San Jose Giants Win Opener

By Staff (Apr 10, 2009 )

By Mark Powell


One down, 139 to go.

The San Jose Giants defeated the defending California League champion Stockton Ports 5-1 in Thursday’s opening night game at Municipal Stadium — in cold, rainy conditions, and under the direction of manager Andy Skeels for the first time.

“Well, we didn’t do any cold-weather training for spring training in Arizona,” Skeels said. “Part of our club philosophy is that it doesn’t matter. If you spend enough time concentrating on the game and taking care of business, hopefully you don’t left too much of the other stuff affect you.”

Eighteen-year-old first baseman Angel Villalona smacked two hits in four at bats for San Jose, including a mammoth home run to left field in the sixth inning.

Skeels said Villalona, who may be the youngest player in the league, is still getting his feet wet. “For the time being, we take a little pressure off him not to try to do too much.”

San Jose’s pitching staff surrendered 10 hits to Stockton batters but did not allow a run until the ninth inning. Despite committing three errors in the field, the Giants nearly shut out the team that eliminated them from the playoffs last season.

“That was the team that knocked us out of the playoffs last year,” Giants starting pitcher Tim Alderson said. “We really wanted to come out and take it to them. Our bullpen did awesome, and hopefully they continue it.”

Alderson surrendered no runs, struck out two and walked one in four innings of work. The highly regarded 20-year-old prospect’s pitch count was being monitored, Skeels said.

Adam Cowart relieved Alderson to start the fifth inning and earned a win in relief in front of a paid crowd of 3,115.

“It’s not so much a strict pitch count, but we have a range,” Skeels said. “I thought he did well, and no sense sending him out for another inning then taking him out for a hitter. So, that’s kind of the way it fell, and it fell within that range.”

With the game scoreless in the bottom of the third inning, Giants left fielder Tim Neal smacked a solo home run to right field. Shortstop Brandon Crawford was awarded a base after being beaned by Stockton starting pitcher Tyson Ross, and later upped San Jose’s lead to 2-0 on Nick Noonan’s triple.

Villalona’s home run in the sixth inning off Chad Kerfoot gave the Giants a three-run advantage.

Giants catcher Buster Posey, drafted fifth overall by San Francisco in last year’s Major League Baseball amateur draft, had a rough start, going 0-for-5. Darren Ford scored from third base in the seventh inning when Posey grounded into a fielder’s choice.

Later in the seventh, a Conor Gillaspie single scored Crawford to put San Jose ahead 5-0.

The Ports’ lone run came with one out in the top of the ninth inning when Giants relief pitcher Wilmin Rodriguez allowed an RBI single to catcher Matt Smith.
Skeels said overall he was pleased with his first game as Giants’ manager.
“First series of the year, so you like to get it off on the right foot and hopefully set the tone early,” he said.