Category: San Francisco Giants

Led by Yaz the MVP candidate, Giants are contending at compressed season’s midpoint

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By Morris Phillips

A week ago, the Giants were on life support, victims of too many ninth inning collapses in a short period of time. The prognosis? Take your medicine and get healthy for 2021.

A week later, and the Giants are sitting pretty, tied for seventh in an expanded, eight-team post-season pool that’s heated and refreshing.

How’s that? Well, in a 60-game season things happen fast. Fast like six-game winning streak fast.

Ok then, are the Giants any good, or is this smoke and mirrors?

That answer’s complicated, but let’s take a look.

Through 30 games–half the pandemic-truncated season–the Giants are 14-16, just six days after they were 8-16 and stuck in last place. Their schedule, unique given the uneven, 7/3 and 6/4 home/away splits for their four NL West opponents along with the sequence of the 60 games, has been especially harsh.

How harsh? The Giants have played 14 home games thus far, compared to a combined 11 games at Dodgers Stadium and Coors Field, both notoriously rough venues for visitors.

Given that, their schedule eases considerably in the second half starting with 19 of their remaining 30 games at Oracle Park or the Oakland Coliseum, which means just 11 more dates attached to hotel rooms, COVID restrictions, and the heightened, antsy atmosphere of being on the road in 2020.

The final 10 games? All locally, starting with three in Oakland, then the final seven at Oracle Park against the Padres and Rockies.

The expanded playoff field will take the top two finishers in each division plus the teams with the two best remaining records in the National League. While the Giants are competing for those final spots with the Cardinals (who have only played 17 games), Marlins and Mets, they don’t play any of those three teams, all of whom have horribly backloaded schedules due to COVID cancelations. Instead, the Giants will see either the Padres, Rockies or Diamondbacks in 20 of their remaining 30 games, allowing them to focus on climbing within the NL West and finishing second or third, both of which appear to be playoff spots at the moment.

The Giants boast one of the NL’s best offenses averaging nearly five runs per game, and nearly seven runs per game at home. So if you’re trying to envision how the Giants can win games down the stretch, start with the bats. In fact, in a recent development (in the last week, really) the Giants have an eye-popping 92 extra-base hits, 18 above the National League average. They’re third in doubles, second in triples and fourth in home runs with 38.

(If those numbers aren’t mind-numbing for Giants’ fans still stuck in the Bruce Bochy torture era, no numbers are.)

The pitching staffs the Giants will face aren’t imposing outside of the Dodgers and A’s, who are first and fifth respectively in terms of fewest runs allowed. The other four, remaining opponents have staffs with numbers at or well below the major league average, including the Mariners and D’Backs, who have been especially generous. Those four opponents with standard to substandard pitching account for 24 of the final 30 Giants’ game dates.

Offensively, the Giants have stars who not only reside among the league leaders statistically, but in many cases, lead the league. Austin Slater, currently on the injured list (and without enough at-bats to qualify) has an NL-best OBP of .458. Donovan Solano, despite cooling off recently, is hitting .363 with 33 hits.

And the Major League’s top offensive performer at the half way point, the unlikely MVP candidate who’s 30-years old with just 137 big league games under his belt?

Mike Yastrzemski.

The unassuming Yaz has a 309/.429/.645 slashline with 28 runs scored, 34 hits and 22 RBIs in 30 games. But there’s more: he’s second among all MLB performers in walks, triples, runs scored and tied for second in extra-base hits. In the complicated Wins Above Replacement (WAR) category, Yastrzemski has one peer: the Dodgers’ Mookie Betts.

Did we mention Joey Bart?

Giants fans, there’s only one requirement: stay tuned.

Yastrzemski comes up big on his birthday in Giants sweep; SF beats Arizona 6-1

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Yaz big base knock: The San Francisco Giants outfielder Mike Yastrzemski belts a solo home run in the sixth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks to contribute to the Giants 6-1 win at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Sun Aug 23, 2020 (photo from mysanantonio.com)

By Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO-What a weekend for Mike Yastrzemski at both home plate and in the playing field.

