By Morris Phillips

SAN FRANCISCO–Since Gabe Kapler assumed the manager’s position, the Giants haven’t lost five, consecutive games.

That streak is jeopardy.

After a third straight game of scoring just one run, and losing 7-1, the Giants have lost four in a row, and six of seven. Their absence-laden lineup hasn’t cut it, forcing the pitching staff into a do-or-die situation in regards to surrendering one or two runs. Right now, the doomsdayers are circling, leaving the team to beg for patience.

“We hit some balls hard right at people,” Mike Yastrzemski said. “We’ve had some unlucky breaks, and we’re still in a mode where we’re waiting for some people to get back. It’s too early for there to be anything to worry about.”

The visiting Cardinals scored one in the third inning–on Yadier Molina’s home run–two in the fifth, and for in the seventh.

Miles Mikolas, a 33-year old starter with an unusual career arc, pitched into the sixth inning to gain the win. Mikolas has been a major leaguer since 2012 but he’s thrown more than 931 pitches in just two of those 11 seasons, winning 18 games in 2018, only to lose 14 games in 2019. Mikolas didn’t pitch at the big league level at all in 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2020. Since signing a four-year, $68 million dollar deal prior to 2019, he’s won just 11 games, but one of those 11 came Thursday.

Mikolas scattered seven hits and three walks across his 6 1/3 innings, which energized the Giants’ crowd at points only to see them leave 10 runners stranded over the length of the ballgame.

“We’re getting guys on, now we’ve got to find a way to get ’em in,” Brandon Crawford said.

The Giants rolled out nine arms to handle a ballgame in the absence of a traditional starter but saw Jose Alvarez and Jake McGee struggle as the pair allowed five of St. Louis’ seven runs. The Giants bullpen remains a bright spot in the early season with a gaggle of low ERA’s and quality relief efforts, but that doesn’t include McGee, who has allowed eight runs in 8 1/3 innings work.

Molina is in his 19th and presumed, final season and he’s still injecting the occasional, long ball. The iconic catcher has hit 20 home runs just twice in his career, but his 171 homers show he’s capable.

“I feel back to normal,” Molina said. “I started seeing the ball pretty good, I started making better at-bats. That’s what I can do. Hopefully I can keep doing what I’m doing right now, just having great at-bats and the results will come.”

The Giants turn to Alex Cobb in game two on Friday night. Jordan Hicks gets the start for the Cardinals.