In their season opener, the San Quentin Giants hit their way to a 12-5 victory over the San Quentin Athletics.
Down 3-2 in the bottom of the third inning, second baseman Chris Smith crushed a two-run homer to right field, giving the Giants the lead for good. Giants’ first baseman Mario Ellis double to center field, moved to third base on a passed ball, and scored on an error. After posting another run on a walk, Jose Sandoval hit a two- run double to right field to give the Giants a 8-3 lead.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, Giants third baseman Mark Jordan smacked a leadoff homer to left field.
The Giants extended their lead in the sixth inning, as Chris Deragon roped a RBI double to left field. Moments later, Smith hit his second two-run homer of the game from the opposite side of the plate, giving them a 12-3 lead.
“I wanted to be aggressive and just try and get on base,” Smith commented about hitting two home runs, one from each side of the plate. “I just wanted to get those runs in. And my thing was to get the win, no matter what it took.”
The A’s tried to respond as in the top of seventh inning as Nghiep “Ke” Lam hit a RBI double to left field. In the top of the eighth inning, after Isaiah Thompson Bonilla doubled, Carlyle Blake drove him home with a RBI single to center field, decreasing their deficit to 12-5. The A’s never scored again.
“The San Quentin Giants have strong unity as a team,” Giants head coach Frankie Smith said. “Each player compliments the others and that’s the best ingredient for success.”
Coach Smith acknowledged some of his standout players. He said, “In my eight years at San Quentin, I have never seen a player hit a home run from both sides of the plate. Jeff Dumont showed his ability to pitch and not just throw, pitching 7 2/3 innings of intelligent baseball, giving up two earned runs with six strikeouts.”
A’s outfielder Chris Marshall filled out the stat sheet, having singled, doubled twice, stealing three bases and was hit by a pitch.