Yastrzemski, who made a tremendous catch in the top of the sixth inning in Saturdays night victory, came up big in the bottom of the sixth inning in Sundays finale, as he hit a solo home run and the San Francisco Giants defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks 6-1 to complete the three-game series sweep, their first sweep of the 2020 season.

The catch by Yastrzemski on Saturday night came on the 81st birthday of his grandfather Carl, who made a share of great catches with the Boston Red Sox from 1961-1983 and today is Mikes 30th birthday and he celebrated by hitting his 7th home run of the season.

With the victory, the Giants have now won six in a row after losing five in a row and are now 5-0 on their current home stand.

Once again, the Giants starting pitching came up huge, as one night after Tyler Anderson threw a complete game three-hitter, Trevor Cahill went 5.1 innings, allowing one run on just one hit, walking two and striking out eight; however, he did not fare in the decision.

After Cahill was replaced by Caleb Baragar, David Peralta hit a sacrifice fly to Yastrzemski right near the 365-foot mark and the State Farm sign in right-center field that scored Kole Calhoun from third base.

Calhoun walked to lead off the inning, and a Cahill strikeout of Ketel Marte, Starling Marte doubled Calhoun to third base and then Peralta tied up the game with his sacrifice fly.

Alex Dickerson broke the game open in the bottom of the seventh inning, as he hit a three-run home run and then Pablo Sandoval drove in the sixth and final run of the game, as he singled in Brandon Belt in the bottom of the eighth inning.

Evan Longoria got the Giants on the board in the bottom of the fifth inning, as he doubled to right field to score Belt.

The Giants bullpen, who was roughed up against the Oakland As and in the first game against the Los Angeles Angels continued to pitch well, as the quartet of Baragar, Tony Watson, Tyler Rogers and Jarlin Garcia pitched the final 4.2 innings, allowing no runs on four hits, walking just one and striking out two.

Despite giving up the game-tying sacrifice fly to Peralta, Baragar picked up his third win of the season against just one loss.

Joey Bart picked up a single, as he continues to impress after just being in the big leagues for four games. Bart made a tremendous catch, as he fell to the ground off the bat off of former Giants catcher Stephen Vogt.

Through his first four games in the big leagues, Bart is hitting .333, as he is 4-for-12 at the plate with three doubles.

NOTES: After last nights victory, Hunter Pence was designated for assignment by the team and to replace Pence on the roster, Sam Coonrod was activated from the 10-day injured list.

The team was not done with transactions, as the team acquired infielder Daniel Robertson from the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for cash considerations or a player to be named later. Robertson spent three seasons with the Rays, hitting .231 with 91 runs scored, 32 doubles, three triples, 16 home runs and 72 RBI in a total of 237 games and he will report to the Alternate Training Site.

UP NEXT: Following their first off day since August 13, the Giants will begin a three-game series against the Los Angeles Dodgers beginning on Tuesday night, when Johnny Cueto will take the mound versus Julio Urias.

Anderson throws a complete game in Giants 5-1 victory

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The San Francisco Giants Tyler Anderson throws against the Arizona Diamondbacks for a complete game a rarity in MLB on Sat Aug 22, 2020 at Oracle Park in San Francisco (photo from abcnews.go.com)

By Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO-Joey Bart came within inches of his first major-league home run, but he is probably happier with the outcome of the game.

Bart doubled for the third straight game in the bottom of the seventh that allowed Brandon Crawford to advance to third base, then after a Mauricio Dubon walk, Mike Yastrzemski walked to score Crawford with the eventual winning run and the San Francisco Giants made it five wins in a row with a 5-1 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Tyler Anderson pitched a fantastic game, as he threw a complete game, allowing one run on just three hits, not walking a batter and striking out four and he won for the first time as a member of the Giants.

I told him this (in Summer Camp): If youre dominant, were not going to take you out of the rotation, said Giants manager Gabe Kapler.

The left-hander is only the third Giants pitcher to throw a complete game over the past three seasons, joining Madison Bumgarner and Chris Stratton.

Showing how weird baseball is, when Stratton threw his complete game on September 14, 2018 against the Colorado Rockies, the starting pitcher for the Rockies in that game was none other than Anderson, who went six innings, allowing two runs on seven hits, not walking a batter and striking out six in a hard fought 2-0 loss to the Giants.

