New York Mets pitcher Joey Lucchesi works against the San Francisco Giants during the first inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Fri Apr 21, 2023 (AP News photo)

New York. 010 030 003. – 7. 13. 0

San Francisco. 000 000 000 – 0. 5. 1

Time: 2:15

Attendance: 27,557

Friday, April 21, 2023

By Lewis Rubman

SAN FRANCISCO–In spite of the stark contrast between the visiting New York Mets’ game time won-lost record of 13-7 and your San Francisco Giants’ mark of 6-12, Mets outcome of the encounter was not a foregone conclusion. The home team entrusted mound duties to the pitcher who has been, in the three weeks that have constituted this season, the ace of its rotation, Anthony DeSclafani, 01-1.42 in his three starts.

The Metropolitans gave the ball to southpaw sinker hurler Joey Lucchesi, the holder of a 19-24, 4.24 mark over a three year span with the Padres and Mets. In 2021, he was sidelined in order to undergo Tommy John surgery and spent last season rehabbing in the minors. Tonight marked his return to the show.

Forgone or not, the outcome of the game was a blow out in favor of the visitors from Queens, a resounding 7-0 defeat for the hoe tea.

Lucchesi, a bay area product from Newark, throws the sinker about 60% of the time, He was good. at it tonight. The Giants hit into three double play during the lefty’s seven inninbgs on the mound , and he’d allowed only men to reach base, four on hits and two on walks. He threw 97 pitches 65 for strikes and was unscored upon.Brooks Raley, like Lucchesi a southpaw, replaced him for the bottom of the eighth, retiring San Francisco in order.

A pitcher’s best friend got DeScalfani out of trouble in the first, but hard hit balls – one of which, number nine batter Luis Guillorme’s two out single with two men on base – had seeing eyes, left him behind, 1-0, when the inning was over.

A combination of factorss cost him and the Giants three more runs in the top of the fifth. Guillorlme led off with a single to center, Brandon Nemmo, who began the day hitting .368, sacrificed him to second. DeSclafani struck Lindor out looking. Jeff McNeil hit a swinging bunt in front of the mound. Joey Bart pounced on it and threw a strike to first. The ball hit McNeil, allowing him to reach first safely and Guillorme to score.

The rule book says thwart when a batter or run reaches base on a throw that hits him, it should be charged as an error to him., so the scorer’s decision to charge Bart with an error was correct albeit unjust. The play itself set up Pete Alonso’s 10th home run of the season, a 415 foot wallop to center that gave him 21 runs batted in and the Metros a 4-0 cushion,

DeScalfani didn’t come out to pitch the sixth. In his five innings on the hill, the righty yielded four runs, all earned but at least three of them undeserved, on seven hits and two walks. He struck out five Metropolitans and threw 80 pitches, 27 of which were balls. His ERA rose to 2.63. Taylor Rogers, who’s bee having trouble getting outs this year, set the New Yorkers down in order in the sixth. Go, as they say in Gottham, figure.

Sean Hjelle replaced Rogers for seventh. He faced the top of the order and yielded only a single to McNeil. He struck oout Nemmo, Lindor, and Alonso. (Don’t let Lindor’s .233l batting average fool you. He started the day batting .290 from the left side, and Hjelle is a righty).

He returned to the hill for the eighth and set the side down in order. He gave up a two out single in the ninth when Estrada broke towards his left and Nemmo poked the ball to the shortstop’s right and into center field. Lindor followed with a clean single to left.

Then Hjelledd hit McNeil with a pitch to load the base for Alonso. He singled. As did Vogelbach. Mark Canha added his safety to mix. At long last, Brett Baty popped out to second, ending the nightmare.

Tommy Hunter completed the shut out, allowing a single to Darin Ruf,, but nothing more.

The win, of course, went to Lucchesi. DeSclafani took the loss.

At 1:05 tomorrow, Saturday, afternoon, the Giants will try to bring their record, which now stands at 6-13, a step closer to .500. They’ll send Logan Webb (0-4, 4.94) to the mound to oppose the Mets’ David Peterson (1-2, 6.10).