Category: San Francisco Giants

San Francisco Giants podcast with Michael Duca: Why this team continues to be so successful

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The San Francisco Giants Anthony DeSclafani delivers a pitch in the first inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thu May 13, 2021 at PNC Park in Pittsburgh (AP News photo)

On the Giants podcast with Michael:

#1 San Francisco Giants (23-14) are having a good roll right now with one of the best records in baseball if you have to point to one thing that has working for them what would you say it is?

#2 When Giants manager Gabe Kapler first took over the team last season he had his doubters but here in 2021 he pretty much has met all the criteria and the team has a 2.5 game lead in the NL West and has won seven of their last ten games.

#3 Michael talk about everybody hitting on this ball club and no exception for Steven Duggar who hit a solo shot on Thursday to help the Giants get a 3-1 win.

#4 Once again starting pitching and the bullpen has been pulling out all the stops with starter Anthony DeSclafani who pitched five innings one hit and five strike outs.

#5 The Giants play game two of this four game series tonight at PNC Park let’s talk about the pitching match ups for the Giants Kevin Gausman (3-0 ERA 1.97) and for the Pittsburgh Pirates (15-22) Miguel Yajure (0-1 ERA 8.31).

Join Michael for the Giants podcasts each Friday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Duggar’s 5th inning home run helps pace Giants in 3-1 win over Bucs

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The San Francisco Giants Steven Duggar is greeted at home plate by Anthony DeSclafani after hitting a solo home run in the fifth inning at PNC Park in Pittsburgh against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thu May 13, 2021 (AP News photo)

By Jessica Kwong

The San Francisco Giants relied on good pitching and Steven Duggar’s first homer in nearly two years to beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 3-1 on Thursday night at PNC Park and improve to 23-41 at the top of the NL West.

Starting pitcher Anthony DeSclafani in five scoreless innings allowed only one hit, a single by Jacob Stallings in the first inning.

Duggar hit his first home run since June 13, 2019 in Petco Park, to right-center field with one out in the fifth inning off rookie starting pitcher Wil Crowe. It was his seventh career homer in four seasons and broke a scoreless tie.

The Giants had not scored in the first four innings against Crowe. Duggar, who was not on the lineup until Brandon Belt was scratched shortly before first pitch due to left side tightness, stepped up to the occasion.

“You just lock it in, it’s a lot of fun,” Duggar said of the last-minute opportunity to play. “We’re always ready here, so whether you’re off the bench or starting, so a lot of fun tonight and definitely excited to get the opportunity to start.”

After Duggar’s home run, San Francisco had two more runs in the fifth inning to extend their lead to 3-0. Duggar and Mauricio Dubon each had two hits. Tyler Rogers pitched a scoreless ninth inning to earn his third save.

In five innings, Crowe allowed three runs and six hits with five strikeouts and one walk.

San Francisco nabbed their fifth victory in six games and boosted them to a season-high nine games over .500.

On Friday night, Giants right hand pitcher Kevin Gausman (3-0, 1.97 ERA) will face Pirates left hand pitcher Tyler Anderson (3-3, 3.05 ERA) for the second in the four-game series. First pitch is at 3:35 p.m.

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Giants day off report: Giants open four game series in Pittsburgh Thursday night

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San Francisco Giants president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi is seen here in as the Los Angeles Dodgers general manager in this Nov 9, 2016 photo said that he will be looking for left handed hitting for the Giants when the trade deadline comes around in July (AP News file photo)

By Jessica Kwong

The San Francisco Giants enjoyed a day off on Wednesday after a 4-2 victory over the Texas Rangers on Tuesday to sweep the two-game series and safeguard their spot at the top of the NL West. They now lead the San Diego Padres by two games and the Los Angeles Dodgers by three games.

Holding a 22-14 record, the Giants are tied at the most wins with the St. Louis Cardinals, Oakland A’s and Boston Red Sox. San Francisco and St. Louis, with a .611 win percentage, are the best in the league.