Anderson gave up a double to the second batter of the game in Ketel Marte; however, Anderson regrouped to get both Starling Marte and ChristIan Walker on ground outs to Crawford to end the inning and the threat.

David Peralta picked up the second hit of the night off of Anderson, as he singled to right field in the top of the seventh inning to score Starling Marte from second base. Marte reached base when the throw from Crawford was too high for Brandon Belt.

Marte then stole second without a throw by Chadwick Tromp, but Anderson was able to get out of the jam, as he got Eduardo Escobar to fly out to Yastrzemski in right field and then Nick Ahmed to ground into a force play to end the inning.

Yastrzemski made the defensive play of the game, as he robbed Ketel Marte of both extra bases and an RBI, as he made a fantastic catch against the chain linked fencing in right field. Just prior to the Yastrzemski catch, Anderson made one of very few mistakes, as he hit Kole Calhoun.

You keep yourself safest when youre fearless, said Kapler about Yastrzemskis phenomenal catch.

The Giants scored their first run of the game in the bottom of the first inning without the benefit of a hit, as Brandon Belt grounded into a double play that scored Yastrzemski from third base.

Diamondbacks starter Zac Gallen began the game on a shaky note, as he walked the first three batters of the game and then Belts double play scored Yastrzemski with the Giants lone run until the bottom of the seventh inning, when the game was broken open after three walks and a double by Bart that was nearly a two-run home run.

NOTES: Bart is just the third Giants player since at least 1901 with an extra base hit in each of his 1st career game (Thank you Sarah Langs for that note). He joins Buster Maynard in 1940, and John Bowker in 2008.

Anderson is the eighth pitcher this season to throw a complete game.

Gallen tied a major-league record for most games allowing three or fewer earned runs to start his career (all starts, no relief appearances. Gallen equaled the mark set by Aaron Sele of the Boston Red Sox from June 23, 1993 to April 19, 1994.

Austin Slater was placed on the 10-day injured list with a mild left groin strain that took place in the bottom of the first inning of Friday nights victory. Steven Duggar was recalled from the alternate site to replace Slater.

UP NEXT: Trevor Cahill heads to the mound on Sunday afternoon, as the Giants go for the sweep, while Luke Weaver will go to the mound for the Diamondbacks.

San Francisco Giants podcast with Michael Duca: Lots of promise, lot of expectations for Bart at catcher

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On the San Francisco Giants podcast with Michael:

#1 How important is it to have Joey Bart behind the dish he’s been the anticipated player who they’ve been expecting to come up.

#2 How do you see Bart’s future coming to the big leagues comparing to the great career Buster Posey had?

#3 The Giants have won three of their last four games during the Angeles series and Bart came up with the club during the Angels series would you say it was no coincidence that Bart presence has the club turned around?

#4 His bats in his first game with the Giants on Wednesday he was one for three with a double and went one for four on Thursday night and Friday like you mentioned he got his first big league RBI, it’s early but how do you see him facing big league pitching at the plate?

#5 Talk about the pitching matches for tonight at Oracle for the Diamondbacks right hander Zac Gallen (0-0 ERA 2.40) and for the San Francisco Giants left hander Tyler Anderson( 0-1 ERA 4.84)

Michael Duca does the Giants podcasts every other Saturday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

Flores and Longoria each go deep in Giants win 6-2

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By Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO-Evan Longoria reached a milestone, but it was Wilmer Flores who came up with the biggest hit of the game.

Flores hit a two-run home run off of Robby Ray in the bottom of the fifth inning, helping the San Francisco Giants to a 6-2 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks at Oracle Park.

It was the team leading seventh home run of the season for Flores, and it was also the third straight game that he hit a home run. Flores added a single in the bottom of the seventh inning to boost his average up to .326 on the season.

Just two innings prior to the Flores home run, Longoria reached a historical milestone, as he became the 150th player to ever hit 300 home runs in a career.

