San Jose - The San Jose Giants used a six-run top of the fifth inning en route to claiming an 8-4 victory over the Visalia Rawhide on Thursday evening at Recreation Park. In the rubber game of the three-game series, Thomas Neal and Roger Kieschnick both smacked home runs to lead a 13-hit offensive attack while Oliver Odle tossed six effective innings to earn the win on the mound. With the victory, San Jose has won three consecutive series’ on their road trip and improved their overall record to 21-13.

Kieschnick (3-for-5, 2B, HR, 2 RBI), Nick Noonan (2-for-5, RBI), Angel Villalona (2-for-4) and Shane Jordan (2-for-3, 2B) each finished with multiple-hit games for the Giants.
ADVERTISEMENT

With San Jose ahead by a 1-0 score, Rawhide starting pitcher Christian Beltre began the top of the fifth inning with a strikeout of Buster Posey. However, eight of the next nine Giants came through with hits as San Jose took control of the game.

Villalona started the rally with a single before Conor Gillaspie hammered an RBI triple to the fence in deep right center field. Vladimir Frias followed with a line drive single into right field plating Gillaspie for a 3-0 San Jose lead.

After Jordan reached on a bunt single and Brian Bocock struck out, Noonan singled sharply up the middle to score Frias. Then on the play, Visalia center fielder threw wildly to third base in an attempt to retire Jordan allowing a second run to score.

Neal then stepped to the plate and lined a two-run homer to left field pushing the Giants advantage to 7-0. The home run was Neal’s fifth of the season.

Odle (2-3) limited the Rawhide to four hits and three runs (one earned) during his long relief stint. Odle, who entered the game to begin the bottom of the second inning, struck out three and walked none.

Sergio Romo started the game on the mound for the Giants as part of a rehabilitation assignment. Romo, a San Francisco Giants relief pitcher who is recovering from an elbow injury, threw a scoreless bottom of the first with no hits allowed. Ollie Linton started the inning by drawing a walk, but was promptly thrown out at second base attempting to steal on a strike three pitch to the next batter, Eli Rumler. Taylor Harbin followed with a pop out to shortstop ending Romo’s night.

Odle faced the minimum nine hitters over his first three innings before surrendering a pair of unearned runs in the bottom of the fifth. Two errors committed by Bocock at shortstop allowed both runs to score cutting the Giants lead to 7-2.

Visalia added another run in the bottom of the seventh against Odle when Colin Cowgill tripled with one out and scored on Ed Easley’s ground out.

San Jose scored their final run of the night in the top of the ninth inning when Kieschnick connected for a two-out RBI double into the left field corner.

David Mixon (1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO) pitched a scoreless bottom of the eighth for the Giants before Wilmin Rodriguez (1/3 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 0 SO) allowed a single run in the ninth. Craig Whitaker (2/3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO) entered the game with a runner at second base and one out and quickly finished the contest by inducing Cowgill to ground out before Easley struck out swinging.

Beltre (0-2) suffered the loss for the Rawhide after yielding seven runs (all earned) on seven hits over 4 2/3 innings. Beltre had retired 10 consecutive Giants hitters at one point in his outing before San Jose’s outburst in the top of the fifth.

Kieschnick put the Giants ahead 1-0 with a solo home run to deep right field leading off the top of the second.

If you like the daily news of the Raw Feed, SUBSCRIBE TODAY to the nation's only alternative professional sports magazine, SZ, with original features and great action photography in baseball, hockey, basketball, and football. Just $11.99 per year for an e-zine like you’ve never seen!