Month: May 2024

San Francisco Giants Luis Matos connects for a two run single in the top of the eighth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Sat May 18, 2024 (AP News photo)

Saturday, May 18, 2024

Oracle Park

San Francisco, California

Colorado Rockies 4 (15-30)

San Francisco Giants 14 (22-25)

Win: Kyle Harrison (4-1)

Loss: Ty Blach (1-2)

Time: 2:47

Attendance: 31,098

By Stephen Ruderman

SAN FRANCISCO–Luis Matos led the way, as the Giants’ offense kept their rhythm from Friday night going to blow out the Rockies 14-4 in a resilient team effort, and the Giants have finally won three games in a row for the first time this season.

The Giants salvaged a game against the Dodgers with a win Wednesday night. Then after learning the news that Jung-hoo Lee was lost for the season, the Giants came back with an offensive explosion to win the series opener last night, which snapped a seven-game winning streak for the Rockies.

The two teams would be right back at it for a Saturday afternoon affair at Oracle Park. The Giants had a chance to win three games in a row for the first time this season, as they sent Kyle Harrison to the mound. Harrison struggled early, but bounced back for an overall-solid outing against the Cincinnati Reds on Sunday.

The Rockies scored three runs off Sean Hjelle in the top of the first inning last night, but the top of the first inning today was the exact opposite for Harrison, who threw a 1-2-3 inning. Former Giant Ty Blach made the start for Colorado, and he immediately ran into trouble in the bottom of the first.

Thairo Estrada lined a single the other way to right field with one out, and he advanced to third on a two-out double by Matt Chapman. Luis Matos then came up, and he blasted a three-run home run to left-center to put the Giants up 3-0.

Harrison pitched a scoreless top of the second after a leadoff walk to Elehuris Montero, and the Giants would be right back at it in the bottom of the second. Marco Luciano led off the inning with a double to right, and he advanced to third on a groundout by Mike Yastrzemski. Curt Casali walked, and Jorge Soler lined a double to left to score Luciano and make it 4-0. Estrada then knocked in Casale with a sacrifice fly to center.

The Giants carried a 5-0 lead into the third inning, but the Rockies were ready to put a dent into it. Hunter Goodman led off the top of the third with a double for Colorado’s first hit of the game. Alan Trejo struck out swinging for the first out, but Ezequiel Tovar lined a base-hit just to the left of straightaway center to put the Rockies on the board.

Brendan Rodgers popped out to second, but Ryan McMahon walked, and Tovar and McMahon advanced to second third on a wild pitch by Harrison. Montero then lined a base-hit to left-center to score two and cut the Giants’ lead to 5-3.

“I really wanted to [go] out there, pound the zone and get us back in the dugout,” said Harrison. “[I] just wasn’t able to execute those changeups down in the zone when I needed to.

The Giants had a response in the bottom of the third. Matt Chapman lined a single to right to start the inning, and Matos doubled to center to make it 6-3.

Harrison settled back down with a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the fourth, and Peter Lambert replaced Blach for the bottom of the fourth and pitched a scoreless inning. Harrison survived a pair of singles in the top of the fifth, but he was really saved when Matos robbed Alan Trejo of a home run to start the inning.

It was the second time in three games that Matos took a home run away from a player, as Matos also took a home run away from Teoscar Hernandez in the top of the fourth inning on Wednesday night against the Dodgers. Like his catch to rob Hernandez, Matos crashed into one of the unpadded portions of the wall.

That would end Harrison’s day, and Harrison had a very similar pitching line compared to his last start. Like his start on Sunday, Harrison gave up three earned runs over five innings of work, but he had much better control today, as he issued just two walks after issuing five on Sunday.

“[The Rockies] had some good swings on him [and] made him work pretty hard,” said Manager Bob Melvin. “I [would have] liked to have him go back out again [for the sixth inning], but at the time, it seem[ed] like they were squaring him up toward the end, more so.”

The Giants went down scoreless against Lambert in the bottom of the fifth, and the Rockies would rally against Ryan Walker, who was brought in for the top of the sixth. Brenton Doyle reached on an infield single to start the inning and then stole second. Following a pair of strikeouts, Goodman hit a loft line drive up the middle into center to score Doyle and close the gap to 6-4.

The Giants would get the run back in the bottom of the sixth. Marco Luciano hit his second double of the game to start the inning, and then Yastrzemski walked, which forced Lambert out of the game. Rockies Manager Bud Black went to Justin Lawrence to face Casali, who laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance the runners to second and third for Jorge Soler, who knocked in Luciano with a single to left.