Logan Webb, who did not fare well in his last outing against the Oakland As on Sunday afternoon, as he lasted 4.1 innings, allowing three runs three hits, walking five and striking out five in a 15-3 As victory; however, against the Diamondbacks, he pitched a great game.

Webb went seven innings, a new career high, allowing two runs on five hits, not walking a batter and struck out a career-high eight on his way to his second win of the season.

Mike Yastrzemski continues to hit the ball well, as he picked up two hits in four at-bats and is now hitting .320 on the season.

Rookie Joey Bart went 1-for-3 with a walk, as he drove in his first career run, as he walked with the bases loaded to score Yastrzemski from third base. Yastrzemski doubled down the left field and then went to third on a Flores single.

Bart doubled for the second evening in a row, as he smashed a double off the right field wall that sent Hunter Pence to third. Pence walked to lead off the bottom of the second inning against Ray.

Things begin did not well for the Giants, as they left five runners in the first two innings; however, for the remainder of the game after those first two innings, the Giants left four.

Tony Watson came on to replace Webb in the top of the eighth inning and gave up a base hit and struck out one.

Tyler Rogers came on to finish the game in the top of the ninth inning, as he allowed a single to Christian Walker, his fourth hit in four at-bats for the Diamondbacks; however, Rogers settled down to get Peralta, Escobar and former Giants catcher Stephen Vogt to fly out to Yastrzemski in right field to end the game.

The Diamondbacks scored their only runs of the game in the top of the fourth inning, as David Peralta doubled to right field to score Walker and then Eduardo Escobar singled to center field to score Peralta.

UP NEXT: Tyler Anderson will take the mound for the Giants on Saturday evening, as they for their fourth win in a row after a five-game losing streak. Zac Gallen heads to the mound for the Diamondbacks, as he looks for his first win of the season.

Bart’s debut a breeze, as the Giants cruise again, 10-5 over the Angels

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By Morris Phillips

SAN FRANCISCO–Joey Bart’s anticipated major league debut came with a pointed piece of advice from teammate Brandon Belt.

“Don’t mess it up.”

And Bart didn’t, contributing his first, major league hit–a double into the left field corner–after the Giants built a comfy 9-4 lead in the sixth.

The message to the No. 2 overall pick in the 2018 Draft could have been worded a little less blunt, without changing the content: “Kid, we’ve got a good thing going. Just follow our lead.”

Even for someone talented enough to do damage immediately, taking the pressure off was a good deal. Bart got a first hand look at a hot lineup bashing and circling the bases–then jumped in after the major damage was done in the Giants’ 10-5 win over the Angels. Bart’s double was the Giants last of 12 hits on the evening, the third night in row of Giants on Angels violence that saw the home team score 31 runs in taking three of four.

Bart had been touted as the missing bat, but the Giants aren’t actually missing one right now. They scored five runs or better for the 15th time in 27 games, and their run scoring average at Oracle Park is nearing seven runs per game.

Directing the pitching staff as an everyday presence in the lineup was the expectation for Bart as soon as franchise legend Buster Posey opted out of 2020, but until now GM Farhan Zaidi maintained the Georgia Tech product wasn’t ready. Before Thursday’s game, Zaidi and manager Gabe Kapler summarized Bart’s role.

“It’s serendipitous timing that the offense has been scoring some runs. We’ve won a couple of games,” Zaidi said. “It’s certainly nice to call them up when there’s some positive momentum. I do think with any young player, you don’t want a guy to feel like he’s coming up and has to like carry the offensive load.”

The pitching staff, which has allowed the third most home runs in baseball, and just ended a franchise-record 21-game streak of allowing at least one home run, needs help. Kapler would be satisfied if Bart provides that help.

“We may have to just monitor his workload early on based on how much work he got in Sacramento,” Kapler said. “Catching nine innings is a stressor, catching nine innings in a major league season is more of a stressor than it is in a secondary camp. We need to be cognizant of all those things. However, the goal is to build him to be our everyday starting catcher.”

Tyler Heineman was optioned to the Sacramento camp to clear space, and Chadwick Tromp is expected to continue in his role of catching Johnny Cueto when the veteran pitcher’s turn in the rotation comes up.