The Giants are on the road to face the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Cincinnati Reds before returning to Oracle Park to host the defending champion Dodgers. First pitch for Thursday’s game at PNC Park is at 3:35 p.m.

On Tuesday, Giants president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi spoke about the MLB trade deadline more than two months away, in light of how well the team is doing now. Zaidi said that last year the organization talked quite a bit about adding a left-handed bat which could have been the difference. The Giants ended up finishing last season a pitch away from making the playoffs.

“A lot of the best pieces in July are if you add a complementary piece that really addresses an area of need and can really clean up the roster. We’ll be looking at all those things,” Zaidi said on KNBR’s “Tolbert, Krueger & Brooks” show.

“It’s really early and I don’t see ourselves positioning as a buyer or a seller, but we’re in this to be competitive,” he continued. “You like to reward a clubhouse and a group that’s playing well like the way our guys are right now.”

The Giants spent much of Tuesday also celebrating a home run by right fielder Drew Robinson in their Triple-A affiliate Sacramento River Cats. Robinson’s solo homer in the top of the second inning was cheered across the minor and major leagues because it was his first since he lost an eye in an attempted suicide in April 2020.

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Wood, Giants find the time and the place to get past Texas, 3-1

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By Morris Phillips

SAN FRANCISCO–The Texas Rangers have been rough on left-handed starting pitchers this season, so Alex Wood and the Giants knew they’d need a special performance on Monday night.

Special and timely.

The Giants waited until the last possible moment to pounce, but they did just that with a two-run, seventh inning rally that carried them past the Rangers, 3-1 at Oracle Park.

With Wood lifted from the game for pinch-hitter Darin Ruf, the Giants lefty appeared destined for a no-decision despite allowing just four hits and a run in seven innings of work. But Ruf singled, following Austin Slater’s walk and preceding Mauricio Dubon’s tie-breaking base hit. Suddenly, Wood was in business, cheering loudly from the dugout and leading 2-1.

For those scoring at home, that’s three, consecutive right-handed hitting pinch-hitters–with spotty records–coming through with two outs and the game on the line.

“I liked that (Giants manager Gabe Kapler) used all his pinch hitters there. If they had not scored, then we had them in trouble,” Texas manager Chris Woodward recounted. “We just didn’t execute a pitch there at the end.”

How spotty? Ruf had managed just one hit in ten pinch-hitting appearances coming in, and Dubon, the last guy any manager would want hitting deep in a count, had just one hit in 31 plate appearances this season with a two-strike count.

So what does Dubon do with the game in the balance? He fouls off five, consecutive pitches and singles to center field on the eighth pitch of the at-bat to give his team the lead.

“If you don’t end up scoring a run, you’re almost out of players,” Kapler said. “Dubon’s at-bat was excellent, that’s the one that’s going to stand out. But Slater’s was equally as good and Ruf’s was awesome.”

The Rangers then contributed to the Giants’ fortunes when third baseman Charlie Culberson one-hopped his throw across the diamond for an error that allowed Mike Yastrzemski to reach and Ruf to score.

Wood improved his record to 4-0 (in just five starts) by avoiding any explosive hits outside Khris Davis’ triple off the bricks in the fifth, and hanging around in a matchup with Texas’ Kyle Gibson, who has a similar reclamation story to Wood’s and was almost as good on Monday.

Gibson pitched six innings, allowing four his and a run while striking out six. He did surrender a solo shot to Brandon Belt, the game’s first run in the fourth inning.

Wood became just the third lefty starter to defeat the Rangers joining Steven Matz and Mike Minor, who both accomplished the feat in the season’s first week. Since then, the Rangers have compiled a major league-best 12 wins against left-handed starters, including the last six opportunities consecutively.

The Rangers lost in interleague play for the 13th time in their last 14 matchups. The Giants improved to 13-4 at home, tying their best start to a season at home in their San Francisco history.

The teams conclude their brief series Tuesday afternoon with Texas’ Jordan Lyles facing Logan Webb.

