seth Lonsway plunked Braxton Fulford before A.J. Lewis singled. E.J. Andrews Jr. was up next and he crushed a three-run home run to straightaway center to put Fresno on the board. A single from Adael Amador followed the homer before Benny Montgomery stepped to the plate and belted a fly ball over the fence in center for a two-run round-tripper and a 5-0 Grizzlies advantage.
The Giants got one run back in the bottom of the second as Yorlis Rodriguez connected for a solo homer to left. The long ball was Rodriguez’s 16th of the season.
Fresno kept the pressure on though in the top of the third as Braxton Fulford smacked an opposite field two-run homer to right off of Lonsway to extend the Grizzlies lead to 7-1.
Lonsway (9-3) was saddled with the loss after yielding seven runs (all earned) on seven hits in his three innings of work. All seven runs came via Fresno homers.
San Jose pulled within 7-4 with two runs in the bottom of the third and a single tally in the fourth, but would get no closer. In the bottom of the third, Anyesber Sivira drew a leadoff walk before Victor Bericoto was hit by a pitch. Wade Meckler then laced a double to the fence in deep center plating Sivira with the first run of the inning. Aeverson Arteaga’s groundout then scored Bericoto to make it a 7-3 game.
An inning later, Sivira singled with two out, was balked to second and scored on a Bericoto single to trim the Grizzlies lead to 7-4.
Another Fulford homer in the top of the fifth, however, gave Fresno back the momentum. With reliever Yoniel Ramirez on the mound, Sterlin Thompson began the inning with a single before Fulford blasted his second two-run homer of the game – a deep drive to straightaway center – as the Grizzlies stretched their lead to 9-4. Later in the inning, Montgomery singled home two more runs as Fresno enjoyed an 11-4 cushion.
The Giants’ final two runs of the contest came in the bottom of the fifth as Logan Wyatt walked before consecutive singles from Adrian Sugastey and Diego Velasquez loaded the bases with none out. Rodriguez’s 6-4-3 double play then scored one run before P.J. Hilson knocked in another with an RBI single to cut the deficit to 11-6.
San Jose though would leave seven runners on base over the final four innings and did not score again. A single run in the top of the ninth for the Grizzlies would bring the game to its final margin of 12-6.
GIANTS NOTES
Third Straight Postseason Appearance: The Giants have reached the playoffs for a third consecutive season. San Jose was also a Wild Card team in 2019 and lost to Visalia in the North Division Series. After the 2020 season was cancelled, the Giants won the league championship in 2021 after a sweep of the Fresno Grizzlies. San Jose last won back-to-back titles in 2009 and 2010.
Standings Update: Fresno (39-22) is now seven games ahead of Modesto (32-29) and San Jose (32-29) in the second half standings with only five games remaining in the regular season. The Grizzlies, who also won the first half in the North Division, have the best overall record in the league at 80-47. With the Grizzlies winning both halves, the Giants reach the playoffs as the club with the second-best overall record in the North Division. San Jose (72-55) officially clinched the second-best record last week (currently 10 games ahead of third-place Modesto).
Inside The Box Score: Fresno out-hit the Giants 13-9 on Tuesday. San Jose drew nine walks, but left 13 runners on base. P.J. Hilson (2-for-5, RBI) was the only Giants player to finish with a multi-hit game. Aeverson Arteaga (1-for-3, RBI) extended his hitting streak to 11 games.
Roster Moves: Infielder Damon Dues and pitcher Spencer Bivens were promoted to High-A Eugene before the game on Tuesday. Infielder Andrew Kachel and pitcher Mikell Manzano have joined the Giants from the Arizona Complex League (Rookie).
On Deck: The Giants and Grizzlies play the second game of their six-game series on Wednesday afternoon with first pitch at Excite Ballpark set for 1:00 PM. Will Kempner is San Jose’s scheduled starting pitcher.
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