Bart had no complaints about the timing of his callup, saying “my time is going to come, and when it is here, I’m going to make the most of it.”

Bart did that in the sixth, keeping his hands back and exploding through the baseball, on a slower than slow 78 mph slider from Julio Teheran. The exit speed for the liner was nearly 110 mph, the hardest hit baseball by any Giant this year that didn’t result in a home run.

Wilmer Flores had three hits for the Giants, homering for the second consecutive game. Austin Slater scored twice and had two hits to raise his average to .347. And Brandon Crawford homered in the fourth to make it 9-1 Giants. The home run was the 100th of the shortstop’s career.

The Giants have won three straight for the first time in 2020. They welcome the Diamondbacks to Oracle Park on Friday for the first of a three-game series. Robbie Ray will face the Giants’ Logan Webb in a 6:45pm start.

Giants have modest two-game win streak after thumping the Angels 7-2

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By Morris Phillips

SAN FRANCISCO–It’s official: The Giants’ embarassing weekend is over.

After three days of being used like a doormat by the more talented A’s, the Giants have bounced back, winning a second straight over the Angels Wednesday night, 7-2.

Of course, the response against the struggling Angels won’t generate the headlines that getting embarrassed by the rival A’s did, but the Giants are back to their process. Just get better, one day at at a time.

Wilmer Flores came through with a two-strike, two-out, three-run homer, and Austin Slater hit a two-run shot to back Giants’ starter Johnny Cueto. The veteran pitcher won for the 128th time in his career, and moved to 2-0 on the season, pitching 5 2/3 innings, allowing four hits and two runs.

“Johnny pitched great and he was able to go deeper into the game for us,” manager Gabe Kapler said. “We asked a lot of him and he gave us a lot of pitches. We were able to hand the ball over to the bullpen and they did a nice job for us.”

While Kapler has walked on eggshells in regards to how he utilizes his pitching staff, penciling in his offensive lineup has been a comparative joy. Donovan Solano and Mike Yastrzemski have parked themselves among the league leaders in several offensive categories. The Giants are slighty above MLB average in home runs, triples and RBI. It’s a start for now, and it appears to be picking up steam. In the last eight games, the Giants have hit 13 homers while hitting .295 with runners in scoring position.

When Kapler was forming Wednesday’s lineup against left-hander Patrick Sandoval, Slater with his impressive numbers against lefties had to be penciled in as the DH batting leadoff. Flores or Belt at first base was a tougher call, but only because both are swinging the bat well. This time, Flores got the nod.

“You’re trying to give everyone an opportunity and stay sensitive to the fact that guys are making adjustments and trying to get better,” Kapler said. “This was one of those days. This was one of those lineups.”

Flores rewarded with two hits and four RBI while his batting average climbed to .301. Yastrzemski had a pair of knocks to lift his average to. 318. And Slater’s home run, single and a walk got his OBP to a team-best .453.

That’s progress for a club that at 10-16 is taking its lumps, but showing up everyday and playing for a new manager under unique circumstances.

Meanwhile, the Angels have had little go right in the last week outside of taking advantage of Trevor Gott on Monday for their only win of the stretch. At 8-17, they’re experiencing their worst 25-game start to a season in franchise history.

When the lineup, includes superstar Mike Trout, World Series MVP Anthony Rendon, high-priced import Shohei Ohtani, and future Hall of Famer Albert Pujols, that’s not pretty. Manager Joe Maddon, also in his first year, has been through plenty, but that doesn’t make it any easier.

“These are the moments when you just really, you do have to dig down deeply and you do have to fight through them and you do have to keep pushing to come out the other side,” Maddon said. “In our game, the thing that we have to do consistently well, and I’m not banging on the pitching, we just have to pitch more consistently.”

On Thursday, the Giants and starter Kevin Gausman will face lefty Jose Suarez in his season debut for the Angels.

Giants’ Bullpen Blues: SF collapses in the ninth again, lose 7-6 to the Angels

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San Francisco Giants left fielder Alex Dickerson, bottom, dives for a ball hit by Los Angeles Angels’ Tommy La Stella as third baseman Evan Longoria jumps out of the way during the fifth inning of a baseball game in Anaheim, Calif., Monday, Aug. 17, 2020 (AP News photo)

By Morris Phillips

After the seventh inning, the perfect ending had to have crossed manager Gabe Kapler’s mind.