San Francisco Giants podcast with Morris Phillips: Laugher saves Padres from getting swept by Giants

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San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Johnny Cueto who got lit up in his first appearance since getting off the injured list to face the San Diego Padres at Oracle Park in San Francisco talks things over with catcher Buster Posey on Sun May 9, 2021 (AP News photo)

On the Giants podcast with Morris:

#1 The San Diego Padres (19-16) avoided getting swept by the San Francisco Giants (20-14) by winning a laugher 11-1 getting home run help from Fernando Tatis Jr and Frank Cronenworth.

#2 The Padres scored four runs in each of the second and eighth innings help pile on the Giants they even got a two run triple from Trent Grisham in the eighth inning to contribute to the run total.

#3 Giants starter Johnny Cueto who returned from lat tightness in the arm was lit up upon his return from the injured list going just three innings giving up eight hits and three runs.

#4 Things got so rough for the Giants that pitcher Logan Webb came off the bench and came in to pinch hit and was not able to produce a hit.

#5 The Giants in tonight’s game will host the Texas Rangers at Oracle Park to open the series. The Rangers will start Kyle Gibson (3-0 ERA 2.40) the Giants will start Alex Wood (3-0 ERA 1.96)

Join Morris each Monday for the San Francisco Giants podcast at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Cronenworth and Tatis each go deep as Padres rout SF 11-1

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San Diego Padres’ Fernando Tatis Jr. left, Tommy Pham, middle, score on a eighth inning triple by Trent Grisham are congratulated by Manny Machado (13) right at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Sun May 9, 2021 (AP News photo)

By Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO-It must have seemed that the San Diego Padres were tired of getting pushed around by the San Francisco Giants, so they pushed back in the finale.

Jake Cronenworth hit a two-run home run in the top of the second inning that landed in McCovey Cove, and then four batters later, Fernando Tatis, Jr., made it 4-0, as he hit one deep into the left-center field bleachers and the Padres would go onto defeat the Giants 11-1 before a paid crowd of 10,008 at Oracle Park.

Cronenworths home run was measured at 445 feet and then the Tatis, Jr., home run was measured at 454 feet.

Johnny Cueto in his return to the rotation was roughed up, as he allowed five runs on eight hits, walking one and striking out two in just three innings of work.

Cueto also got into a jam in his final inning of work, as he allowed a double to Manny Machado, Eric Hosmer singled, then Wil Myers drove in the fifth run of the afternoon, as he singled, Cronenworth then walked to load the bases. Luckily for the Giants, Cueto was able to get out of the inning unscathed, as he got Jurickson Profar to pop out to Evan Longoria at third base, Victor Caratini then popped out to Brandon Belt for the second out, and then Cueto and the Giants got out of the inning, when Steven Duggar made a diving catch off the bat of Chris Paddack to end the inning.

Paddack also left after three innings, as he made his first appearance in a game since April 27, 2021 against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field, as he was out with a medical condition. In those three innings, Paddack did not allow a run, scattered four hits, walked one and struck out four; however, he did not fare in the decision, as he did not go the required five innings.

Ryan Weathers went three innings, allowing one hit, walking one and striking out three in picking up his second win of the season

When Buster Posey singled in the bottom of the sixth inning, he extended his hitting streak up to eight games.

The Giants got the crowd into the game in the bottom of the seventh inning, as Mauricio Dubon hit a double with one out and then Austin Slater singled Dubon to third; however, Emilio Pagan was able to get Mike Tauchman to pop out for the second out and then Mike Yastrzemski struck out to end the inning.

Tatis, Jr., added a second RBI in the top of the eighth inning, as he reached on a Fielders Choice and Victor Caratini scored from second base on a throwing error by Jose Alvarez.

Trent Grisham drove in two more runs, as he tripled to left center that was just out of the reach of Tauchman, who made a diving stab at making a fantastic back handed catch. Eric Hosmer got in on the act, as he singled in Grisham from third.

Brandon Crawford got the Giants on the board in the bottom of the eighth inning, as he hit a sacrifice fly that scored Brandon Belt from third base. Belt walked with one out, and then advanced to third on a double.

