Grand Slam in the 8th Beats Gulls

Darryl Cias broke a 4-4 tie with a two-out grand slam in the bottom of the eighth inning to lead the San Jose Bees past the Ventura County Gulls, 8-4, Thursday night in a California League game at San Jose’s Municipal Stadium.

The Bees trailed, 4-3, entering the eighth, but scored five times with two out off Gull reliever and loser Hugh Brinson (2-3).

Shawn Barton led off the inning for San Jose with a single and moved to third when Daryl Scioners singled two outs later.

Brinson then tried to pick Scioners off first, but his throw hit the former Angel and allowed Barton to score the tying run. Brinson was charged with an error.

Dave Okubo and Ken Reitz then walked, before Cias, a former member of the Oakland A’s and a Kennedy High graduate, hit the first pitch he saw from Brinson over the left-field fence. The home run was his first of the year.

Ventura had taken a 4-3 lead in the top of the inning on a two-run single by Domingo Martinez. Darryl Landrum began the inning with a single and went to second on a single by Geronimo Berroa. One out later, Martinez brought home the two runs.

But Brinson, who came in for starter Todd Stottlemyre in the seventh, could not hold the lead.

Jeff Blobaum picked up the win for San Jose, giving up three hits while striking out two in 1 innings. Yoshi Nakashima pitched the first 7 for San Jose, giving up eight hits and four earned runs.

Greg Myers was 3 for 5 for the Gulls, while Jim Bishop was 3 for 4. Myers scored the game’s first run in the second inning. He singled and scored on successive base hits by Berroa and Martinez.

San Jose tied the score in the second on Okubo’s run-scoring single.

Ventura regained the lead in the sixth, as Landrum and Myers singled. Two outs later, Bishop singled home Landrum for a 2-1 lead.

San Jose went ahead, 3-2, in the sixth on a two-run double by Okubo.

Stottlemyre pitched six innings for the Gulls, giving up three earned runs and six hits. He struck out eight and walked two.