Category: San Francisco Giants

Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., top, tags out San Francisco Giants’ Brandon Crawford, bottom, who was trying to stretch his RBI-single into a double during the sixth inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Sat Apr 8, 2023 (AP News photo)

Kansas City 000 001 131 – 6 8 1

San Francisco 004 010 000 – 5 12 0

Time: 2:23

Attendance: 35,126

Sunday, April 8, 2023

By Lewis Rubman

W.C. Fields once observed, “There comes a time in a man’s life when he must grab the bull by the tail and look the situation squarely in the face.” This afternoon’s debacle at Oracle Park was one of those times.

Sean Manea pitched seven beautiful innings against the Kansas Ciiy Royals. The Throwin’ Samoan kept the visitors off the board for five frames until Bobby Witt, Jr. led off the sixth with a 384 foot blast into left center off an 82 mph changeup.

He proceeded to set the next three batters down in order. At that point, the Giants were leading, 5-1 , thanks to a four run outburst in the third, sparked by LaMonte Wade, Jr. ‘s lead off round tripper off Bradiy Singer, KC’ s starting pitcher.

Wade’s dinger travelled 394 feet into right field and was his first home run since August 17th of last year. Michael Conforto’s single and a double by J.D. Davis put both of them in scoring position. The former came home on Joc Pederson’s sac fly to left, and the latter crossed the plate on a single by Thairo Estrada, also to left.

San Franciso tacked on another tally in sixth on an Estrada two bagger and an RBI single by Brandon Crawford, who was thrown out at second trying to stretch his safety, ending the inning.

At that point, Manea had thrown six innings of three hit ball, including Witt’s shot that accounted for KC’s only run, which was earned. The ex-Athletic righty had struck out eight, against one walk and a hit batter. That’s when the Giants’ fortunes changed. 54 of his 76 pitches were counted as strikes.

And that’s where the home team’s troubles began. The SF brain trust called on Ross Stripling, who had been announced on Friday as today’s probable starter, to pitch a little set up relief. It was no relief, and it felt as if the Giants had been set up by fate.

At the time, Franmil Reyes’s lead off homer looked like a little glitch in the radar, just one of those things. But his four bagger, his second of the year, was an omen.

With two out in the eighth, four outs away from a 5-2 Giants win, Edward Olivares and M.J. Meléndez hit back to back singles, bringing up the power hitting all-star catch, Salvador Pérez, the only member of the Kansas City team the Giants had defeated in the 2014 World Series still active with the team. He got a modicum of revenge by taking Stripling’s 88 mph splitter 375 feet deep into left center and turning what looked like a sure Giant victory into a 5-5 tie.

John Brebbia ended the onslaught, and Camilo Doval opened the ninth, trying to prevent further damage. Vinnie Pasquantino opened with a two base hit. Nate Eaton pinch ran for him. For a short while, it looked as if The Curse of the Lead Off Double would do its work.

Michael Massey popped out to Crawford, and Hunter Dozier grounded out to third, allowing Eaton to advance to that base. Then, with Kyle Isbel at bat, Brebbia decided to try a new pitch he’d been working on, a change up. It got past Blake Sabol, the catcher, who recovered it almost in time to tag the head first sliding Eaton, who just managed to score the leading and eventually tying run.

The Giants’ last ditch attempt to salvage the day was brief. Arnoldis Chapman got Wilmer Flores to swing at and miss a 100 mph fastball for the first out. A pinch hitting David Villar was retired on a pop foul to first, and Conforto fell victim to an 89 mph slider for a called third strike.

Taylor Clarke, who pitched the eighth for Kansas City, got the win, making his record 1-0, 5.40. Chapman got the save, his first of the year. He’s yet to be scored upon. And, of course, Doval was charged with the loss. His record now stands at 0-1, 6.00.

The so far one sided series will resume Sunday afternoon at 1:05. Left handed Kris Bubic (0-1, 3.60) is slated to go up against righty Anthony DeSclafani (1-0,0.00).

The Kansas City Royals designated hitter Vinnie Pasquantino swings for a home run against San Francisco Giants starter Alex Cobb, as the Giants catcher Roberto Perez watches from behind the plate at Oracle Park on Fri Apr 7, 2023 (@Royals photo)

Kansas City. 010 000 010. – 3. 9. 0

San Francisco. 010 000 000 – 1. 5. 1

Time: 2:23

Attendance: 40,915

Fri, April 7, 2023

By Lewis Rubman

SAN FRANCISCO–The skies over Oracle Park had just about cleared when the pregame ceremonies for Friday’s home opener had ended. Those skies were wonderfully clear when the last out of the exciting battle between the San Francisco Giants (3-4) and the visiting Kansas City Royals (2-6) had been recorded. The result wasn’t as sunny as the sky. Kansas City beat the Giants, 3-1 in a squeaker.