The highlight of the day for the Giants fans came in the top of the ninth inning, as Darin Ruf came on to pitch and was treated rudely by Cronenworth, who doubled off the wall near the 365 mark just out of the reach of Yastrzemski. Jurickson Profar then singled, before Ruf got Caratini to fly out to Tauchman for the first out.

Jorge Mateo doubled in Cronenworth, and then Ha-Seong Kim added the second run of the inning, as he hit a sacrifice fly that easily Profar from third base.

Ruf went one inning, allowing two runs on three hits.

NOTES: To make room for Cueto on the roster, the Giants optioned Jason Vosler to triple-A Sacramento.

Cronenworths Splash Home Run was the fourth hit by a Padres since the ballpark opened on April 11, 2000. He joins Ryan Klesko, Brian Giles and Yasmani Grandal in that exclusive club.

It was the fourth Splash Home Run allowed by Cueto as a member of the Giants, tying Madison Bumgarner for the second most allowed and trailing Tim Lincecum, who gave up five as a member of the Giants.

Prior to Ruf pitching, the Giants position player to pitch was Tyler Heineman on August 16, 2020 against the Oakland As, a game that the As won 15-3. Heineman went one inning, allowed one hit.

UP NEXT: Alex Wood looks to get the Giants back on the winning track on Monday night, as they open a brief two-game series with the Texas Rangers. Alex Wood goes for his fourth win of the season for the Giants, while the Rangers will send Kyle Gibson to the mound, as he also looks for his fourth win of the season.

Belt and Crawford each go deep in Giants win 7-1

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By Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO-Brandon Belt and Brandon Crawford must think it is 2012 or 2014; because, the way they have been hitting, it seems like the playoffs are on the horizon.

Crawford launched a three-run home run onto the Arcade in the bottom of the second inning, and then Belt hit a solo home run in the bottom of the fourth inning, helping the San Francisco Giants to a 7-1 victory over the San Diego Padres before a paid crowd of 9,764 at Oracle Park.

Belt led off the second inning with a single, then Evan Longoria doubled Belt to third and then Crawford hit his seventh home run of the season to give the Giants a 3-0 lead.

That would be all that Kevin Gausman would need, as he went six innings, allowing one run on three hits, walked just one and struck out seven, as he won for the third time without a loss this season.

Gausman lowered his earned run average to 1.97, as the Giants increased their lead over the Padres to 2.5 games and currently three games over the Los Angeles Dodgers, who play the Los Angeles Angels at Anaheim Stadium.

Crawford and Buster Posey led the team in home runs with seven, for two innings when Belt hit his seventh home run of the season in the bottom of the fourth inning.

The fifth Giants run of the afternoon came when Austin Slater, the hero of Friday nights victory over the Padres drove in Steven Duggar with a single off of Padres reliever Tim Hill.

Duggar singled with one out in the inning, went to second, when Jake Cronenworth made a great play at second base to get Curt Casali at first base. Darin Ruf was then intentionally walked, and then Slater singled in Duggar with the fifth run of the game.

Slater hit his fourth home run of the season, a two-run blast deep over the center field wall that also scored Mauricio Dubon, who reached on a fielders choice. It was the second hit in as many at bats for Slater, who came on to pinch hit for Mike Tauchman in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Musgrove, who tossed the Padres first ever no hitter on April 9 against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field lasted five innings, allowed four runs on eight hits, did not walk a batter and struck out seven and saw his record fall to 2-4 on the season.

Mike Yastrzemski made his return to the lineup and took a collar, as he went 0-for-4 on the afternoon.

The Giants put an end to the streak that saw them five hits or fewer against the Padres, as they picked up 11 hits against Padres pitching. The six-game streak was the longest by a Giants opponent since 1901.

NOTES: Gausman was activated from the 10-day injured list prior to the game and Pitcher Aaron Sanchez was placed on the 10-day injured list with right bicep tightness.

