HUFF JOINS CLUB, GOES 1-FOR-5 AS GIANTS LOSE 8-3

San Francisco Giants first baseman Aubrey Huff began his second rehab stint with Class A San Jose late Saturday afternoon. Huff’s presence brought crowds but no victory to Municipal Stadium as Visalia defeated San Jose 8-3 to start the three-game series.

Shawn Sanford started for the first time since June 25 when he gave up eight runs against Stockton in four-plus innings. Sanford kept Visalia relatively in check for most of Saturday’s outing, giving up two runs on four hits in four and a third, striking out three. He was pulled in the fifth for submariner Phil McCormick who, along with fellow reliever Edward Concepcion, allowed four more runs in just 2/3 of an inning.

The loss drops Sanford to 5-6 on the season.

Manager Andy Skeels pulls Sanford in the fifth. (Conner Penfold/Working Titles)

Joe Panik congratulates Carter Jurica following his lead-off home run in the first. (Conner Penfold/Working Titles)

Second baseman Carter Jurica‘s lead-off homer, his third of the year, ignited the crowd early as San Jose held a 1-0 lead into the fourth.

Jurica went 2-for-5 on the afternoon and is 13-for-38 (.342) with a homer and seven RBIs in his last 10 games.

Huff went 1-for-5 with an eighth inning single, eventually scoring on Brennan Metzger’s RBI-single. He batted third as the designated hitter, riding the elliptical bike often between innings.

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