The Kapler brain trust entrusted the start to Alex Cobb, who came to the ballpark with a 0-0, 2.45 record so far this young season. He’s been on a limited pitch count while recovering from a knee contusion he suffered in spring training. The 12 year right handed veteran features a splitter, which he throws about 42% of the time. Another 42% of his pitches are divided between his split finger fast ball and his slider

On the mound for the visitors was Brad Kelly, another righty. This was his 107th big league start and the first time he’d faced the Giants. He lost his only previous start of 2023, surrendering to runs on five hits, four walks, and a hit batter in a scant 4-2/3 frames a week ago against the Minnesota Twins. That unfortunate performance brought his lifetime figures to 35-50,4.24.

The Royals took an early lead with a one out single to left by Kyke Isbel singled to left and Hunter Dozier hit what could have turned out to be the second double play the Giants had turrned in as many innings if Thairo Estrada hadn’t broken towards second, leaving a hole big enough for Dozier to get a safety that sent Isbel scampering to third. Nicky López followed that up with an RBI single to right.

KC lost their slight advantage in the bottom of the frame. The sun broke through just as the Giants did. Brandon Crawford had just hit into a 4-6-3 twin killing that still allowed Mike Yastremski to take third base, from where he scored on Blake Sabol’s single to center.

Vinnie Pasquantino’s first hone run of the season, leading off the top. of the fourth, broke the short lived tie 366 foot drive to Levi’s Landing in right came off a 2-2 90mph spliter. It was the Royals’ designated hitter’s third RBI of ’23.

San Francisco was forced to make some defensive changes in the top half of the sixth episode. Isbel pilferred second with Dozier up and two down. Pérez, catching, suffered and right shoulder strain and had to leave the game. Sabol replaced him behind the plate, and Wade replaced Sabol in left field. Wilmer Flores replaced Wade at first, batting in Pérez’s spot.

Kansas City made a pitching change in the bottom of the sixth. Southpaw Ryan Yarbrough was brought in with two away to relieve Brad Keller. KC’s starter had thrown 94 pitches, 58 of them strikes, over 5-2/3 innings.

He allowed one run, and it was earned, on three hits and three walks. He also garnered three Ks. Yarbrough got the remaining out and stayed on to hurl the home seventh.

Cobb finished his work after seven innings of respectable labor, holding the Royals to two runs, both earned, on seven hits, one of which was a home run, and striking out six batters without issuing a walk. 73 of his 97 offerings were strikes. His replacement, Taylor Rogers, didn’t fare as well.

He was hit hard, and only a grand throw from Mike Yastrzemski to Crawford, which cut own Bobby Witt, Jr., who had singled hitting for MJ Meléndez, trying to advance kept Kansas City from scoring more than the one run that they got when Salvador Pérez parked a 91 mph fast ball 416 feet into left center field for his first round tripper of the year, giving the visitors a 3-1 lead.

Arnoldis Chapman set the Giants down with one hit in the eighth, and Camilo Doval set the Royals down in order in the top of the ninth.

Scott Barlow was Kansas City’s choice to attempt the save in the Giants’ last at bat. Pederson greeted him rudel with a triple off the right field fence off a 3-2 slider.

Yastrzemski took a controversial called third strike. Matt Duffy robbed Estrada of hit with a diving catch of his hard line drive down the third base line, bringing Brandon Crawford to the plate with two down and Joc Pederson still on third, He drew a full count walk. Sabol, one for three on the afternoon. He took a called third strike.

Keller was the winning pitcher. He now is 1-1, 2.61. Cobb was charged with the tough loss. His rcord now stans at 0-1, 2,53, The save went to Barlow, his first.

Tomorrow’s game, the second in the three game series is scheduled to start at 1:05 . Brady Singer (0-1,1.80) will toe the rubber for the Royals, and Ross Stripling (0-1,7.20) will handle the pitching chores for their hosts.

San Francisco Giants’ Blake Sabol reacts after striking out swinging during the fourth inning against the Chicago White Sox at Guarantee Rate Field in Chicago on Wed Apr 5, 2023 (AP News photo)

On the Giant podcast with Michael:

#1 Michael, On Wednesday the San Francisco Giants returned from their Tuesday off to face the Chicago White Sox. White Sox starter Dylan Cease started the game with a cold and had problems finding the plate.

#2 Cease must have found himself pitching five innings surrendering one run, one hit, five walks and eight strikeouts not bad for Cease who had some control problems to start out the game.

#3 The White Sox Tim Anderson got thrown out for arguing that he got quick pitched and was not ready to get back into the batter’s box, the pitched called a strike tell us what happened with Anderson in that ejection.

#4 The Giants lost by four runs 7-3 and starter Logan Webb was touched up in five innings for four runs and nine hits, and four strikeouts. Was Webb’s performance troubles based on loss of command or the Sox just seeing his pitches well and putting on a good offensive game.

#5 Starting pitchers for the Giants home opener on Friday at Oracle Park for the Kansas City Royals Brad Keller for San Francisco starter is Alex Cobb. First pitch slated at 1:35pm.

Join Michael Duca for the Giants podcasts Thursday mornings at http://www.sportsradioservice.com