The Giants were unable to add on any further in the bottom of the sixth, as they led 7-4 going to the seventh. Left-hander Erik Miller was summoned by Bob Melvin, but he ran into trouble with one out in the top of the seventh. Rodgers and McMahon each singled to bring the tying run up to the plate in Elehuris Montero, but Miller bore down and struck out Montero and Brenton Doyle to end the inning.

The Giants tacked on another run off of Lawrence in the bottom of the seventh. Matt Chapman hit a leadoff double and scored on a base-hit to left by Heliot Ramos, who continued to stay hot.

Tyler Rogers came in for the eighth, and of course he ran into trouble, as the Rockies, who would not go down quietly, put runners at the corners with one out. Fortunately for the Giants, Rogers struck out Charlie Blackmon swinging and got Tovar to ground out to escape the inning unscathed.

Nick Mears came in for Colorado in the bottom of the eighth, and the Giants’ offense, which was finally getting on a roll, was prepared to put the game away. Casali flew out to right to start the inning, but Soler and Estrada doubled with one out to make it 9-4. LaMonte Wade lined a base-hit to right to put runners at the corners, and Chapman walked to load the bases.

Luis Matos then came up and got his third hit of the game, a line drive to left-center to knock in a pair and open the Giants’ lead to 11-4. Heliot Ramos then hit a ground-rule double to left-center to score Chapman and make it 12-4.

The Giants were still going. With the bases loaded and two outs Casali, who led off the inning, lined a single to center to score a pair. Luciano was thrown out at third on the play to end the inning, but since Ramos, who was the following runner, touched the plate before the out was made, he scored to make it 14-4.

Taylor Rogers came in for the ninth and pitched a scoreless inning to end it.

Kyle Harrison got the win, and Ty Blach took the loss. Luis Matos certainly led the way with three legs of the cycle and six RBIs, but he was not alone. Like Matos, Jorge Soler had a three-hit game, and Matt Chapman had a 4-for-4 day.

“[Chapman] can get a little streaky at times, and now you’re seeing what he has to offer,” said Melvin. “[He’s] not trying to do too much. He’s getting better balls to hit and using the whole field, and typically that’s what he does when he’s swinging the bat well. This is who he is. He’s made a nice career for himself, and we [were] lucky to get him.”

Thairo Estrada, Heliot Ramos and Marco Luciano also did their part, as they all had two-hit games.

“It’s not just one guy, it’s everybody just taking good at-bats, being tough outs and stringing hits together,” said Chapman. “It’s not like we’re going up there and hitting a ton of homers. Obviously, those are coming, but I think it’s just us being tough outs one through nine…..and once it gets rolling, you get momentum, you get some more confidence and things start to build.”

The latest surge has also been in large part to the Giants calling up the kids.

“We kinda have this youthful enthusiasm going here, and I think it’s picked us up,” said Melvin. “Obviously, you [don’t] want to lose guys, but you know what, we’re swinging the bat[s] really well, and I think the vibe in the dugout’s probably as good as it’s been [all season].”

“If we want to be a team that’s going to play at the end of the year, we have to get help from everybody,” said Chapman. “I think that these guys are getting valuable experience, and they’re helping us out a ton.”

The Giants indeed have their first three-game winning streak of the season, as they improve to 22-25. Sunday, they can get their first sweep of the season. The Rockies are going with RHP Dakota Hudon (1-6, ERA 6.13) the Giants are going with Jordan Hicks (3-1, ER 2.44) on the mound. First pitch will be at 1:05 p.m.

News and Notes:

In addition to his six RBIs today, Luis Matos has 17 RBIs in his first six games with the Giants this season, and that ties a major league record for most RBIs in a player’s first six games of a season. Chris Davis of the Baltimore Orioles had 17 RBIs in his first six games of the 2013 Season.

Matos’ 17 RBIs in his first six games have suddenly given him the fourth-most RBIs of any Giant this season.

“Man, that’s a lot of RBIs,” said Melvin. “It’s like player of the week stuff he’s doing.”

The Giants improve to 14-0 in games in which they have scored five or more runs this season. They are the only team in Major League Baseball to be undefeated in games where they scored five or more runs.

The Giants also hit nine doubles in a game for the first time since April 11, 1912, when the Giants hit 12 doubles against the Brooklyn Dodgers in the final opening day at Washington Park III. The Dodgers moved to Ebbets Field the following season in 1913.

