The New York Yankees Alex Verdugo (24) and Aaron Judge (99) leap for joy after Judge’s home run in the top of the sixth inning at Yankee Stadium in New York on Fri May 31, 2024 (AP News photo)

New York (AL) (40-19). 003 003 000 6. 9. 0

San Francisco (29-29). 010.001 000. 2 7. 1

Time: 2:24

Attendance: 35,018

Friday, May 31, 2024

By Lewis Rubman

SAN FRANCISCO–Friday night’s 6-2 loss to the American League leading New York Yankees was not entirely unexpected in spite of the home team’s just finished taking two out of three from the major league leading Philadelphia Phillies.

The Giants’ injury problems are too numerous and too well known to recount. Nevertheless, we have an update on them. Marco Luciano was placed on the 15 day IL after injuring his hamstring in last Wednesday’s game. Casey Schmitt has been recalled from Sacramento as his replacement. The good news is that Nick Ahmed is on the mind.

The visitors have an injury problem of their own. Clarke Schmidt, their number two starting pitcher, who was 5-3, 2.52 in 11 appearances this year, was placed on the 15 day injured list, retroactive to May 27, yesterday.

Dr. Neal ElAtrrache, whose name has become familiar to Giants’ fans in the past few weeks, diagnosed Schmidt with a right lateral strain. The right hander was the probable pitcher for Saturday’s, contest, but isn’t expected to throw for at least four weeks.

Cody Poteet will replace Schmidt in the rotation, and Cody Morris will take his place in the roster. Gerrit Cole, who went 15-4, 2.63 last year, still is out of action and will have to wait a few weeks before he can combat test his inflamed elbow

Jordan Hicks, who used to be a reliever, hasn’t acted in that capacity all this season. This was his 12th start of the year, and he brought a record of 4-1,2.33 to it. Some people wear their heart on their sleeve; the 27 year old righty wears the inscription “Type 1” on his cleats because he, like the A’s rookie phenom, Mason Miller, is a type one diabetic.

Hicks underperformed tonight. He exited the scene after hurling 5-1/3 innings, in which he delivered 101 pitches, 68 of which went into the books as strikes. Four of the five runs he was charged with were earned, and they came on eight hits, two of which left the park. He didn’t walk anybody, though, and notched four Ks. He was the losing pitcher and went home with a record of 4-2, 2.70.

Hicks was matched against nine year veteran and two time all-star Marcus Stroman. It also was his 12th start of the year, and he came into it at 4-2, 2.76, with an ERA of 1.78 in his previous five. He hadn’t allowed a run in three of his 11 starts.

Friday night, however, Hicks gave up two runs, both earned, before Luke Weaver relieved him with one out and the bases empty in the home half of the eighth and finished up the game by allowing only a ninth inning single to Estrada. Stroman threw 91 pitches, 56 for strikes, and allowed six hits and two walks on the way to gaining his fifth win and lowering his already impressive earned run average to 2.73.

San Francisco thwarted The Curse of the Leadoff Double to draw first blood in the second inning. Patrick Bailey followed Matt Chapman’s Texas League two bagger to right right with a line drive that just barely evaded second sacker Glyber Torres’ glove for a single to right that put runners on the corners. Jorge Soler’s sacrifice fly to right brought Chapman home.

That advantage was short lived. Aaron Judge gave it a death sentence with his 394 foot blast over the Hanwha Life advertisement for his 19th home run and 42nd, 43rd, and 44th RBI of the season. Anthony Volpe and Juan Soto, each of whom had singled, were on base with one man out at the time.

Judge homered again in his next at bat a towering 426 foot blast over the fence, into the net just to the right of the Giants’ bullpen, making it 4-1 in the top of the sixth. After that Hicks retired Verdugo, surrendered an infield hit to Torres, and retired for the night.

Taylor Rogers replaced him, and all hell broke loose. Anthony Rizzo smacked an authoritative double to right, moving Torres to third. In his attempt to relay Mike Yastrzemski’s throw from right Rogers overthrew home and allowed both Torres and Rizzo to score. The Bronx Bombers now held a 6-1 lead.

A two out double in the bottom of the inning by Mike Yastrzemski with Trenton Brooks, who had walked, on base inched the Giants closer by a run. They never got closer.

Luke Jackson set the visitors down in order in their half of the seventh. Sean Hjelle opened the top of the eighth by retiring Judge, who had gone three for three, on a fly to right and putting the Yanks down without allowing any one to reach base safely in that inning or the ninth.

However disappointing the defeat was, the Giants’ first baseman, Brooks had the consolation of getting his first major league hit, a single to right in third. He was wiped out in the next play when Luis Matos hit into a 6-4-3 twin killing and walked and struck out in his two remaining plate appearances.

Saturday, evening the plan is for the Giants’ RHP Logan Webb (4-4, 2.74) to face off against the Yankees RHP Cody Poteet (1-0, 1.50). It probably will offer San Francisco its best shot for winning one of the three games in this series. First pitch is slated for 7:05pm PT.