Milwaukee (50-42). 1. 6. 0

San Francisco (47-43). 2. 4. 2

Saturday, July 16, 2022

By Lewis Rubman

The San Francisco Giants center fielder Austin Slater (13) can’t quite reach a ball hit by the Milwaukee Brewers Hunter Renfroe in the top of the eighth inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco. It didn’t hurt the Giants chances as they came back for the victory in the bottom of the ninth. (AP News photo)

SAN FRANCISCO-Friday night’s dramatic Giant come from behind victory over the visiting Milwaukee Brewers was a hard act to follow. Saturday afternoon’s set between the two rivals, a 2-1 Giants win, managed to do that.

Before the game, the Giants announced the return of two players from the injured list and the placement of two others on it. Rejoining the team are pitcher Jacob Junis and third baseman Evan Longoria.

Going on the IL for 15 and 10 day, respectively, are right handed pitcher Mauricio Llovera, left last night’s contest in the fatidic fifth with what turned out to be a strained right flexor, and Crawford, Longoria’s partner on the left side of the infield. The veteran shortstop has been hampered by injuries all season long; his current one is an inflamed right knee.

The Giants’ starting pitcher also has been a visitor to the injured list. A neck strain kept him on it for 15 days, and this was his sixth start since his June 19 return to active duty. He went 0-2 since then with three no decisions and brought a 3-4, 4.57 mark to the game.

He was brilliant this afternoon, holding Milwaukee to one, unearned, run on four hits and no walks over 7-1/3 innings. He threw 99 pitches, 35 of which were balls. For all that, he went home with a no decision and an ERA reduced to 4.09.

Cobb’s opposite number, lefty Eric Lauer, came to Milwaukee in the deal that brought Luis Urías to the middle west. The five year veteran hurler brought a 6-3, 3.83 mark with him to this, his 17th start of the season.

His performance matched Cobb’s in its brilliance. He lasted seven frames and surrendered a single, earned, run, on only two hits, one of which went the distance, and three walks. He threw 108 pitches, 66 for strikes. He, too, got a no decision and a lowered ERA, 3.65.

The teams traded zeroes until, with two down in the bottom of the sixth, Darin Ruf unloaded on a 94mph four seamer that travelled 377 feet before landing in the left field bleacher. It was the Giants’ first baseman’s ninth home run and 32nd run batted in for the season and put the home team up, 1-0. A fragile lead, but, with the way Cobb, who had thrown only 71 pitches at that point, was dealing with the Brew Crew, a significant one.

That lead became more tenuous when Hunter Renfroe led off the Milwaukee eighth with. a double that sent Austin Slate turning one way and then another one the running track in front of the center field fence Slater misplayed the rebound, allowing Renfroe to take third on the error.

Omar Narváez brought him home with the tying tally on sac fly to left, ending Cobb´s shut out and his day’s work. John Brebbia took over for him. Brebbia walked number nine hitter Jonathan Davis on a full count, and the speedy centerfielder proceeded steak second.

The Giants challenged the call, but it was upheld on review. Christian Yellich struck out, and Bart turned Davis’s attempt at a repeat into a strike ’em out, throw ’em out inning ending double play.

Leading off the bottom of the eighth against Brent Siuter, Bart took a full count change up that home plate umpire Pat Hoberg thought was a strike. Slater and Flores hit back to back singles to left, putting runners on first and second.

Ruf grounded into an unassisted force out at third. That brought Jandel Gustave into the game for the second day in a row. He hit Longoria with a 95 MPH sinker, loading the bases with two outs for Yermín Mercedes.

The count went to two and two, and then came the climactic anticlimax: Hoberg called a balk on Gustave, and San Francisco was ahead, 2-1. Mercedes then took a called third strike. The umpire giveth, and the umpire taketh away.

Dominic Leone came to attempt the save. Adames legged out a hit to deep short and took second when Leone’s pick off throw went wild. But the lion hearted reliever buckled down to retire Tellez, McCutchen, and Wong in order, the last on a called third strike. Brebbia got the win and now is 5-1, 2.45. The save went to Leone, his second in four opportunities.

The loss was charged to Suter, whose record now stands at 1-3, 4.58.

The Giants will go for three in a row Sunday at 1:05, They’ll send Logan Webb (8-3,2.82) against the Brewers Aaron Ashby (2-6, 4.37).