By DANIEL DULLUM
Sports Radio Service
Sunday, May 15, 2016
AP photo of San Francisco Giants shortstop Brandon Crawford 35 turning a double play on the force on Arizona Diamondbacks Brandon Drury 27 at Chase Field Sunday
PHOENIX, Arizona – Though it required a little drama, the San Francisco Giants left the Valley of the Sun on Sunday with a four-game sweep under their belts.
A video review of the game’s disputed final play insured that the Giants slipped past Arizona 2-1 and return to first place in the National League West by ½ game over Los Angeles.
When Diamondbacks pinch-hitter Rickie Weeks Jr. hit into a fielder’s choice, the relay throw by Crawford appeared to pull Belt off the bag, initially allowing pinch-runner Ahmed to score what would have been the game-tying run.
“Belt made a heck of a pick on that play and it happened so fast, I think the umpire (Gabe Morales) thought he came off the bag,” Giants Manager Bruce Bochy said. “And we were challenging whether or not (Brandon Drury) was out at second, so there were a lot of challenges going on, including the slide at second.
After a 3-minute, 24-second review, the call was reversed to a 4-6-3 game-ending double play.
“It started with an inside pitch to Weeks that jammed him, and we did a good job of turning two there,” Bochy said. “That’s not an easy pick for Belt. He completed the play and that was a great way to end the game.”
San Francisco surged ahead 2-1 in the top of the ninth on an RBI single by Brandon Crawford. Hunter Pence led off with a base hit to greet Diamondbacks closer Brad Ziegler (1-2). Brandon Belt followed with a single, and Crawford delivered a base hit to right, allowing Pence to score the go-ahead run from second.
After issuing an intentional walk to Conor Gillespie to load the bases, Trevor Brown hit into a 6-4-3 double play to end the rally.
With one out in the Arizona ninth, San Francisco closer Santiago Casilla issued a walk to Yasmany Tomãs, and his pinch-runner, Ahmed, scampered to third on a single by Drury. That set up the dramatic finish that disappointed many of the 25,007 who saw the game.
“That double play at the end was an easy call,” Bochy said. “It was a double play and we were pretty confident we would win that appeal.
“There was a lot of drama waiting to see what the call was going to be.”
Hunter Strickland (2-0), who retired the two batters he faced in the eighth inning, picked up the win. Casilla earned his ninth save.
“Our pitching has done a great job here against a tough lineup. Our bullpen was great in this series,” Bochy said. “(Arizona) swept us the last time we saw them, so it was good to come here and get four.”
Brown had the only hit off De La Rosa, a solo home run in the fourth inning that gave the Giants an early 1-0 lead. Otherwise, De La Rosa only allowed walks to Brandon Belt, Angel Pagan and Conor Gillespie, with five strikeouts.
“It looked like (De La Rosa) was trying to go away and it ran a little to the middle on him,” Brown said. “I was just trying to be aggressive because he’s a hard thrower. So I looked for a fastball and he left one in the middle of the plate for me.”
Matt Cain had one of his better outings of the season, giving up one run on seven hits with seven strikeouts and four walks. Cain also worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the sixth, and benefitted from the defense turning three double plays behind him – four total.
“Matt’s really gained traction in his last two starts,” Bochy said. “He did a good job today. He had good command, and the run he gave up was a cheap run after a wild pitch. He did a great job of pitching out of trouble with good, quality pitches to get ground balls.”
Though Cain has struggled in his first six starts and hasn’t won a game since July 22, 2015, Bochy feels the veteran righthander is making progress in his last two starts while bouncing back from surgery in February to remove a cyst from his throwing arm.
“His confidence has grown and his stuff is fine,” Bochy said. “His bullpens and warmups have been great. But in the game, things just weren’t going well for him. I think, now, he feels his stuff is fine, he’s healthy, and he’s more settled in.”
Arizona manufactured the tying run in the fourth inning. With one out, Jake Lamb doubled, went to third on a wild pitch and scored on Paul Goldschmidt’s sacrifice fly to center.
The Diamondbacks’ Chris Herrmann – AKA “America’s Backup Catcher” – was in center field instead of behind the plate for De La Rosa. On the game-ending play, he said, “It was a tough way to lose a game. Replay is a part of the game now, so what can you really do? It’s a bad way to go out, and nobody wants to lose a game like that.
“We should have tied the game. They made the call, and there’s nothing we can do.”
GIANT JOTTINGS: After an off-day, the Giants head to San Diego for three games against the Padres. San Diego will face, in order, Madison Bumgarner (4-2), Johnny Cueto (5-1) and Jeff Samardzija (5-2). … RHP George Kontos (right flexor strain) has finished his rehab assignment with Triple-A Sacramento. He’s expected to be activated on Tuesday. On Monday, the Diamondbacks are hosting the New York Yankees and honoring the late baseball legend Joe Garagiola, who passed away in March. Garagiola was a part-time D-Backs television announcer until 2013, and a radio-TV voice of the Yankees from 1965-68. … The D-Backs extended their Triple-A contract with Reno through 2018.
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