Category: San Francisco Giants

The San Francisco Giants Mauricio Dubon shooshes the empty stands at Coors Field in Denver after belting a three run homer in the seventh inning but it wasn’t enough as the Giants lost by two runs to the Colorado Rockies on Thursday 6-4 (AP photo)

On the San Francisco Giants podcast with Michael Duca:

#1 The Giants have lost three out of four the the Rockies before heading to LA on Friday. The way you saw that series in Denver was it a matter of just a lot of good hitting for the Rockies or the Giants bullpen couldn’t get tracked?

#2 It’s a shame that Tyler Anderson couldn’t complete a game we know about the pitch count 66 for Anderson five innings, two hits, two walks, and three strike outs a decent start for Anderson.

#3 Talk about Brandon Belt he helped the Giants from getting swept in Colorado with a big fly to edge the Rockies on Wednesday 4-3. Belt’s been hitting .182 talk about how effective he could be in the line up?

#4 There were times that people just gave up on Pablo Sandoval in the past but he’s still durable on Wednesday he got two hits and right now Sandoval is hitting .206, no homers an RBI.

#5 Michael talk a little about catcher Chad Tromp hitting .318 and Mauricio Dubon hitting .258 with a homer on Thursday and they can help the Giants.

Michael joins Sports Talk every other Saturday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

Fresh Prince of Home Run: The Los Angeles Dodgers Will Smith hits one deep that eludes San Francisco Giants left fielder Darrin Ruf’s glove over the Dodgers bullpen in the fourth inning at Dodger Stadium (AP photo)

By Jeremy Kahn

It seems that the San Francisco Giants defense is not getting any better and once again it cost them a game in the long run.

Justin Turner singled to left field immediately following a fielding error by Darrin Ruf in left field that Cody Bellinger to advance to second in the bottom of the third inning, and then scored on the Turner and the Los Angeles Dodgers took a 2-1 lead on their way to a 7-2 victory over the Giants at Dodger Stadium.

The error by Ruf was their major league leading 18th error of the season in 15 games this season.

Mookie Betts continues to get better as the shortened season continues, as he hit a solo home run off of Jeff Samardzija that tied up the game. It was the first home run for Betts at Dodger Stadium.

Donovan Solano gave the Giants a 1-0 lead in the top of the third inning, as he singled in Mike Yastrzemski, who doubled to left-center field with one out in the inning.

The Dodgers broke the game open in the bottom of the fourth inning, as Max Muncy hit a solo home run into the right field pavilion and then three batters later, Will Smith launched a two-run home run into the left field pavilion that gave the Dodgers a 5-1 lead over their longtime rivals.

Samardzija did not make it out of the fifth inning, as the Dodgers loaded the bases with nobody out after Samardzija walked Bellinger and then hit Turner and Enrique Hernandez before being replaced by Sam Selman, who was able to get Muncy; however, the Dodgers added another run, when Chris Taylor grounded into a fielders choice to score Bellinger.

The right-handed throwing Samardzija went four innings, allowing six runs (five earned) on seven hits, walking two and striking out three, as his record fell to 0-2 on the season.

Wilmer Flores homered off of Dennis Santana in the top of the sixth inning for the Giants final run of the evening, and are now 1-4 on their road trip.

Dylan Floro picked up the win for the Dodgers, his first of the season after he replaced starter Julio Urias, who gave up one run in four innings of work.

UP NEXT: Johnny Cueto will take the mound for the Giants on Saturday evening, while Clayton Kershaw takes the mound for the Dodgers.

San Francisco Giants’ Brandon Belt rounds the bases after hitting a three run home run against the Colorado Rockies during the fourth inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2020, in Denver. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)

By Jeremy Harness

There are not a lot of expectations for the Giants for this traveling fiasco otherwise known as the 2020 baseball season, but at least for one night, the team had a reason to feel good.

For one thing, someone other than Donovan Solano or Mike Yastrzemski got a meaningful hit, which is certainly noteworthy.

