RANCHO CUCAMONGA - The Rancho Cucamonga Quakes scored a pair of runs in the top of the 11th inning to defeat the San Jose Giants 5-3 on Sunday evening at Municipal Stadium.  Giants reliever Trey Webb issued a pair of one-out walks before Andrew Romine grounded an RBI single into left field to score the go-ahead run for the Quakes as Rancho Cucamonga salvaged a game of the three-game series.  With the loss, San Jose’s second half record drops to 28-10.
 
Darren Ford (2-for-5, HR, RBI, SB), Thomas Neal (2-for-5) and Conor Gillaspie (2-for-4, RBI) each finished with multi-hit games to the lead the Giants offensively.  San Jose scored twice with two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning to tie the game, but also stranded five runners on base over the final four frames.
 
With the Giants trailing by a 3-1 score, Neal began the eighth inning rally with a two-out single into right.  Roger Kieschnick followed with a double down the right field line before David Maroul drew a walk to load the bases.  Quakes reliever Michael Kohn then walked Gillaspie on five pitches to force home one run before a wild pitch with Brian Bocock at the plate scored Kieschnick to tie the game at 3-3.  Kohn though did recover to set down Bocock on a pop out to shortstop stranding the potential go-ahead run at third base.
 
In the bottom of the ninth, San Jose had a chance to win the game as Ford singled with two outs before stealing second.  However, Kohn induced Rich Aurilia to fly out to left field sending the contest into extra innings.
 
The Giants received a two-out single in the bottom of the 10th from Maroul, but failed to score.  In the 11th, Webb issued back-to-back one-out walks to Jake Rife and Alberto Rosario before Romine singled into left field on the ninth pitch of his at-bat.  On the play, Rife was able to score from second base to put Rancho Cucamonga back in front.  Webb then walked Abel Nieves before Hector Estrella delivered a sacrifice fly to make it 5-3.
 
Nestor Rojas singled with one out in the bottom of the 11th for San Jose, but Nick Noonan followed by popping out before Ford flied to center ending the game.
 
Kyle Nicholson made the start on the mound for the Giants and worked five innings with three runs (two earned) on nine hits allowed.  Nicholson, who was making his San Jose debut after a promotion from Augusta (Low-A) last Friday, struck out three and walked none.
 
Rancho Cucamonga initially took a 1-0 lead with a single run in the top of the first before Ford led off the bottom of the first inning with a home run to deep left center field.  In the second, Jeremy Moore singled with none out, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt, moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on Rife’s two-out double.  Then in the fifth, four singles produced a run against Nicholson to extend the Quakes lead to 3-1.
 
Ryan Shaver (1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO) and Mike Musgrave (1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO) pitched scoreless sixth and seventh innings respectively out of the Giants bullpen before Wilmin Rodriguez (3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 3 SO) worked three shutout frames.  Webb (0-1) was charged with his first loss after yielding two runs (both earned) on two hits with three walks and one strikeout during the top of the 11th.
 
San Jose produced a pair of singles in the bottom of the second inning, but didn’t manage another hit against Rancho Cucamonga starter Manuel Flores until Gillaspie led off the seventh with a single.  Flores, who was making his California League debut, tossed seven innings with one run and five hits allowed.  The right-hander struck out six and walked one.
 
Notes: The Giants still won two out of three games in the series … Nicholson was 7-8 with a 2.80 ERA in 18 starts with Augusta this season … Rodriguez lowered his ERA to 1.90 over a team-high 38 relief appearances … Rancho Cucamonga out-hit San Jose by a 14-10 margin … The Giants only had three at-bats the entire game with runners in scoring position (0-for-3) … Aurilia started at second base for the first time this season and was 0-for-5 with an error … He is hitless in seven at-bats in the first two games of his rehabilitation assignment.
 
On Deck: The Giants will enjoy an off day on Monday before continuing their homestand on Tuesday evening with the opener of a three-game series against the Visalia Rawhide.  First pitch at Municipal Stadium is scheduled for 7:00 PM.  T.J. Brewer (3-2, 4.20 ERA) is slated to start on the mound for San Jose while Visalia is expected to counter with Trevor Harden (1-8, 4.72 ERA).  Tickets are available and can be purchased by calling (408)297-1435 or by visiting www.sjgiants.com.

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