Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., top, tags out San Francisco Giants’ Brandon Crawford, bottom, who was trying to stretch his RBI-single into a double during the sixth inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Sat Apr 8, 2023 (AP News photo)

Kansas City 000 001 131 – 6 8 1

San Francisco 004 010 000 – 5 12 0

Time: 2:23

Attendance: 35,126

Sunday, April 8, 2023

By Lewis Rubman

W.C. Fields once observed, “There comes a time in a man’s life when he must grab the bull by the tail and look the situation squarely in the face.” This afternoon’s debacle at Oracle Park was one of those times.

Sean Manea pitched seven beautiful innings against the Kansas Ciiy Royals. The Throwin’ Samoan kept the visitors off the board for five frames until Bobby Witt, Jr. led off the sixth with a 384 foot blast into left center off an 82 mph changeup.

He proceeded to set the next three batters down in order. At that point, the Giants were leading, 5-1 , thanks to a four run outburst in the third, sparked by LaMonte Wade, Jr. ‘s lead off round tripper off Bradiy Singer, KC’ s starting pitcher.

Wade’s dinger travelled 394 feet into right field and was his first home run since August 17th of last year. Michael Conforto’s single and a double by J.D. Davis put both of them in scoring position. The former came home on Joc Pederson’s sac fly to left, and the latter crossed the plate on a single by Thairo Estrada, also to left.

San Franciso tacked on another tally in sixth on an Estrada two bagger and an RBI single by Brandon Crawford, who was thrown out at second trying to stretch his safety, ending the inning.

At that point, Manea had thrown six innings of three hit ball, including Witt’s shot that accounted for KC’s only run, which was earned. The ex-Athletic righty had struck out eight, against one walk and a hit batter. That’s when the Giants’ fortunes changed. 54 of his 76 pitches were counted as strikes.

And that’s where the home team’s troubles began. The SF brain trust called on Ross Stripling, who had been announced on Friday as today’s probable starter, to pitch a little set up relief. It was no relief, and it felt as if the Giants had been set up by fate.

At the time, Franmil Reyes’s lead off homer looked like a little glitch in the radar, just one of those things. But his four bagger, his second of the year, was an omen.

With two out in the eighth, four outs away from a 5-2 Giants win, Edward Olivares and M.J. Meléndez hit back to back singles, bringing up the power hitting all-star catch, Salvador Pérez, the only member of the Kansas City team the Giants had defeated in the 2014 World Series still active with the team. He got a modicum of revenge by taking Stripling’s 88 mph splitter 375 feet deep into left center and turning what looked like a sure Giant victory into a 5-5 tie.

John Brebbia ended the onslaught, and Camilo Doval opened the ninth, trying to prevent further damage. Vinnie Pasquantino opened with a two base hit. Nate Eaton pinch ran for him. For a short while, it looked as if The Curse of the Lead Off Double would do its work.

Michael Massey popped out to Crawford, and Hunter Dozier grounded out to third, allowing Eaton to advance to that base. Then, with Kyle Isbel at bat, Brebbia decided to try a new pitch he’d been working on, a change up. It got past Blake Sabol, the catcher, who recovered it almost in time to tag the head first sliding Eaton, who just managed to score the leading and eventually tying run.

The Giants’ last ditch attempt to salvage the day was brief. Arnoldis Chapman got Wilmer Flores to swing at and miss a 100 mph fastball for the first out. A pinch hitting David Villar was retired on a pop foul to first, and Conforto fell victim to an 89 mph slider for a called third strike.

Taylor Clarke, who pitched the eighth for Kansas City, got the win, making his record 1-0, 5.40. Chapman got the save, his first of the year. He’s yet to be scored upon. And, of course, Doval was charged with the loss. His record now stands at 0-1, 6.00.

The so far one sided series will resume Sunday afternoon at 1:05. Left handed Kris Bubic (0-1, 3.60) is slated to go up against righty Anthony DeSclafani (1-0,0.00).