Category: San Francisco Giants

By Morris Phillips

SAN FRANCISCO–Zac Gallen was dealing. Then he wasn’t.

The Giants lengthy climb back to .500 appeared stalled Monday evening as Gallen, Arizona’s 25-year old starter with the major league’s fourth lowest ERA, breezed through the first five innings allowing just one hit.

No stranger to the Giants, Gallen was making his third start against them since August 22, having allowed one run in each of the two previous outings, winning the first. His notoriety carried weight as well, having completed the first 23 starts of his career without allowing more than three runs in any of them, an ongoing major league record.

This time Gallen looked even more formidable–using cutters and curveballs to set up his 93 mph fastball–by breezing through five having thrown just 59 pitches, and leading 1-0.

In the sixth, things fell apart, with Gallen allowing four hits, two walks without recording an out. Just that fast, the Giants were on their way to a 4-2 win, and Gallen felt as if he saw it coming.

“Even those first five innings, it seemed like I was rolling but I feel like I kind of got away with some pitches that weren’t my best stuff,” he said. “In that sixth inning, I wasn’t making pitches.”

“He was making pitches early and then I think he just made some mistakes out over the plate and they took advantage of it,” manager Torey Lovullo said of Gallen.

The win brought the Giants back to .500 for the first time since August 2 when they were 5-5. With the regular season only 60 games, the quest took more than half the season to achieve. With 18 games remaining, the Giants are competing for one the final playoff spots in the National League. Can they hang?

Manager Gabe Kapler likes what he’s seen.

“The character of this team is continuing to shine through,” Kapler said. “Long way to go, lot of work left to do but certainly gratifying to get back to the .500 mark.”

Kevin Gausman picked up the win, pitching six innings, allowing just one run while striking out nine. Gausman’s name kept coming up at the trade deadline for all the right reasons as multiple clubs felt the right-hander could help them with their playoff aspirations. Throughout, Gausman stated he wanted to stay with the Giants. In the end, he got his wish.

“I was definitely happy to be back here” he said. “More than anything, I just feel confident in our team.”

The Giants next have a home-and-home set with the Mariners wrapped around a four-game set at Petco Park against the Padres. Then they return to the Bay Area for the final 10 games of the season, with the first three of those in Oakland.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Madison Bumgarner watches the San Francisco Giants Evan Longoria last Saturday round the bases, one of two homers Bumgarner gave up in his first time back since leaving the Giants (AP News photo)

On the MLB podcast with Larry:

We open with a tribute to the passing of Hall of Famers Lou Brock and Tom Seaver

#1 Larry what was it like for Arizona pitcher Madison Bumgarner to come back and pitch against his former team the San Francisco Giants on Saturday night only to give up back to back home runs and lose a close game 4-3.

#2 Bum has been struggling now and is 0-4 has had a bad back. Did the Giants see issues of Bumgarner’s motion or something different in his pitching where they decided to let him go after last season?

#3 Bumgarner pitched in three World Series Championships during five seasons winning them all. There’s very little doubt for Bumgarner coming back to San Francisco had to be something special in spite of his losing Saturday’s game.

#4 In Bumgarner’s return on Saturday he gave up back to back home runs, pitched four innings, gave up two runs, three hits, and struck out two hitters, it’s not quite the line he wanted facing his old teammates.

#5 On other thing people will remember about Bumgarner in San Francisco that he also was a pretty good hitting pitcher. It doesn’t do him very good right now with the universal DH in the National League.

Join Larry every Monday for the MLB podcast at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

San Francisco Giants who came up with a victory on Sunday gets the conga victory line going from left to right Tyler Rogers (71), Donavon Solano, Brandon Belt, and Joey Bart after their win over the Arizona Diamondbacks Sunday at Oracle Park in San Francisco (AP News photo)

By Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO-Donovan Solano was flirting with a mark that was last seen in the National League by Joe Ducky Medwick of the St. Louis Cardinals in 1937, but he continues to hit the ball very well.

Solano, who was hitting near or above the .400 mark for nearly the first month of the season, hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth inning and the San Francisco Giants defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks 4-2 in Game Three of their Four-Game series at Oracle Park.

Austin Slater began the frame with a single and then Solano hit his third home run of the season to give the Giants the lead for good.

Things did not start out well for the Giants or starting pitcher Johnny Cueto, as Tim LoCastro hit the third pitch of the game into the left field bleachers to give the Diamondbacks a quick 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning. It was the first career leadoff home run for LoCastro and eighth career leadoff home run allowed by Cueto.