Blake Snell pitched his second rehab assignment for the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento last night. After throwing four perfect innings for the Single-A San Jose Giants on Sunday, Snell threw five no-hit innings and struck out 10 against the Oklahoma City Baseball Clubs, the Triple-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers, last night.

Snell could return to the Giants’ rotation Wednesday or Thursday when the Giants are in Pittsburgh to take on the Pirates.

Michael Conforto was placed on the 10-Day Injured list prior to the game due to his strained right hamstring. Outfielder Luis Matos was called up to take Conforto’s place.

Catcher Patrick Bailey, who was placed back on the 7-Day Concussion Injured List, has been cleared to resume baseball activities after being evaluated by Dr. Mickey Collins, a concussion specialist in Pittsburgh.

San Francisco Giants manager Bob Melvin said he was pleased with all the Giants hitting going on against the Colorado Rockies Fri May 17, 2024 at Oracle Park in San Francisco (AP News photo)

On the SF Giants podcast with Stephen:

#1 The Giants got a win to open the three game series with the Colorado Rockies on Friday night here at Oracle Park 10-5 and they got a three run home from Thairo Estrada in the fifth inning to take the lead.

#2 The Giants Luis Matos drove in five runs against Rockies pitching for the most RBIs in his career. Matos on the homestand made a spectacular catch against the centerfield wall he was shook up a bit but recovered and stayed in the game. He’s been impressive.

#3 Matos said that the club is hitting now and it was coming, Matos said he could feel it coming on in the dugout that the team would have a breakout game and get some runs and hits as the Giants scored ten runs on Friday night.

#4 Giants manager Bob Melvin said they never look back and never gave up and said the Giants haven’t done a ton of that this season and it was good to see a lot of quality at bats Friday night.

#5 The Giants take on the Rockies for game 2 of the three game series today at Oracle Park. With the win on Friday the Giants snapped the Rockies seven game win streak and were clobbered by Giants hitting. The Rockies will start LHP Ty Blach (1-1, ERA 3.00) and going for the Giants LHP Kyle Harrison (3-1, ERA 3.42) first pitch 1:05pm

Stephen Ruderman is an MLB beat writer for http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Thairo Estrada of the San Francisco Giants thanks the good Lord for the ability to take the Colorado Rockies deep for a three run homer in the bottom fifth inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Fri May 17, 2024 (AP News photo)

Colorado (15-29). 310 001 000 5 11 0

San Francisco (21-25). 100 140 22x. 10. 14 0

Time: 3:01

Attendance: 32,025

May 17, 2024

By Lewis Rubman

SAN FRANCISCO– Friday night’s lopsided San Francisco Giants defeat of the Colorado Rockies might have signaled a change in the two teams’ momentum. The Rox came to Oracle Park Friday night with a winning streak of seven games.

The Giants were decently rested for a change after playing 15 days without a break, losing ten of them, one of those being the last of their three game series in Denver. Jorge Soler’s return from the IL boded well for the Giants’ recovery but was offset by the confirmation of Jung Hoo-Lee’s diagnosis of a torn labrum.

His recovery will put him out of action for the rest of the season. In other roster moves, Keaton Winn was placed on the 15 day injured list retroactive to May 15, when he strained his right forearm, and Casey Schmitt was optioned back to the River Cats.

San Francisco’s starting pitcher, Mason Black, has risen quickly through the Giants’ farm system since his selection as their third round pick in the 2021 draft. The 24 year old right hander has a five pitch repertoire in which sweepers, four seamers and sinkers predominate.

Friday night was the third time Black started in the big leagues, and he brought a record of 0-1, 6.23 with him. He gave up a run on four hits and a walk in his last performance in the show and was optioned to Sacramento, from whose roster they recalled him Friday.

He was ineffective Friday night and was removed after hitting Jacob Stallings with a pitch to open the visitors’ fourth. He had thrown 50 pitches in his 3+ innings of work; 34 of them counted as strikes. The Rockies scored four runs against him, all of them earned, on six hits. He didn’t walk anyone, but his strikes found too much of the strike zone. He got a no decision tht left him at 0-1, 7.71.

Colorado’s starter, Ryan Feltner, their fourth round choice in 2018 draft, rose rapidly in their organization, skipping triple A to jump from Hartford in the Eastern League to the mile-high city in 2021. But since then, his road towards success has been a rocky one.