After Solano and Yastrzemski reached base in the fourth, Brandon Belt pounced on a hanging slider from Colorado starter Jon Gray and flew it over the right-field wall for a three-run homer that gave the Giants a one-run lead.

Belt wasn’t done with Gray just yet. He added a double into the gap in right-center, and second baseman Wilmer Flores scored him with an insurance RBI single in the sixth, and the bullpen held on to nail down the Giants’ 4-3 win over the Rockies at Coors Field Wednesday night, before a crowd of about 50 cut-outs of former Rockies players directly behind home plate.

For his part, young righty Logan Webb kept his team in the game and was rewarded with his first win of the season, giving up a pair of runs – one of them earned – on four hits. He struck out four hitters on the process and did not walk anyone.

However, the defense remains an adventure. The Giants spotted the Rockies a run in the first inning, when Solano booted a grounder at shortstop to allow leadoff man David Dahl to reach base. Two batters later, Charlie Blackmon singled in Dahl to give Colorado a 1-0 lead.

Dahl knocked in Sam Hilliard two innings later to double that lead.

San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Kevin Gausman (34) throws against the Colorado Rockies during the first inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2020, in Denver. Jack Dempsey/AP

By Jeremy Kahn

Coming back home is always a great thing as a major leaguer, and now Kevin Gausman knows how it feels to pitch in the area where you grew up; however, it was not a happy decision.

Gausman went 5.1 innings, allowing four runs on five hits, walking just one and striking out seven and the Colorado Rockies defeated the San Francisco Giants 5-2 at Coors Field.

This was the longest start of the season for Gausman and the second-longest for a Giants starter, after Jeff Samardzija went 5.2 innings in Sundays 9-5 loss to the Texas Rangers at Oracle Park.

It was the third straight loss for the Giants, who committed three more errors on the evening in the thin air of Denver.

The three errors by the Giants bring their total up to 16 and have committed multiple errors in six of the 12 games played this season, including one on Tyler Heineman, who was called for catchers interference.

German Marquez went 7.1 innings, striking out nine and the Rockies improved to 8-2 on the season, tying the 2011 team for the best start thru 10 games in team history.

Nolan Arenado hit his second home run as many nights for the Rockies, while Charlie Blackmon went 2-for-3 on the night.

Instant replay played a big deal in this game, as what was originally ruled a three-run home run for Steven Duggar was later overturned to a two-run double that was the third consecutive hit by the Giants.

By not hitting a home run in the game, it broke a string of 13 straight that the Giants hit a home run at Coors Field that dated back to September 3, 2018.

NOTES: Pablo Sandoval broke out of a 0-for-14 slump, as he hit a single in the top of the second inning.

Drew Smyly, who is currently on the 10-day injured list with a sprained left finger will remain in the Bay Area for his physical therapy.

UP NEXT: Logan Webb will take the mound for the Giants on Wednesday, while Jon Gray will take the mound for the Rockies.

Joey Gallo (right) of the Texas Rangers gets congratulations from Shin-Soo Choo (17) after taking San Francisco pitcher Tyler Anderson deep for a three run homer in the seventh inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Sunday (AP photo)

By Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO-If you want to take a lead on the San Francisco Giants, you better get up by a lot of runs; because, they are going to come back on your pitching.

Unfortunately, the three-game sweep and great comeback did not occur, as the Texas Rangers salvaged the final game of the three-game set with a 9-5 victory over the Giants at Oracle Park.

After trailing 5-2 going into the bottom of the sixth inning, Evan Longoria hit a solo home run and then Chadwick Tromp tied up the game with a two-run home run, but there was no joy in San Francisco on this afternoon.

Willie Calhoun hit a sacrifice fly with nobody out to Mike Yastrzemski to score Jeff Mathis from third base.

Following the Calhoun sacrifice fly, Joey Gallo launched a three-run home run over the 415 mark in triples alley that last season would have been in the park; however, the fences were moved in six feet and it was the second home run of the season for Gallo.