With the victory, the Giants have won 12 out of their first 15 games at home this season, a .800 winning percentage, the best home record in the majors.

The Giants are fourth team in the major leagues this season to reach the 20-win plateau, as they join the Boston Red Sox, Oakland Athletics and the St. Louis Cardinals in the 20-win club in 2021. Also, the Giants have the best record in the National League by percentage points over the Cardinals and are tied with the Red Sox for the best record in the major leagues.

UP NEXT: Johnny Cueto makes his return to the Oracle Park mound on Sunday afternoon for the Giants, while the Padres have not announced their starter for the series finale.

Slater goes yard to give Giants huge win 5-4 over San Diego

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The San Francisco Giants Austin Slater (13) is congratulated by Brandon Crawford (35) after hitting a solo shot home run against the San Diego Padres at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Fri May 7, 2021 (AP News photo)

By Jeremy Kahn

Austin Slater came up with the biggest hit of the game when the San Francisco Giants needed it the most.

Slater hit an opposite field home run in the bottom of the seventh inning, as the Giants defeated the San Diego Padres 5-4 at Oracle Park.

It was the second home run of the night for the Giants, and the second by a right-handed to the Arcade section of the ballpark.

Buster Posey got the Giants on the board in the bottom of the third inning, as he hit his seventh home run of the season that gave the Giants an early 2-0 lead.

Evan Longoria lengthened the Giants up to 4-0 in the bottom of the fifth inning, as he singled to score both Slater and Posey and that looked like it would be enough, especially the way that Anthony DeSclafani was looking on the mound.

Unfortunately, someone forgot to tell the Padres that the Giants were going to win this game after just five innings, when it is a nine-inning game.

Trent Grisham cut the Giants lead in half, as he hit a two-run home run off of DeSclafani in the top of the sixth inning that also scored Jorge Mateo, who led off the inning with a single.

After Manny Machado doubled with one out in the frame, Sam Selman came on to replace DeSclafani and then Eric Hosmer tied up the game with one swing of the bat with his fourth home run of the season.

DeSclafani ended up with a no-decision, as he went 5.1 innings, allowing three runs on four hits, walking one and striking out three.

Blake Snell, who came over to the Padres after helping the Tampa Bay Rays to the 2020 World Series, went 4.2 innings, allowing four runs on just one hit; however, Snell walked six and struck out five.

This became a bullpen game, as the Giants bullpen of Selman, Zack Littell, Camilo Doval, Tyler Rogers and Jake McGee went the final 3.1 innings, allowing one run on two hits, walking one and striking out three. Doval pitched a perfect seventh inning with a strikeout to pick up his first major league victory.

Despite allowing a lead-off walk to Jake Cronenworth in the top of the ninth inning, McGee came back to strikeout the side to pick up the eighth save of the season, including getting Ha-Seong Kim on a called third strike to end the game.

The Slater home run off of Keone Kela in the bottom of the seventh inning was the only batter that Kela faced, as he was lifted for former Giants pitcher Pierre Johnson.

In all, the Padres bullpen went the final 3.1 innings, allowing one run on three hits, walking one and striking out five; however, that bad pitch by Kela cost them a chance to gain ground on the first-place Giants in the National League West.

With the victory, the Giants lead in the NL West jumped up to a 1.5 games over the Padres and 2.5 games over the Dodgers, who have lost four in a row, including a 9-2 loss in the opener of the Freeway Series to the Los Angeles Angels at Anaheim Stadium.

NOTES: Mike Yastrzemski and Jarlin Garcia were activated from 10-day injured list and Alex Dickerson was placed on the 10-day injured list with a right shoulder impingement.

This was the sixth straight game that the Giants picked up five or fewer hits against the Padres, which is the longest streak for the Giants against any opponent since 1901, this according to STATS, INC.

The Giants are now 11-3 on the season at home, the best home record in the major leagues thus far this season.

Prior to the game, Willie Mays was driven around the field in a convertible, as the team celebrated the 90th birthday of The Say Hey Kid. Mays, who turned 90 yesterday is the oldest living member of the Baseball Hall of Fame.

