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| On Deck: San Jose at Visalia |
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4/17/2008
San Jose Giants (9-5) at Visalia Oaks (7-7)
Jesse English is scheduled to start on
the mound Thursday night at Visalia
(photo by Barry Colla) |
At Recreation Park
• Thursday, April 17th at 7:05 PM
• Friday, April 18th at 7:05 PM
• Saturday, April 19th at 7:05 PM
• Sunday, April 20th at 1:05 PM
Pitching Match Ups
• Thursday – Jesse English (1-0, 1.86) at Chase Christanson (0-0, 5.23)
• Friday – Clayton Tanner (2-0, 0.00) at Barry Enright (0-2, 9.75)
• Saturday – Kevin Pucetas (2-0, 2.12) at Wes Roemer (1-0, 2.03)
• Sunday – Ben Snyder (1-0, 0.53) at Eddie Romero (0-2, 4.96)
THE SAN JOSE GIANTS… open a seven-game road trip on Thursday with the first of four straight contests against the Visalia Oaks at Recreation Park. San Jose enters the series in first place in the North Division with a 9-5 record – one game ahead of the Stockton Ports (8-6). The Giants had a five-game winning streak snapped in their last game on Wednesday when they dropped a 3-0 decision to Stockton. San Jose though finished the homestand with five victories over seven games.
Dominant Starting Pitching… The San Jose Giants have received tremendous starting pitching through the first 14 games of the season. The five-man starting rotation of Tim Alderson, Jesse English, Kevin Pucetas, Ben Snyder, and Clayton Tanner are a combined 8-1 with a 1.17 ERA (10 ER/76.2 IP). Tanner, who is slated to start on Friday, has yet to surrender an earned run through his first three starts (17 IP). Snyder, who will start on Sunday versus the Oaks, has worked 17 innings this season with one run allowed. The highest ERA in the group belongs to Kevin Pucetas at just 2.12. As a team, San Jose leads the California League in earned run average with a spectacular 2.02 mark.
Offensive Leaders… Catcher Pablo Sandoval continues to lead the Giants in most offensive categories. Sandoval paces the club with a .459 batting average (17-for-37) and three home runs. He and Ryan Rohlinger are tied for the top mark with 11 RBI. Matt Downs, Tyler Graham, and Mike McBryde have each stolen four bases to lead the team. San Jose is fourth in the California League with a .265 batting average.
Playoff History… The Giants and Oaks have faced each other in the postseason the last two years. In 2006, Visalia defeated San Jose 3-games-to-2 in the North Division Series. The Oaks won Game Five at Municipal Stadium to advance to the Championship Series. Last season, the Giants defeated the Oaks in four games to win the North Division title. Sandoval hit a sixth-inning go-ahead home run in the clinching victory last September at Recreation Park.
Visalia Oaks… The Oaks, an affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks, open their 2008 home schedule on Thursday against the Giants. Visalia was 7-7 on their 14-game road trip to begin the season. They had a four-game losing streak snapped on Wednesday with an 8-4 victory over Inland Empire. Outfielders Gerardo Parra (.353 AVG, 1 HR, 8 RBI) and Ed Easley (.351 AVG, 0 HR 4 RBI) lead the Oaks offensive attack. Visalia is sixth in the league with a .242 team batting average. The Giants will face a pair of high 2007 draft picks on the mound in this series. Second round pick Barry Enright will start on Friday while supplemental first rounder Wes Roemer gets the ball on Saturday. Enright has struggled in the early season having allowed 19 hits and 13 earned runs over 12 innings. Roemer (3 ER/13.1 IP) owns a 2.03 ERA through three starts.
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