Jonathan Hernandez pitched two strong innings, allowing just one walk and striking out four to pick up his second win of the season for the Rangers.

The Rangers got on the board in the top of the second inning, as Scott Heineman hit a two-run double to score Gallo and Nick Solak, Heineman then scored on a Mathis single.

Longoria got the Giants on the board in the bottom of the inning, as he hit a sacrifice fly that scored Hunter Pence from third base. Pence broke out of a 0-for-21 start to the season with a long triple.

Shin-Soo Choo extended the Rangers lead in the top of the fifth inning, as he hit a two-run home run that landed in McCovey Cove to lengthen the Rangers lead up to 5-1.

That is when the Giants began to chip away at the lead, as Yastrzemski grounded out to score Brandon Crawford, who led off the inning with a single.

Andrew Triggs, who was just added to the team earlier in the day came on to replace starter Jeff Samardzija in the top of the sixth inning did not look sharp at all, as he went one-third of an inning, allowing three runs on no hits and walked three to pick up the loss for the Giants.

It was the first outing for Triggs since the 2018 season, when he was with the Oakland As.

Samardzija became the first Giants pitcher to go past the fifth inning this season, stopping the major-league record at nine straight where a starter did not go five innings, as he went 5.2 innings, allowing five runs on seven hits, walking one and striking out one.

NOTES: Drew Smyly was placed on the 10-day injured list prior to the game with a strained left index finger. Triggs was called up from the alternate site to replace Smyly, and to make room for Triggs on the 40-man roster, reliever Jandel Gustave was Designated for Assignment.

This was the second move of the day for the team, as they traded Billy Hamilton to the New York Mets is exchange for right-handed pitcher Jordan Humphrey, who was optioned t the teams alternate site. Over his minor-league career, Humphries 13-7 with a 2.60 earned run average in 35 games and 28 of them being starts.

UP NEXT: Chi Chi Gonzalez will make his 2020 debut for the Colorado Rockies, as the teams begin a four-game series at Coors Field on Monday. As of now, the Giants have yet to name their starter.

After an off-day on Monday, the Rangers will remain in the Bay Area and begin a three-game series with the Oakland As on Tuesday night, when Lance Lynn takes the mound at the Oakland Coliseum.

The San Francisco Giants Donavon Solano hits for a two run single in the third inning of Saturday night’s game at Oracle Park in San Francisco (AP photo)

By Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO-After scoring just 10 runs in their opening series versus the Los Angeles Dodgers, it seems that the San Francisco Giants have found their scoring shoes since coming home to Oracle Park.

Donovan Solano hit a two-run single in the bottom of the third inning that scored Mike Yastrzemski and Alex Dickerson, helping the Giants to a 7-3 victory over the Texas Rangers at Oracle Park. In the five games since returning from Los Angeles, the Giants have scored 33 runs in the five home games.

Both Yastrzemski and Dickerson both walked off of Rangers starter Jordan Lyles, then Lyles uncorked a wild pitch that allowed Yastrzemski and Dickerson to move up an additional 90 feet. Solano took advantage of the runners in scoring position and singled to center that allowed both runners to score.

Todd Frazier put the Rangers on the board in the top of the first inning, as he singled to right field to give the Rangers an early 2-0 lead.

It looked like the Giants were going to get of the inning when they caught Joey Gallo and Elvis Andrus in two different pickles; however, Solano threw to Longoria at third, trying to get Andrus and he was able to get back into third base. On the play, there was a moment, where it showed the lighter side of sports, when Longoria collided with third base umpire Jim Wolf, neither Wolf nor Longoria were injured on the play.

Frazier then took a Drew Smyly pitch and put it into right field to give the Rangers a 2-0 lead before the Giants could come to the plate.

Longoria put an end to the shutout bid for Lyles, as he doubled off of the right-hander to score Yastrzemski and Brandon Belt.

Yastrzemski extended the lead in the bottom of the sixth inning, as he was able to fight a 0-2 hole and come all the way to draw a walk that scored Longoria from third base.