In the second inning of a Colorado-Philadelphia game on May 13 of last year, the Phillies’ Nick Castellanos smacked a line drive that fractured Feltner’s skull. He wasn’t able to throw a pitch in the majors until September 19 and finished the season at 2-4, 5.82. He was 1-3, 5.20 when he came to work Friday, and, after taking the loss Friday night, his record stood at 1-4, 5.69. He had lasted a scant 4+ frames and allowed five runs all earned, on seven hits and two walks while striking out two.

The Blake Street Bombers stomped on Black from the get-go. The first four Rockies he faced, Charlie Blackmon, Ezéquiel Tovar, Ryan McMahon, and Brendan Rogers, lashed drives; Blackmon’s for a single, the others for two bases. All but one of them just missed getting snared by an infielder as they zipped by.

The Giants, down 3-0 before taking their first swing, reacted quickly. LaMonte Wade, Jr. walked with one out. Estrada forced him out at second, but shortstop Tovar’s relay to first pulled Elelhuris Monero off the bag, and the Giants’ second baseman was safe at first. Matt Chapman drove him home with a ringing double to right.

Colorado took that run back with one down in their half of the second. Their number nine hitter, Jordan Beck, deposited an 81 mph sweeper over the fence in straight away center field, 410 feet from the plate, for his second round tripper of the year.

The Rockies almost struck again in the fourth, but Sean Hjelle, who inherited a runner from Black and then surrendered a double to Monero that put runners on second and third, slammed the door on them.

SF chipped away at Colorado’s lead when the home team batted in the fourth. Mike Yastrzemski survived The Curse of the Leadoff Double when, after advancing to third of Héliot Ramos’s productive ground out to second, he cruised home on Luis Matos’s two bagger to left. That closed the gap to 4-2.

They went ahead before Feltner could get an out when he faced his hosts in their next turn at the plate. Soler singled to center, to right, and Estrada sent a 94 mph four seamer 370 feet into the chill of the night and the left field bleachers for his seventh home run of 2024. It also sent Feltner to the showers and Victor Vodnik to the mound. Singles by Chapman, Yaz, and Matos increased the Giants’ lead to 6-4.

Luke Jackson came on in the sixth, retired his first two opponents, and walked Blackmon, who took second on a wild pitch to Tovar, who proceeded to slam a double off the National Car Rental advertisement in left, to slice San Francisco’s advantage to a razor thin 6-5.

That brought Erik Miller into the fray. He walked McMahon on a full count, drawing boos from the crowd that disapproved of third base umpire Ryan Blakney’s ruling that McMahon had checked his swing in time. Nonetheless, Miller escaped the inning without allowing another Rockie to cross the plate.

Ryan Walker set them down in order in the top of the sixth. Jake Bird held the Giants scoreless on a walk to Soler that was wiped out when Estrada hit into a 4- 6-3 double play. The Rockies’ righty continued into the home seventh, when he began things by plunking Chappy and walking Yastrzemski.

After Ramos made out on an infield fly, both runners advanced a base wild pitch to Matos, who eventually ground out, 1-3, on a checked swing, allowing Chapman to score. Colorado reasonably chose to grant Sabol an intentional walk in order to face Marco Luciano, who responded by getting his first hit of the season, a solid RBI single to right that drove in Yastrzemski to up the Giants’ lead to 8-5.

Tyler the Submariner Rogers hit Blackmon with a pitch in the top of the eighth, but that was the only flaw in his one inning on the mound.

San Francisco rocked Anthony Molina, who tried to shut them down in their half of the frame. After Wade wiffed, Estrada lined a single to right, and Chapman legged out a double to left center that brought Estrada to within 90 feet of home. Yastrzemski fouled out to third, and Ramos worked a walk to clog the basepaths, bringing up Ramos. He hooked a double over a leaping McMahon at third and into left that plated Estrada and Chapman.

That gave Randy Rodríguez a 10-5 cushion when he faced McMahon, Rogers, and Doye, the heart of the Rockies order in the ninth. He got the first two, striking out Rogers but walked Doyle on a full count. He took second on defensive indifference during Jake Cave’s at bat.

Cave beat out a slow roller to short on which Doyle moved to third. Now Stallings was up, and, even though we weren’t at Coors Field, a five run lead in the ninth didn’t seem quite as secure as it had a few minutes earlier. But Stallings flew out to center, and the Giants had prevailed.

It remains to be seen if the signal provided by Friday night’s results is reliable. The next two games in the current series might well clarify the situation. Saturday’s game time will be 1:05, and the probable starting pitchers are Ty Blach (1-0, 3) for the purple mountains’ majesties and Kyle Harrison (3-1, 3.42) for the orange and black.