Six consecutive outs and the Giants could end their four-game losing skid with Mike Trout standing in the on-deck circle unable to lift his Angels.

If only Kapler had the horses..

Instead Trevor Gott surrendered a game-ending, two-run homer to Tommy La Stella in a 7-6 Giants’ loss, their third via a ninth inning collapse in four games.

For Gott, his season has gone from delight to disaster: the reliever elevated to closer has allowed six, ninth inning home runs while his ERA has ballooned to 14.73.

“We’ll look for a softer landing spot for him. I think we’re going to need to figure out how to get his confidence back,” Kapler said of Gott.

For La Stella and the Angels, the win was the perfect tonic for ending a four-game skid in which they were overpowered by the A’s before getting swept by the Dodgers over the weekend. The win marked the first time in 11 games they had won after trailing initially. And yes, the game did end with Trout due up next, but the prospect of the Giants getting what they wanted, fueled La Stella.

“I just wanted to make sure I didn’t swing out of the zone, especially with Mike coming up next,” La Stella said.

Trout did his damage earlier with a solo shot in the third that tied the game, 2-2. The Angels’ superstar became the first slugger to reach 10 home runs this season, only to see San Diego’s Fernando Tatis Jr. homer twice in their game against Texas to take the Major League lead with 11.

For the Giants, Trout’s homer off starter Tyler Anderson marked an ominous milestone, the 20th consecutive game the team’s pitching staff has allowed at least one home run, an ongoing franchise record.

The Giants led 2-0 after Brandon Belt’s homer in the first, then after they trailed 5-3, a three-run rally in the sixth gave them the lead again. Mike Yastrzemski’s two-run double scored Brandon Crawford and Mauricio Dubon to make it 6-5 Giants in the sixth.

Relievers Jarlin Garcia, Tyler Rogers and Tony Watson each pitched scoreless innings to get the Giants to the ninth with the lead. But Gott couldn’t hold it, striking out Brian Goodwin on three pitches, and allowing David Fletcher a bloop single before La Stella ended it.

Dylan Bundy, in search of his fourth win, will start for the Angels on Tuesday, opposed by Trevor Cahill for the Giants. Cahill served as a starter and reliever in 2019, his one and only season as a member of the Angels.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

San Francisco Giants podcast with Morris Phillips: After losing two in the late innings where is SF’s confidence?; Will Giants shop Cueto?

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San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Johnny Cueto, left, briefly talks with Los Angeles Dodgers’ Joc Pederson after Pederson flew out to end the third inning of a baseball game Saturday, Aug. 8, 2020, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

On the Giants podcast with Morris:

#1 Morris going into Anaheim and having lost the series to the Oakland mostly by late inning heroics by the A’s how much does that devalue the team’s confidence?

#2 The way you see it was this a matter of the Giants bullpen just failing or was it just bad pitch selection on pitches to Stephen Piscotty for his grand slam Friday to tie the game and to Mark Canha for his homer on Saturday?

#3 How bad is this Giants team collapsing a five run lead in the ninth inning and Giants pitcher Trevor Gott who gave up the game winning three run homer for the go ahead eventual winner.

#4 Morris how soon is practical for the Giants to bring up catcher Joey Bart who has been in training camp with the Sacramento Rivercats. Bart is close to being promoted but the Giants wanted to take a cautious approach to his promotion but fans and players are calling for him to come up to the show.

#5 There has been talk that Giants starter Johnny Cueto’s latest success might give him some trade value, Cueto had a great start on Friday before reaching his pitch count and nearly threw a no hitter against the Dodgers Sat Aug 8th.

Morris joins Sportstalk for the Giants podcasts on Mondays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

SF Giants game wrap: Break out the brooms for the A’s in 15-3 victory

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Oakland Athletics’ Stephen Piscotty, right, swings for a three-run home run off San Francisco Giants’ Dereck Rodriguez in the fifth inning of a baseball game Sunday, Aug. 16, 2020, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

By Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO-Well, the Oakland A’s did not have to come back on the San Francisco Giants in the series finale of the Bay Bridge Series.

