By Jeremy Harness

AP photo: San Francisco Giant pitcher Matt Cain got shell shocked after the Boston Red Sox got around on the ball on him last Wednesday night at Fenway Park

Last weekend showed why absolutely nothing is certain in the game of baseball.

After closing out the first half of the season with the best record in the majors despite hitting the skids a bit going into the All-Star break, the Giants appear to have an easy way to get things moving again paved beautifully for them.

After all, they had the San Diego Padres, to whom they had not lost a single game the entire year, waiting for them as they headed down south for a three-game series, with Madison Bumgarner, Johnny Cueto and Jeff Samardzija waiting to take the ball and get the Giants three quick wins.

Well, not only did they have their winning streak snapped, but they were swept in that weekend series in embarrassing fashion, as the second game ended as closer Santiago Casilla not only blew a one-run lead without recording a single out, but he balked in the winning run in a manner that has not been seen on the major-league level in a very long time.

Partially due to this, the team is reported to be looking to shore up their bullpen ahead of the league’s trade deadline.

The struggles did not end in San Diego, however. The Giants then dropped two more games to the Boston Red Sox, as starters Jake Peavy and Matt Cain, who was making his first start since mid-June, each struggled. Meanwhile, they have seen their considerable lead in the National League West dwindle to four games over the rival Los Angeles Dodgers.

For the Giants, that help cannot come fast enough. They still have a three-game series in New York against the Yankees, with whom the Giants have struggled over the years, before returning home to face the Cincinnati Reds for a three-gamer that starts on Monday, to be followed by a four-game series when the Washington Nationals pay a visit to AT&T Park.