The Giants Community Fund is proud to introduce Willie Mays Scholars a new program designed to address racial and educational inequities by providing Black youth in San Francisco with academic and holistic support, in addition to a scholarship of up to $20,000…with the expertise of local partners, 100% College Prep and Alive and Free, scholars will receive mentoring and tailored wraparound services, empowering them to achieve success in high school, college and beyond…in celebration of the Say Hey Kids 90th Birthday, please join the Giants and Willie in giving the gift of education at jrgiants.org/MaysScholars.

UP NEXT: Kevin Gausman looks for his third win of the season, as he takes the mound on Saturday afternoon, while the Padres will send Joe Musgrove to the hill.

San Francisco Giants podcast with Michael Duca: Yastrzemski, Posey and Cueto expected to return this weekend against Padres

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San Francisco Giants outfielder Mike Yastrzemski who has been out with an injury is seen here in this Sep 9, 2020 photo is expected to return tonight against the San Diego Padres at Oracle Park (AP file photo)

On the Giants podcast with Michael Duca:

#1 Johnny Cueto is expected to be back in the rotation recovered from the lat tightness injury according to San Francisco Giants manager Gabe Kapler. Kapler certainly was looking forward to seeing Cueto back to help out.

#2 After the Colorado series this week the Rockies and Giants both had some offense and got some runs scored. The Rockies wound up taking the last two games of the three game set.

#3 Giants outfielder Mike Mike Yastrzemski is also expected back in the line up before his going on the injured list Yastrzemski was hitting .215 with 17 hits, four home runs and six RBIs.

#4 Catcher Buster Posey is also hopeful for this weekend after suffering a hamstring injury during Wednesday’s game. Posey has been important to have in the line up especially with the San Diego Padres coming in tonight.

#5 Michael, taking a look at the starters for tonight’s game at Oracle Park for the Padres Blake Snell (1-0 ERA 3.51) and for the Giants Anthony DeSclafani (2-1 ERA 2.00)

Join Michael for the San Francisco Giants podcasts each Friday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

San Francisco Giants day off report: Cueto and Yastrzemski expected to return this weekend

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San Francisco Giants pitcher Johnny Cueto throws against the Cincinnati Reds line up on Apr 14, 2021 is expected to return to the Giants pitching rotation by this weekend against the San Diego Padres (AP News photo)

By Jessica Kwong

The San Francisco Giants had Thursday off before they start a three-game series against the San Diego Padres on Friday.

After falling to the Colorado Rockies on Wednesday and losing the series, the Giants could use some good news, and they got it.

Manager Gabe Kapler said Johnny Cueto, who has not pitched since April 14 due to a minor lat injury, will be back in the rotation this weekend. Cueto will start on Sunday against the Padres, which will be his fourth start of the season.

In the three games he’s pitched so far this year, Cueto has a 1.80 ERA, a 1.91 FIP and 18 strikeouts to four walks in only 20 innings on the mound. Cueto will replace Logan Webb, who struck out five and walked three in just 3 2/3 innings in Wednesday’s 6-5 loss to the Rockies at Coors Field.

Additionally, who has been out since April 25, is expected to return this weekend.

Kapler hopes that Buster Posey, who left the game on Wednesday with a sore hamstring, benefited from the day off and will be back in action this weekend.

After the game on Wednesday, the Giants optioned catcher Joey Bart back out to Triple-A Sacramento, where he will start the River Cats season.

Perhaps the biggest news on the Giants’ day off was celebrating the 90th birthday of legendary center fielder Willie Mays. The Say Hey Kid spent nearly all of his 22 seasons in Major League Baseball with the Giants. The Giants filled their Twitter account with birthday messages and retweets honoring the Hall of Famer,

In addition, the Giants Community Fund introduced the Willie Mays Scholars, a program dedicated to addressing racial and educational inequities by providing black youth in San Francisco with scholarships of up to $20,000 and academic support.