Chad Pinder hit a pinch-hit two-run home run off of Wandy Peralta on the first pitch that Peralta threw in the top of the fifth inning, as the A’s completed a three-game series sweep with a 15-3 victory over the Giants at Oracle Park.

The 15 runs are the most scored by the A’s at Oracle Park and the second most ever scored against the Giants, following the 16 runs that they scored on June 26, 2005 in a 16-0 shutout by the A’s over the Giants, who got only one hit on that afternoon, when Deivi Cruz singled off of Rich Harden in the fifth inning.

The Pinder home run, his third pinch-hit home run of his career landed more than three-quarters up the left-field bleachers that gave the A’s the lead for good.

Sean Murphy walked to lead off the inning with a walk, and Marcus Semien popped out for the first out of the inning, Gabe Kapler decided that it was enough for Logan Webb and he was replaced by Peralta, who promptly gave up the long home run to Pinder.

Both Matt Chapman and Matt Olson both singled, and then Saturdays hero, Mark Canha drove in both Chapman and Olson, as he tripled into the right-center gap.

Peralta was then replaced by Dereck Rodriguez, who got Khris Davis to pop out to Brandon Belt at first base for the second out of the inning, but Stephen Piscotty hit a three-run home run that landed at the base of the Coca-Cola bottle, clearing the bleachers.

The hit parade continued, as Murphy, who led off the inning with a walk, doubled in his second at bat of the inning and Semien made it a nine-run inning, when he launched a two-run home run of his own. Pinder then made it two hits in the inning, as he singled and then the inning finally came to a screeching halt, as Chapman was robbed of a hit by Alex Dickerson in left field.

Webb was tagged with the loss, as he went 4.1 innings, allowing three runs on three hits, while walking five and striking out five.

Peralta did not retire a batter, as he gave up five runs on four hits and walked one before giving way to Rodriguez, who gave up three runs (two home runs) on four hits in his first two-thirds work on the afternoon.

Mike Fiers went six innings, as he went gave up two runs on seven hits, walked one and struck out four on his way to his second win of the season.

Davis gave the A’s an early 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning, as he grounded into a double play against Webb that scored Olson from third base. Olson picked up his first single of the season, as he singled in front of Mauricio Dubon in center field, Canha and Robbie Grossman then walked to load the bases prior to the Davis double play.

Brandon Belt tied up the game in the bottom of the second inning, as he lined his second home run of the season onto the arcade in right field.

Chapman gave the A’s the lead once again in the top of the third inning, as he doubled into the gap in right-center field to score Tony Kemp from first base and Chapman moved up an extra 90 feet, when Dubons throw went awry for an error.

Mike Yastrzemski tied up the game in the bottom of the third, as his blooper landed just beyond the reach of Chapman at third base that scored Brandon Crawford and that would be the score until the A’s broke the game wide open with a nine-run fifth inning.

Piscotty drove in two more runs in the top of the sixth inning, as he doubled to score Olson and Davis.

The five runs batted in for Piscotty tied a career high set versus the Boston Red Sox on April 4, 2019 at the Coliseum.
Crawford led off the bottom of the seventh inning by his hitting his first home run of the season, against A’s reliever James Kaprielian, who was making his major-league debut for the As.
Donovan Solano saw his 17-game hitting streak come to a halt, as he took the collar on the afternoon, as he went 0-for-5; however, he still hitting .408 on the season.

With one last chance to get a hit to extend the streak, Solano grounded out to end the game.

NOTES: This is the first time that the A’s have swept the Giants in San Francisco since June 13-15, 2008 and the first sweep over the Giants since June 17-19, 2011.

With three more home runs allowed on the afternoon, the Giants have allowed 39 home runs on the season, and at least one in 19 consecutive games, extending their team record. The Diamondbacks have given up a major league high 46 on the season.

UP NEXT: Neither the Giants nor the Los Angeles Angels have announced their starters for the beginning of their two-game series that begins on Monday night at Anaheim Stadium.