San Francisco Giants’ J.D. Davis (7) is congratulated by Blake Sabol (2) and Joc Pederson (23) after scoring on a double by Michael Conforto against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the third inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Fri Jun 23, 2023 (AP News photo)

Arizona (46-31). 010 120 010. – 5. 8. 0

San Francisco (43-33). 003 050 00x – 8. 12. 1

Time: 2:25

Attendance: 31,992

Friday, June 23, 2023

By Lewis Rubman

SAN FRANCISCO–After going 10-0 since the end of their previous home stand, the Giants turned on a dime yesterday, losing 10-0 to the stumbling San Diego Padres. Tonight, facing the division leading Arizona Diamondbacks, Gabe Kapler’s crew had a chance to resume their rudely interrupted progress. They took advantage of the opportunity, winning, 8-5 and cutting a game off the D-Backs lead in the race for the NL West pennant.

Logan Webb, tonight’s starting pitcher for San Francisco, began the game as the team’s win leader with six. He also was the team’s leader in losses, again with six. His earned run average was 3.11. When the game was over, he was 7-6, but his ERA had risen to 3.16. He lasted seven full innings, throwing 98 pitches, 32 if them balls. Three of the four runs scored against him were earned, and they came on five hits, ne of the a four bagger. He struck out five and walked two.

The D-Backs chose ten year veteran Zach Davis, who was 1-3, 7.11 when he threw his first pitch. He needed to throw six more innings to reach his 1000th frame. He fell short of that milestone today, going four innings and allowing six runs, all earned but four posthumous, on six hits. He walked four and struck out two. He was charged with the loss and now is 1-4 with an ERA of 7.82.

After yesterday’s game, the Giants announced that they had bought outfielder Dalton Guthrie’s contract from the Phillies and assigned him to Sacramento. They found room for the newcomer on the 40 man roster by placing Mitch Haniger on the 60 day injured list.

Ex Giant Evan Longoria got a nice hand from the Oracle Park crowd when his first at bat was announced. It came in the top of the second, and Longoria’s reception immediately cooled off when he sent a 91 mph sinker 436 feet into center field, easily clearing the fence for his 10th homer and 20th RBI of the season and putting the visitors up, 1-0.

Michael Conforto’s two out double that rolled to the Bank of America advertisement just to the left of the 399 foot marker in center field turned the tables on the Snakes in the home third, making it 2-1 in favor of the hosts. Blake Sabol’s two bagger to the National Car Rental ad just to the left of the B of A sign plated Conforto and tacked another tally on to the Giant’s lead.

The Rattlers picked up an unearned run in the top of the fourth. With Christian Walker, who had walked, on first with two out, Alek Thomas hit a nubber in front of the plate. He beat Bailey’s throw to first for single and advanced to second when that throw sailed into right field. Thomas made it to second on the error, and Walker raced to third on the hit and scored on the error. That closed the gap to 3-2 in favor of the boys from the Bay.

Arizona resumed its attack in their next turn at bat. Jake McCarthy led off with a single that just slipped by a diving Isan Díaz at second and into right for a single. Ketel Marte followed with a double to right that zoomed tantalizingly close to Wade, playing first, putting two men in scoring position, Corbin Carroll hit a bounding ball to Wade, who got the force out at second, but Carroll beat out Crawford’s return throw to first, which allowed Perdomo to cross the plate with the tie breaking run. It now was 4-3, Arizona..

But not for long. Wade walked to open the bottom of the fifth. Marte couldn’t handle Pederson’s hard shot to second, which went for an infield hit. Wade scored from second and Pederson motored to third on Davis’s double down the line to left.

That ended Davies’ travails. Joe Mantiply relieved him and allowed the two inherited runners to core on Conforto’s double that landed just on the fair side of the right field foul line, close to the pole. Austin Salter pinch hit for Sabol and flew out to center, but Bailey smacked a homer over the National Car Rental sign, and – just like that – it was 8-4, San. Francisco.

Surprisingly, Mantiply stayed on for the sixth and set the Giants down in order. Drey Jameson took over for the Diamondbacks after the seventh inning stretch. San Francisco almost blew the game open against him, loading the bases. Then, with two away, Díaz, making his major league debut, sent towering fly to the back of the warning track in right, where McCarthy corralled it for the third out.

Tyler Rogers allowed Arizona a run in the eighth. It came on Texas League double to center by Corbin Carroll that Crawford made a valiant try for but couldn’t quite catch it. Carroll went to third on Walker’s single to right and then scored on a force out by Lourdes Gurriel, Jr. SF still lead, but now it was 8-5.

If the Giants are leading. by the three runs in the top of the ninth at Oracle Park, can Camilo Doval be far behind? Not tonight, at least, he couldn’t. Thanks to his 100 mph + cutter and a great play by Crawford for the third out, he put the Diamondbacks down in order to earn his 21st save and reduce his ERA to 1.82.

The Giants had returned quickly to their winning ways and now, though still in second place, only two and a half games behind Arizona for the division lead.

Saturday, afternoon, the rivals will face off in the second of this three game series. Game time is 1:05. The pitching match up is Merrill Kelly (9-3, 2.90) for Arizona against the Giants starter TBA. I suspect a bullpen game is in the offering. The first 20,000 fans will receive a food themed Hawaiian style shirt.