Following the LoCastro home run, Cueto was out of sync, as he gave up back-to-back singles to Kole Calhoun and David Peralta before getting Eduardo Escobar to strikeout for the first out of the inning

Josh Rojas then added another run for the Diamondbacks, as he hit a sacrifice fly that scored Calhoun from third base.

That would be the last run that Cueto would allow, as he went 5.2 innings, allowing two runs on seven hits, walking three and seven hits, including ending a bases loaded jam, when he struck out Peralta to end the top of the fifth inning.

After being in a little rut, the Giants bullpen continues to look good, as the combination of Caleb Baragar, Jarlin Garcia, Tony Watson and Tyler Rogers went the final 4.1 innings, allowing just one hit and striking out six. Baragar won for the fifth time and the second time in as many days, while Rogers picked up his third save of the season.

Diamondbacks starter Alex Young went 5.1 innings, allowing three runs on seven hits, did not walk a batter and struck out three; however, those two home runs to Tromp and Solano were the difference and his record fall to 1-3 on the season.

The biggest play of the game did not come at the plate, but it came in the field in the top of the fifth inning.

LoCastro, who hit a leadoff home run to start the game, hit into a fielders choice that saw Wilmer Flores pick up the ball and throw to Chadwick Tromp, who tagged out Nick Ahmed at the plate for the second out of the inning. Following a walk to Calhoun that loaded the bases, Cueto got Peralta to strikeout to end the inning.

Tromp got the Giants on the board in the bottom of the third inning, as he hit his third home run of the season.

Brandon Belt extended the Giants lead in the bottom of the seventh inning, as he came off the bench and hit a pinch-hit home run, his seventh home run of the season. The pinch-hit home run by Belt was the fourth of his career and first since July 30, 2019 against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park.

Alex Dickerson made a huge defensive play as he made a diving catch off the bat of Carson Kelly in the top of the eighth inning.

NOTES: Curtis Granderson hit the last leadoff home run off of Cueto, on June 26, 2015, when Cueto was with the Cincinnati Reds and Granderson was with the New York Mets in a 2-1 Mets victory at Citi Field.

With their back-to-back triples last night, Joey Bart and Mauricio Dubon became the first 8th and 9th hitters in SF-era history to hit back-to-back triples. It also marked the first time since the Giants moved to California in 1958 the Giants had back-to-back triples in which each player recorded their first career triple.

Prior to today’s game reliever Rico Garcia was recalled from the Alternate Training Site and pitcher Andrew Suarez was optioned to the Alternate Training Site.

On this date in Giants history, Yusmeiro Petit came within one strike of a perfect game against the Diamondbacks at AT&T Park. Eric Chavez hit a single with two outs in the 9th to deprive Petit of his place in history, but he retired the next batter, A.J. Pollock, to end up with a 3-0 one-hitter.

UP NEXT: With the Giants looking for the series win, as they will send right-handed Kevin Gausman to the hill, while the Diamondbacks will send Zac Gallen to the mound, as they look for the split.

Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Madison Bumgarner waits for pitching coach Matt Herges as catcher Carson Kelly and third baseman Eduardo Escobar (5) wait with Bumgarner in the fourth inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Saturday night (AP News photo)

By Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO–A former San Francisco Giants player returned to Oracle Park, but this was no ordinary player for the Giants.

Madison Bumgarner, who helped lead the Giants to three World Series Championships in a five-year period in 2010, 2012 and 2014 is now pitching for the NL West Division rival, the Arizona Diamondbacks.

In his first start since going on injured list with a back injury, Bumgarner went four innings, allowing two runs on three hits, walking two and striking out two and the Giants defeated the Diamondbacks 4-3 at Oracle Park. Bumgarner fell to 0-4 on the season in his first season with the Diamondbacks.

Bumgarner gave up back-to-back home runs to former teammate Evan Longoria and then Darren Ruf gave the Giants the lead, as his solo home run over the center field wall went half up the netting.

Those would be the only two runs that the Giants would score against Bumgarner, as they won for the fourth time in five outings against the Diamondbacks at Oracle Park.

Trevor Cahill went the first 2.2 innings, as he allowed one run on two hits, walked two and struck two.

Seven relievers went the final six and one-thirds innings, as Caleb Baragar won for the fourth time in five decisions, then Sam Coonrod, Jarlin Garcia, Trevor Gott, Tyler Rogers, Sam Selman and Tony Watson combined to allow two runs on four hits, walked two and struck out six. Watson picked up his first save of the season, and his first save since May 21, 2017, while with the Pittsburgh Pirates against the Philadelphia Phillies at PNC Park.

