(Story by Marco Stoovelaar)
  Curaçao-infielder Polonius in Single-A Final
Nederlands
 VISALIA, California (USA) -
Curaçao-born infielder John Polonius has reached the best-of-five Final of the California League (Single-A Advanced) with the San Jose Giants (San Francisco Giants).
On Wednesday (September 16), the Giants won 6-5 in eleven innings vs. Visalia Rawhide (Arizona Diamondbacks) to win the best-of-five North Division Final, 3-2.
The deciding run was scored in the top of the eleventh inning when Angel Villalona homered to give the Giants a 6-5 lead.
The day before, the Giants had evened their series by winning 5-4 in 13 innings, thanks to a walk-off homerun by Villalona.
San Jose initially took an early 3-0 lead, then failed to hold onto a 5-2 lead.
After scoring once in the first at bat (homerun by Brandon Bednar), the Giants added two runs in the second inning.
Visalia got two runs back in its fourth (2-run homerun Gerson Montilla), but San Jose took more distance by scoring two more runs in the sixth (2-run homerun Brian Ragira).
However, Visalia then scored a run in the sixth, seventh (HR Tyler Baker) and eighth inning to come alongside.
In the top of the eleventh, it was again Villalona who decided the game in favor of the Giants.
John Polonius, who was inserted as pinch-runner in two earlier games of the series, didn't play in this match-up.
The San Jose Giants now will meet Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (Los Angeles Dodgers) in the best-of-five Final, that begins on Thursday (September 17).
The Quakes reached the final by winning the South Division Championship Series vs. High Desert Mavericks (Texas Rangers), 3-2.
The team won Game Five on Wednesday also with a 6-5 score, thanks to two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning.
With two outs, the Quakes got the bases loaded, then two runners scored on a walk-off single by pinch-hitter Delvis Morales.
Also on Wednesday, the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes were named California League Organization of the Year for the second time in the last three seasons.
(September 17)
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