The Giants tacked on another run in the bottom of the eighth inning, as Solano continues to stay hot in the early going, as he lashed an opposite field single to score Brandon Crawford from third base. Crawford led off the inning by getting hit by a pitch against Rangers reliever Jimmy Herget.

Belt then extended the lead and the inning, as he walked to score Tyler Heineman from third base.

Smyly was forced to leave the game after just four innings, as he felt discomfort in his left index finger. This was the ninth consecutive game that the Giants starting pitcher failed to go at least five innings in a start, extending their own major league record.

Once again, the Giants bullpen continues to put up great numbers, as Shawn Anderson, Caleb Baragar, Rico Garcia, Tyler Rogers, Trevor Gott and Sam Selman combined to the final five innings, allowing just one run on four hits, walking two and striking out three. Baragar picked up his second win of the season.

Scott Heineman hit an opposite field home run onto the arcade in the top of the ninth inning for the Rangers first run since taking a 2-0 lead in the top of the ninth inning.

Heineman is the brother of Giants catcher Tyler Heineman, and this was the first time that the two played against each other in the major leagues. The two exchanged lineup cards with the umpires prior to the game, and took a picture together along with the umpires and following the game, the two exchanged jerseys.

NOTES: Rob Brantly cleared waivers and was outrighted to the alternate training site.

With the victory over the Rangers, the Giants have now won 19 out of 24 matchups over the Rangers at Oracle Park, tying the Oakland As, who are also 19-5 versus the Los Angeles Dodgers, the best home record versus any home opponent in major league history, this includes both regular and postseason games with a minimum of 20 games, this is according to STATS, LLC.

Giants vs. Rangers 19-5 .792
As vs. Dodgers 19-5 .792
Astros vs. Orioles 20-6 .769
Red Sox vs. Marlins 16-6 .727
Astros vs. Blue jays 19-8 .704

UP NEXT: Kolby Allard takes the mound in the finale for the Rangers, while the Giants have yet to announce their starter.

BEST HOME RECORD VS. ANY OPPONENT – ALL-TIME (current franchises only –

The San Francisco Giants Wilmer Flores is congratulated by Giants third base coach Ron Wotus in the fifth inning on Friday night at Oracle Park in San Francisco (sfgate.com photo)

By Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO-In what was known as a pitchers ballpark prior to this season, and for the first 20 seasons, Oracle Park is now a hitters park or so it seems thru the first four games of the home slate.

Wilmer Flores hit a three-run home run in the bottom of the fourth inning, helping the San Francisco Giants to a 9-2 victory over the Texas Rangers in a rematch of the 2010 World Series, when the Giants won their first World Championship since 1954.

Fast forward to 2020 and it is a totally different story for both teams, as both are in rebuilding stages after a terrific decade of the 2010s.

Things did not get off to a good start for the Giants, as Logan Webb gave up a first pitch home run to lead off batter Shin-Soo Choo to give the Rangers a quick 1-0 lead.

Webb ended up going third and two-thirds innings, allowing two runs (one earned), walking four and striking out four, as he did not fare in the decision.

Conor Menez replaced Webb and pitched 1.1 innings of perfect ball, as he struck out one and picked up his first win of the 2020 season. Shawn Anderson came on to replace Menez, and pitched a perfect sixth inning.

Once again, the Giants bullpen continues to impress, as Menez, Anderson, Wandy Peralta, Tony Watson and Sam Selman combined to go the final 5.1 innings, allowing zero runs, on just two hits, not walking a batter and striking out six.

Chadwick Tromp picked up his first major league hit in the bottom of the fifth inning to get the eventual game-winning rally, then Mauricio Dubon singled with one out. Austin Slater then flew out for the second out of the inning and then Flores planted a 2-2 offering from Mike Minor, and put it into the left field bleachers to give the Giants a 4- 2 lead and never looked back.

