3/29: The Giants won ‘Ugly’ today in their make-up game against Terra Linda. The game boasted eight errors (four by each team), base-running blunders, ten walks, and took an extra frame to determine a winner, as the teams were deadlocked, 5-5, after seven complete innings. Redwood took home the victory 7-5, but it would be a costly Terra Linda throwing error that lead them to the winner’s circle.
The Giants jumped out on top early, scoring a run in the first on a Genki LeClair double and Michael Connors knocked him home with a single to right. The Trojans scored two quick runs of their own in the bottom of the first on three walks, a hit batsmen, and a single, ending the day for starter Josh Cohen. Michael Benz came in relief and gave up a run on a fielder’s choice and ended the inning by snagging a hard hit liner back to the mound.
Drew Jacks took advantage of his first start of the year by leading off the top of the second with a single. Riley Marsh sent him to second on a perfect sacrifice bunt and one of yesterday’s heroes, Dane Goodman, knocked him home on a double to right and would follow Jacks across the plate as an errant Trojan throw ended up some netting on the sideline tying the game 3-3. Benz would face the minimum in the bottom of the second when, with a runner on first and one out, Aubrey Sine made a spectacular catch on a drive to center and doubled the runner off on a one-hop throw to Nicolas Belgum.
With two outs in the top of the third, Pascal Brassey smoked a double to center, but the inning ended on a hard hit grounder to short. Benz gave up consecutive hits to the Trojans #3 and #4 hitters to lead off the inning. Terra Linda scored later in the inning on a grounder to short taking the game to the top of the fourth with the Giants trailing 4-3.
The score remained 4-3 until the top of the fifth. Genki LeClair led off the inning with a walk and Nicolas Belgum took a free base after wearing a 1-0 fastball, putting runners on first and second. Michael Connors dropped a perfect bunt, resulting in his second hit of the day and loading the bases for the Giants. An infield fly left the Giants with one out and the hot-hitting Pascal Brassey at the plate. Brassey dropped a perfect bunt to score LeClair from third, tying the game and with the bases loaded, Trevor Foehr knocked in the go-ahead run by belting a grounder to second, putting the Giants up 5-4. Foehr got the start behind the plate today and was stellar on defense, making three spectacular catches on crazy, wind-blown pop-ups. Benz relied on his defense in the bottom of the fifth, inducing a pop-out to Foehr, a line-out to Brassey and a fly-out to Aubrey Sine in center.
After going down in the top of the sixth, the Giants remained up 5-4 in the bottom of the frame, but the Trojans started the inning with two consecutive hits, and after a Giants error they would tie the game on a grounder to third.
With two outs in the top of the seventh, Brassey singled to right and would be lifted for the speedy Josh Katz. Katz would be left on the bases taking the game to the bottom of the seventh, still tied 5-5. Benz sent the Trojans down in order in the bottom of the seventh taking the game into extra innings.
Drew Jacks led off the eigth with a single and after a Riley Marsh sacrifice bunt, stood on second with one out. It took just eight more pitches (all balls) for the Giants to load the bases after Dane Goodman and Genki LeClair both walked. After a force play at the plate, Dane Goodman drew a throw from the Trojans catcher at third. The throw skipped in front of the third baseman and travelled down the third-baseline, sending Goodman and LeClair home, putting the Giants up 7-5 going into the bottom of the eighth. After giving up a single and another Giants error, with two-outs Benz fielded a grounder and tossed to first to end the game, sealing the Giants fourth consecutive win and his second win on the season.
Dane Goodman and Genki LeClair both had hits for the Giants with Michael Connors, Pascal Brassey and Drew Jacks each notching a multi-hit game for Redwood.
The Giants are now tied with Marin Catholic with a 4-1 record in second place in the MCAL. They are on the road on Friday in Napa against Justin-Siena at 4:30. Justin is due for a win as they have dropped their last seven games and are 0-5 in conference play.