Cahill gave up a sacrifice fly to Christian Walker that scored Kole Calhoun from third base in the top of the first inning. Calhoun walked against Cahill, went to second on a Cahill wild pitch and then went to third on a ground ball to first base that Brandon Belt fielded then threw to Cahill for the first out of the inning.

After Bumgarner retired his former team in order in the bottom of the first inning, things were different in the bottom of the second inning. On a 1-1 pitch, Longoria launched a solo home run halfway up the left field bleachers for his fifth home run of the season, then five later, Ruf launched a 454 home run over the center field wall.

This was the first time that the Giants hit back-to-back since August 21, 2019, when Stephen Vogt, who is now a backup catcher for the Diamondbacks and Kevin Pillar, who was traded from to the Colorado Rockies at the trading deadline from the Boston Red Sox turned the trick against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. Pillar and Vogt each went deep off Yu Darvish in the top of the sixth inning, a game that the Cubs would win 12-11 after scoring two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning.

The Giants increased their lead in the bottom of the sixth inning, as Brandon Belt walked with one out, when to second on a by Daniel Robertson and then Joey Bart narrowly missed his first major-league home run; however, he did settle for his first major-league triple. Mauricio Dubon then tripled in Bart, as he also hit his first major-league triple off the Levis Landing wall in right field.

Daulton Varsho cut the Giants in half, as he hit his first major league home run in the top of the seventh inning off of Trevor Gott. Varsho, the son of former major leaguer Gary Varsho and who is named after the late Darren Daulton, who was a teammate of Varshos father with the Philadelphia Phillies hit the 53rd Splash Hit by an opponent.

Varsho is the first visiting player to have his first MLB homer be a splash hit.

It was the second Splash Hit by an opponent this season, as Shin-Soo Choo of the Texas Rangers hit one into San Francisco Bay off of Jeff Samardzija on August 2. This was the first one hit by a Diamondbacks player since Ender Inciarte hit one off of Yusmeiro Petit on September 9, 2014.

The Diamondbacks cut the Giants lead down to one in the top of the eighth inning, as Eduardo Escobar singled in Ketel Marte from second base, but Sam Selman came on to strikeout Josh Rojas to end the threat.

NOTES: This was the eighth Splash Hit by a Diamondbacks player since the park opened on April 11, 2000. Luis Gonzalez (2), Mark Grace, Miguel Montero and Adam LaRoche (2) and a total of three, as he also hit one for the Pittsburgh Pirates. LaRoche, Carlos Gonzalez of the Colorado Rockies and Carlos Delgado of the New York Mets are tied for the Splash Hits by an opponent with three. Barry Bonds leads the Giants with 35 Splash Hits.

Austin Slater was reinstated from the 10-day injured list and to make room for Slater on the roster, Steven Duggar was optioned to the Alternate Training Site.

Entering the game, batters against Cahill were 7-for-49, a .143 batting average which was the seventh lowest batting average by a Giants starter since the team moved to San Francisco in 1958. Tonight, the Diamondbacks went 2-for-9 against Cahill and opponents are 9-for-58, a .155 clip.

When the Giants hit back-to-back home runs in the bottom of the second and then back-to-back triples in the bottom of the sixth inning, they became just the seventh team since 1974 to hit back-to-back homers and back-to-back triples in the same game (previous: White Sox on July 3, 2018 vs. CIN).

UP NEXT: Johnny Cueto goes to the mound for the Giants on Sunday afternoon, while the Diamondbacks will counter with Alex Young.

(photo file from San Francisco Chronicle) San Francisco Giants manager expresses himself from the Giants dugout against the Los Angeles Angels and Mike Trout heading to the plate in a previous series between the two teams

On the Giants podcast with Morris:

#1 San Francisco Giants manager Gabe Kapler has expressed his optimism that the Giants can push hard enough to be a wild card team and make post season what do you read into his optimism?

#2 The Giants had a six game win streak, had won three out of their last four before their 6-5 loss to the Diamondbacks on Friday night.  There is no doubt this team has not given up trying.

#3 Would you say that when catcher Joey Bart was called up that turned the corner for the Giants they went on that win streak and sort of taken the tiger by the tail?

#4 Talk about what Willie Mays said about rooting for Alex Dickerson to hit four home runs last Tuesday he wound up hitting three.

