Steven Johnson pitches gem in 66ers win; Quakes lose

Steven Johnson took a one-hitter into the ninth inning and fell one out short of his first career complete game, settling for a combined three-hitter as the 66ers defeated the San Jose Giants 2-1 at San Jose Municipal Stadium Wednesday night.

Ben Copeland doubled to lead off the first inning for San Jose, but Johnson didn’t allow another hit until the ninth inning. That’s when Copeland led off with another double. With two outs, Copeland was still on second before Buster Posey singled him in, cutting the Sixers’ lead to 2-1. That was the end of Johnson’s night after 105 pitches. He struck out 10 and walked two in 8 2/3 innings. Greg Miller came in to get the final out and record his first save.

San Jose had three erorrs and a passed ball leading to both Sixers runs (in the third and fifth innings), which were unearned. Trayvon Robinson, Pedro Baez and Justin Fuller had two hits apiece for the Sixers.

HIGH DESERT 6, QUAKES 4

A night after losing 19-8, the Quakes were much more respectable, but still didn’t come away with a win in Adelant on Wednesday.

Quakes starter Esmerlin Jimenez (2-2) was resepectable, allowing two earned runs in five innings. But reliever Jeremy Haynes allowed three earned runs in 2 2/3 innings, turning a 3-2 Quakes deficit into a 6-2 deficit and making their two runs in the ninth not enough. Julio Perez (2-for-3, run) and Alberto Rosario (2-for-4, run, RBI)  led the Quakes. Juan Diaz was 3-for-4 with an RBI and Jamie McOwen was 2-for-4 with two RBI to lead the Mavericks’ attack.