The Sharks used the long ball to jumpstart a sluggish offense en route to a 13-2 victory over Santa Clara today at Francis Gherini Memorial Field in Oxnard.
Malibu’s first hit of the game was Michael Gwyn’s first homerun of the season, a blast that tied the score 1-1 in the third inning. One inning later, Jamie Van Soelen’s league-leading fourth homerun put the Sharks ahead to stay as Phil Johnson and Geoff Roth combined to limit the Saints to two runs on six hits. Johnson went five innings to earn his fourth win of the season.
Santa Clara got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the first. After Johnson retired leadoff hitter Eric Navarro on a comebacker, Anthony Gonzalez was hit by a pitch. A.J. Laboriante followed with a double down the left field line that moved Gonzalez to third. Brian Yunker popped out to short center field, but Gonzalez tagged and scored on the play just ahead of Weinstock’s throw to the plate.
After a leadoff walk to Weinstock, Santa Clara starter Phil Smith settled in and retired the Sharks in order until Gwyn came to the plate with one out in the top of the third. Down in the count 0-2, Gwyn jumped on a hanging curve ball, sending it over the fence in left.
In the top of the fourth, with one out and Phil Johnson on first via a walk, Van Soelen hit an 0-1 pitch over the fence in right to put the Sharks up 3-1. Jason Puklus followed with a line drive single to left. After Puklus stole second, designated hitter Brooks Fitch then hit a ground ball to third. Saints third baseman Anthony Gonzalez threw wildly to first allowing Puklus to score and Fitch to reach second. Gwyn walked to bring Stephen Williams to the plate. Williams lined a 1-0 pitch to score Fitch and move Gwyn to third. After Weinstock walked to load the bases, Roth flied to center. A perfect throw nailed Gwyn at the plate to end the inning.
The Sharks loaded the bases again in the fifth inning but failed to extend their 5-1 lead. Daniel Williams singled to center and stole second. Johnson walked. After Van Soelen flied to left for the first out, Puklus walked to load the bases. Fitch struck out, bring Gwyn to the plate. On an 0-1 pitch, Williams attempted to steal home but Laboriante applied the tag to end the inning.
Santa Clara put together three singles in the bottom of the fifth to make the score 5-2, but the Sharks answered with a run in the top of the sixth inning. Gwyn was hit by a pitch to start the inning. Stephen Williams followed with an infield hit. With runners on first and second and no outs, Weinstock beat out a well-placed bunt to load the bases. Jared Weinstock, hitting for Roth, grounded into a fielder’s choice for the first out of the inning. Daniel Williams then flied deep to the left field corner. The ball was caught in foul territory, but Stephen Williams tagged and scored easily from third.
Stephen Williams waits for a pitch against Santa Clara.
After Chris Hernandez reached for the Saints on an error, Roth entered in relief of Johnson. A controversial play on a sacrifice bunt allowed Hernandez to advance all the way to third. The Santa Clara batter appeared to come into contact with his own bunt in fair territory up the first base line. Although Williams threw to Johnson at first for the out, alert baserunning by Hernandez allowed him to reach third. Roth responded by striking out Ruben Landeros and getting Matt Tougas to ground out to Puklus at short.
The Sharks sealed the victory with seven runs in the seventh inning. Van Soelen walked and Puklus was hit by a pitch. After a pitching change for the Saints, Fitch walked to load the bases. Gwyn then popped to short for the first out and Stephen Williams walked to drive in Van Soelen. Brett Weinstock was hit by a pitch to score Puklus. Roth struck out for the second out of the inning. Daniel Williams then roped a single to left to drive in Fitch and the younger Williams. Weinstock also scored and Williams went to second as the ball got past the Santa Clara left fielder. Johnson followed with a single that drove in Williams. Van Soelen doubled into the left field corner to knock in Johnson with the seventh and final run of the inning.
For the Sharks, Jamie Van Soelen was 2-for-4 with a homerun and a double. Michael Gwyn was 1-for-2 with a homerun, a walk, and a hit by pitch. Brett Weinstock was 2-for-2 with two walks and a hit by pitch. Daniel Williams was 2-for-4 plus a sacrifice fly. Stephen Williams was 2-for-3 with a walk. Van Soelen and Daniel Williams had three RBIs each.
The Sharks return to Santa Clara on Monday for another game with the Saints.
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