#5 Talk about today’s starting pitchers at Oracle today for the Diamondbacks Madison Bumgarner makes his first appearance back at Oracle (0-3 ERA 9.35) is Bum who has struggled with back problems broken down and has seen better days? Or will he see better days? He will be opposed by the Giants Trevor Cahill (0-0 ERA 2.51)

Morris Phillips filled in for Michael Duca for Saturday’s Giants podcasts at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

San Francisco Giants pitcher Tyler Anderson reaches up to catch a high popup in front of the plate hit by the Arizona Diamondbacks Kole Calhoun with a runner coming in from third in Friday night’s game at Oracle Park in San Francisco (AP News photo)

By Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO-Things were out of sync for Tyler Anderson early on and the San Francisco Giants never were able to get over that hump against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Daulton Varsho hit a two-run single in the top of the fourth inning, helping the Diamondbacks to a hard fought 6-5 victory over the Giants, their first win at Oracle Park in four tries this season.

Ketel Marte hit the seventh pitch of the game into the left field bleachers to give the Diamondbacks a quick 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning.

That lead did not last long, as Brandon Belt continued his hot streak at the plate, as he doubled in just as hot Alex Dickerson singled with one out.

Marte was back at it in the top of the third inning, as he doubled off of Evan Longorias glove to score Varsho, who singled to lead off the frame for the Diamondbacks.

Once again, the Giants tied it up in the bottom of the third inning, as Donovan Solano reached on an infield single, when he beat Nick Ahmeds throw and allowed Dickerson to score for tie up the game.

Varsho then broke the tie up for good, as his two-run single to right field in the top of the fourth inning, allowed Ahmed and Josh Rojas.

The fourth inning would be the last one for Anderson, who went four innings, allowing four runs on seven hits, walking one and striking out two.

Anderson took the loss for the Giants, as he falls to 1-3 on the season.

Diamondbacks starter Taylor Clarke did not fare in the decision, as he went only three innings, allowing three runs on six hits, walking three and striking out two.

Travis Bergen pitched one inning, as he walked one and struck out one for his first win of the 2020 season. Kevin Ginkel came on in the bottom of the ninth inning and despite a walking a batter, he struck out Brandon Crawford to end the game for his first save of the season.

Mauricio Dubon cut the Diamondbacks lead down to one in the bottom of the fourth inning, as his double scored Joey Bart.

Dubon came up huge on the defensive side of the field, as he robbed Andy Flores of a possible two-run home run, as he leaped and brought the ball back from over the wall. He then did it again in the top of the eighth inning, as he made a sliding catch off the bat of Rojas that led off the top of the inning.

Once again, if the Giants scored a run, you knew that the Diamondbacks would score in the next half inning, as Kole Calhoun hit a sacrifice fly that scored Christian Walker in the top of the fifth inning and then Ahmed followed the Calhoun sacrifice fly up with a single to left field.

Wouldnt you know that in the bottom of the fifth inning, for the fourth time in the game, the Giants scored in the same frame as the Diamondbacks, when Brandon Crawford beat the shift and singled thru the hole that allowed Wilmer Flores.

The streak of where the Diamondbacks and the Giants scored in the same inning came to an end in the bottom of the seventh inning, as Belt launched a solo home run that went over the arcade onto the portwalk and then bounced into McCovey Cove.

Belt continues to hit the ball extremely well, as since August 16 against the Oakland As, Belt is an astonishing 26-for-52 with five home runs, eight doubles and a triple during the stretch.

With a chance to tie up the game or possibly take the lead in the bottom of the eighth inning, as the Giants, they came up with nothing. Bart singled, and brought Steven Duggar out of the dugout to run for Bart, then Dubon singled Duggar to an additional 90 feet and then Mike Yastrzemski was hit by a pitch to load the bases to bring up another hot hitter in Dickerson; however, nothing came out of that.

Dickersons fly ball to Calhoun was not deep enough for Duggar from third; however, Dubon wandered too far off of second base and Calhoun threw to Walker, who then threw to Ahmed to get Dubon to complete the double play. Evan Longoria then hit a ground ball that he thought was foul ball, but was ruled fair and Eduardo Escobar snared it at third base and easily threw Longoria out at first base to end the threat and the inning.

NOTES: This is the third weekend in a row that the Giants and Diamondbacks are facing each other, and the Giants lead the season series 5-2 with three games left between Saturday and Monday.

UP NEXT: Trevor Cahill will look to even up the series for the Giants on Saturday night, as he heads to the mound, while the Diamondbacks will send former Giants pitcher Madison Bumgarner to the hill, as he will face his former team for the first time in a regular season game.

