Friday was an historic night at Excite Ballpark. The San Jose Giants established a new team record for runs scored in a home game with their 20–5 series-opening victory over the Modesto Nuts. The Giants eclipsed the previous team mark of 19 runs in a home game set back in 1994.

Back-to-back home runs from David Villar and Courtney Hawkins in the bottom of the first propelled San Jose to an early 3–0 lead before the club erupted for nine runs in the third to stretch their advantage to 12–0. The Giants would later add two runs in the fifth, three runs in the sixth before a three-run bottom of the seventh to set the record.

Courtney Hawkins (4-for-5, 2B, HR, 4 RBI), Manuel Geraldo (4-for-6, 2B, 3 RBI) and Sandro Fabian (4-for-5, 3 RBI) each had four hits to lead the San Jose offensive attack. The Giants pounded out a season-high 22 hits while seven players in the lineup drove in multiple runs.

The onslaught began early for San Jose with a pair of long balls in the bottom of the first. After the first two batters of the inning were retired, Dalton Combs worked a walk and moved to second on a wild pitch. Villar followed with a mammoth 430-foot two-run home run to straightaway center. The homer was Villar’s 10th of the season.

Listen to Villar’s home run:

Hawkins was up next and he blasted a 421-foot solo home run down the left field line for a 3–0 lead. Hawkins’ homer was his 10th of the year in the California League.

Hawkins home run highlight:

The Giants then produced their highest-scoring inning of the season when they sent 13 batters to the plate during a nine-run, six-hit bottom of the third. A one-out single from Hawkins started the rally before Fabian walked and Fabian Pena reached on catcher’s interference to load the bases. Kyle McPherson followed by lining a double to the fence in deep right plating both Hawkins and Fabian with the first two runs of the inning. After a walk to Brandon Van Horn to again load the bases, Geraldo singled sharply into left bringing home two more runs to extend the lead to 7–0. Heath Quinn then came up and added an RBI single before a Combs RBI groundout made it 9–0. After Villar was hit by a pitch, Hawkins delivered his second hit of the inning with a double into the gap in deep right center. The two-base hit scored two more runs stretching the lead to 11–0. Fabian then capped the scoring in the third with an RBI single for a 12–0 cushion.

Modesto came back with four runs over the fourth and fifth innings to cut the deficit to 12–4 before the Giants went back to work at the plate. In the bottom of the fifth, Quinn led off with a double before consecutive one-out walks to Villar and Hawkins loaded the bases. Fabian then bounced a single up the middle to score both Quinn and Villar pushing the lead to 14–4.

An inning later, three straight singles from McPherson, Van Horn and Geraldo produced a run. Three batters later, Villar hit a sacrifice fly and then a Hawkins RBI single gave San Jose a 17–4 lead.

The Giants then established their new record for runs in a home game with three more tallies in the bottom of the seventh. Pena led off with a single before one-out singles from Van Horn and Geraldo loaded the bases. Quinn then collected his third hit of the game with an RBI single to make it 18–4. Combs was up next and he also singled as two more came home for the 19th and 20th San Jose runs of the night.

Listen to Combs’ two-RBI hit that set a new Giants record for runs scored in a home game:

Courtney Hawkins had four hits, including a home run, in Friday’s record-setting win

GIANTS NOTES

In The Record Books

The previous home record of 19 runs was set on August 21, 1994 against the High Desert Mavericks. The Giants came up two runs shy of matching their single-game runs record of 22 (set on July 27, 1988 at Modesto). San Jose’s nine-run bottom of the third was one run away from tying the team record for runs scored in an inning at home (last accomplished in 2004).

Other Hitting Standouts

Other multi-hit games on Friday came from Heath Quinn (3-for-5, 2B, 2 RBI), Kyle McPherson (2-for-6, 2B, 2 RBI) and Brandon Van Horn (2-for-5).

Inside The Box Score

The Giants out-hit the Nuts 22–7. Among the 22 hits were 16 singles, four doubles and two home runs. San Jose was 13-for-23 (.565 AVG) with runners in scoring position.

Wong’s Start

Jake Wong started on the mound and earned his first win since June 1. Wong pitched five innings and allowed four runs (all earned) and five hits. He walked one and matched a career-high with seven strikeouts. Wong began his start with 3 2/3 hitless innings before surrendering a solo home run to Jake Scheiner with two outs in the top of the fourth.

Playoff Race

The Giants (54–63) moved to within a half-game of Stockton (54–62) for the second-best overall record in the North Division. If Visalia wins both halves (currently leading second half by five games over San Jose), the team with the second-best overall record in the division will qualify for the playoffs. The Giants have 22 games remaining in the regular season.

Roster Moves

The Giants made a flurry of roster moves before the game on Friday. Catcher Joey Bart, outfielder Heliot Ramos and pitcher Sean Hjelle were promoted to Double-A Richmond. Pitcher Tyler Schimpf returned to Salem-Keizer (Short-Season level) after making one relief appearance on Wednesday in Lake Elsinore. Catchers Hamlet Marte and Matt Malkin were added to the roster from Richmond and the Arizona Rookie League respectively. Marte was a California League All-Star in 2017 with the Lancaster JetHawks (Rockies affiliate).

On Deck

The Giants and Nuts play the middle game of their three-game series on Saturday evening with first pitch at Excite Ballpark set for 5:00 PM. Jose Marte is San Jose’s scheduled starting pitcher.