Tromp broke the game open in the bottom of the sixth inning, as he doubled to left field to score Darin Ruf for his first major league run batted in. Dubon then singled up the middle to score Tromp from second base.

The Giants tacked on three more runs in the bottom of the seventh inning, as Donovan Solano got in on the act, as he singled to right field to score Flores and then Ruf hit a double that just was out of the reach of Nick Solak in centerfield that scored Evan Longoria and Solano.

Every Giants starter picked up a hit on the evening with the exception of Hunter Pence, who is now 0-for-21 on the season.

NOTES: Pablo Sandoval is the only current Giants player remaining from the 2010 World Championship team. Elvis Andrus remains as the lone Rangers holdover from the 2010 team that won their first American League Championship in team history.

The Giants recalled Selman from their alternate site and have placed RHP Sam Coonrod on the 10-day IL with a right lat strain.

After scoring just 13 runs in their first five games of the season, the Giants have nearly doubled that total over the past three games, as they have scored 23 runs.
When Choo was hit by the pitch in the top of the 4th inning it was the 151st of his career, breaking a tie with Anthony Rizzo (150) for the most HBP among active players in MLB. It was also his 70th as a member of the Rangers, which is already a club record (next closest: Ian Kinsler-57).

UP NEXT: The Rangers will send Jordan Lyles to the mound on Saturday night, while the Giants have yet to announce their starter.

The San Diego Padres Jurickson Profar tagged a two run sixth inning homer against the San Francisco Giants on Thursday night at Oracle Park in San Francisco (AP photo)

By Jeremy Harness

SAN FRANCISCO – Nobody on the road, nobody on the beach, I feel it in the air, summer’s out of reach/ Empty lake, empty streets, the sun goes down alone/I’m driving by your house, though I know you’re not home.

Those lyrics, from Don Henley’s 1984 hit “Boys of Summer,” actually describe the 2020 baseball season – not to mention the COVID-19 pandemic that caused this state – pretty accurately.

The delayed fake crowd noise, the carbon-fiber cutouts – for what it’s worth, 4,712 cutouts were counted – that are concentrated behind the plate but are also dispersed along the base lines in the first two decks. The instrumental version of “Take Me Out To The Ballgame,” during the seventh-inning stretch with no vocals to be heard, not even the synthetic crowd noise that should have followed.

For the first six-and-a-half innings Thursday, the Giants looked more like the Boys of Bummer, falling behind by five runs before rallying in the seventh and eighth innings to tie the game. Unlike Wednesday night, they could not complete the comeback, as the San Diego Padres exploded for six runs in the 10^th inning to come away with a 12-7 win at Oracle Park.

Starter Kevin Gausman got in trouble in the third and ultimately yielded a run when a wild pitch allowed Ty France to score. It got worse for Gausman and the Giants the very next inning. Right fielder Steven Duggar got completely turned around in the fourth inning, allowing Trent Grisham’s long fly ball to bounce off the wall in right-center for a leadoff triple.

Grisham scored when the next better, Manny Machado, singled through the right side of the infield to bring him in. Two batters later, Jurickson Profar, knocked Machado in with a single of his own to give the Padres a commanding 3-0 lead.

Gausman lasted only 4 1/3 innings and surrendered three runs on six hits, although he struck out eight and did not walk a single batter.

The Giants got a run in the fifth, but they didn’t exactly earn it. With one out, Grisham made a diving catch, and Brandon Belt, who was on first, had gotten past second base and looked like a sitting duck. However, the Padres managed to screw up the relay to first and allowed Belt to somehow slide back in safely.

This also allowed Mike Yastrzemski to tag up from third and get the Giants on the board.

That was quickly nixed when Profar, the former A’s infielder who entered Thursday’s game 1-for-15, hit a two-run homer off reliever Caleb Baragar.

The Giants got three runs in the bottom of the seventh to cut the lead to two, and then tied things up in the eighth, when Yastrzemski tripled to score Duggar and then Donovan Solano drove him in with a sac fly.