By Barbara Mason

The San Francisco Giants (56-82) kicked off the week with a makeup game in Atlanta taking on the Braves (83-55) at Truist Field. This game comes as a result of heavy rain from Tropical Storm Arthur back on June 18 that postponed the game. It was originally the final game of that series. The Giants Anthony Molina took the mound today and Bryce Elder started for the Braves, The Giants Rafael Devers got this game underway in the top of the first with a home run giving San Francisco an early 1-0 lead. The Braves would tie up the game in bottom of the first 1-1. Atlanta took the lead in the bottom of the second off a Michael Harris II solo home run 2-1. San Francisco would tie up the game in the top of the fifth inning 2-2 when Jonah Cox hit a beautifully executed bunt allowing Rafael Devers to score. Atlanta took back the lead in the fifth inning 3-2 when Sean Murphy scored however the Braves lead wouldn’t last, the Giants tying up the game 3-3 off a Osleivis Basabe blast to center in the top of the sixth. San Francisco would score three more runs in the sixth inning taking a 6-3 lead into the top of the ninth inning. Jonah Cox hit a home run in the ninth extending their lead to 7-3. The Braves were unable to get anything going in the ninth and the Giants had won this make-up game 7-3.

GAME RECAP

This game got underway with temps in the high eighties under sunny skies. San Francisco got the start they were looking for with a home run off the bat of Rafael Devers. They had put Atlanta starting pitcher Bryce Elder on notice. The Braves tied up the game in the bottom of the inning. Drake Baldwin doubled and Matt Olson grounded out to second and Baldwin scored.

The Giants had two runners on base, Andrew Knizner and Nate Furman in the top of the second inning but left them both stranded. The Braves would take the lead 2-1 in the bottom of the second with Atlanta’s first home run of the game, a shot off the bat of Michael Harris II.

The third and fourth innings were a flash for both teams with the score remaining 2-1 in favor of the Braves. SF starting pitcher Andrew Molina went three and out in the third with two strikeouts and picked up another three strikeouts in the fourth inning.

San Francisco was able to tie up the game in the fifth inning. With two outs, Rafael Devers walked and Bryce Eldridge singled with Devers advancing to third. Jonah Cox hit a beautifully executed bunt in the inning and Devers scored tying up the game 2-2. Atlanta punched back in the bottom of the inning with some back-to-back hits. Sean Murphy scored when Drake Balwin singled breaking the tie, the Braves now leading 3-2 in this see-saw game.

First at bat in the top of the sixth inning Osleivis Basabe hit the Giants second home run of the game and again this game was tied at 3. San Francisco went on a hitting spree with Andrew Knizner and Nate Furman each hitting a single and a Christian Koss bunt allowed both Knizner Nate Furman to advance to second and third base. There was a pitching change for the Braves with Lee relieving Bryce Elder. With two runners on base, Turner Hill doubled driving Furman and Knizner home breaking the tie taking a 5-3 lead. Bryce Eldridge singled Hill home and when the top of the inning came to an end, San Francisco had a 6-3 lead.

The Giants took the 6-3 lead into the top of the seventh inning going three and out. The Braves managed only a single in the bottom of the inning and this game went into the eighth inning with the Giants leading 6-3, the Braves running out of innings.

The Giants would score one more run in the top of the ninth inning when Jonah Cox slammed a solo home run. He had a rbi off a bunt earlier in the game and now a long ball his fourth of the season. The Braves got a rally going in the bottom of the ninth. The first at bat Ozzie Albies singled followed by a Sean Murphy walk. This was the first walk in the game for the San Francisco pitchers. Closer Dylan Smith was in a bit of a jam but Austin Riley grounded into a double play and the Giants were one out away from the win. Mike Yastrzemski struck out and that was the ball game with San Francisco winning 7-3 snapping the Braves seven-game winning streak.

GAME RECAP

Rafael Devers got the Giants on the scoreboard early hitting his 30th home run of the season taking the early 1-0 lead. Atlanta answered with a Michael Harris II home run and eventually took a 3-2 lead after five innings. The sixth inning was the turning point of this game. Osleivis Basabe tied the game with a solo home run and then the Giant exploded for four runs in the inning taking a 6-3 lead. Kudos to Turner Hill who delivered the biggest blow of the rally hitting a two-run double that put San Francisco ahead 5-3. Bryce Eldridge then singled Hill home for a 6-3 score. Jonah Cox added an insureance run in the ninth inning with a home run essentially putting this game on ice 7-3. The Giants’s held the Braves scoreless after then fifth ninning.

The Giants pitching today was very good especially after the fifth inning. They held the Braves scoreless over the final four innings. Starting pitcher Anthony Molina went five innings allowing 6 hits, 3 runs, no walks with 6 strikeouts. He threw 75 pitches with 54 strikes. He was very efficient and controlled against a dangerous Atlanta lineup. He kept the game within reach throughout. It was the Giants bullpen that shut Atlanta down once San Francisco took the lead in the sixth inning. It was a very solid team pitching win. Molina kept the Giants close, the offense took control in the sixth and the bullpen slammed the door shut.

Tomorrow San Francisco will start off a new series against the Pittsburg Pirates. The Giants plan on sending Logan Webb to the mound. His last outing was rough and he will be looking for a better start. He has an 8-8 win/loss record and a 3.72 ERA. The Pirates will start Paul Skenes. He has a 9-11 win/loss record and a 3.79 ERA. First pitch for this game is scheduled for 3:40 PM.