The photo proves it that this Diamondback is back . After suffering from back problems that kept him out for much of this season Bumgarner seen here threw against the San Diego Padres Sun Aug 8th Bumgarner will be into pay a visit to his former team the San Francisco Giants for the weekend series and will be getting the start on Saturday night (AP News file photo)

By Jeremy Harness

In spring training, Giants fans undoubtedly anticipated seeing Madison Bumgarner toe the rubber at Oracle Park as a member of the opposing team.

That moment will come this Saturday, as his Arizona Diamondbacks visit the Giants for a three-game series that starts Friday night, with the left-hander starting the second game of the series.

We witnessed Cavaliers fans giving a hero’s welcome to LeBron James during his second return to Cleveland as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers last season. In 2002, the Chicago crowd gave former Bulls great Michael Jordan a minutes-long standing ovation when being introduced in his first game in Chicago with the Washington Wizards.

Cutouts, and whatever kind of fake crowd noise that the Giants brass can think of will be in the crowd to greet Bumgarner this Saturday.

Cutouts.

Fake crowd noise.

Another reason why this joke of an MLB season should have been shut down for good. That, along with the COVID-19 outbreak that ravaged the majority of the Miami Marlins team earlier in the season, as well as an employee of the A’s organization testing positive for the virus, which forced the postponement of their series with the Houston Astros and put the brakes on the ensuing series in Seattle before it even started.

Partially because of this, Mets general manager Brodie Van Wagenen was caught saying that MLB commissioner Rob Manfred “just doesn’t get it.” Van Wagenen is almost certainly not the only one who feels this way.

Yes, baseball is being played, but there is next to no energy and a severe lack of enthusiasm for obvious reasons, with seemingly the only reason to go on with the season is for owners to line their pocketbooks and to justify paying their players.

And because of that, here we are. There will be no fans in the stands, and that is an absolute shame. Giants fans will not get to see Madison Bumgarner in person to give him the hero’s welcome that he deserves. And that is an injustice.

Brodie Van Wagenen is right. Rob Manfred does not get it. And he has had many chances to figure it out, and he has come up short each time, and this is perfect example of that.

Colorado Rockies Kevin Pillar has second base stolen after the throw is late to the San Francisco Giants second baseman Donavan Solano in the fourth inning of the second and concluding game of the two game series (AP News photo)

By Jeremy Harness

A day after pounding the Colorado Rockies into submission, Thursday afternoon looked very good for the Giants.

Then starter Logan Webb exited the game, and in came the Giants’ bullpen, which has been lights-out in recent weeks. Not this time, however.

The relievers imploded, as two runs crossed the plate in the sixth while five more scored in the seventh inning to surrender their once-sizable lead. The Giants offense, which was dominant in a 23-5 win Tuesday and piled up a 6-1 lead after four innings, could not come up with anything in the last two innings, as the Giants fell 9-6 at Coors Field.

Webb pitched brilliantly for much of the afternoon, going 5 1/3 innings and striking out five while walking only two and was in line to get his third win of the season, but he was ultimately charged with four earned runs.

Mike Yastrzemski continues to swing a hot bat, as he went 3-for-5 with a pair of RBI on Wednesday. He started the scoring with a solo home run over the right-field wall, and then he singled in Joey Bart in the fifth.

For the Rockies, shortstop Trevor Story also had three hits and knocked in a run in the fifth with a double. He also made a fine diving stop and threw from one knee deep in the hole in short to rob Bart of a hit.

Center fielder Kevin Pillar, who spent last season with the Giants, had a nice afternoon against his former team, collecting a pair of hits, including a triple in the seventh that gave Colorado the lead for good.

San Francisco Giants Alex Dickerson connects with the first of three home runs for the night. Here he takes Colorado Rockies pitcher Jon Gray deep at Coors Field in Denver on Tuesday night (photo from sfgate.com)

By Jeremy Kahn

When you head to Coors Field in Denver, anything can happen in a game between the San Francisco Giants and the Colorado Rockies.

Alex Dickerson hit three home runs and picked up 16 total bases, tying Willie Mays for the most in the most in the San Francisco era. Mays picked his 16 total bases against the Milwaukee Braves at County Stadium on April 30, 1961.

Dickerson hit a 480-foot home run into the upper deck in right field, helping the Giants to a 23-5 victory over the Rockies at Coors Field.

The Giants tied the San Francisco record for most runs in a game with 23 and most hits in a game with 27, tying the record that took place on June 8, 1990 against the Atlanta Braves at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium.

Going into the ninth inning, the Giants were trying to become the first team this century to score in all nine innings; however, usual Rockies catcher Drew Butera put a halt to that chance.

The trio of Dickerson, Brandon Crawford and Donovan Solano became the first three players to drive at six runs in the same game since RBIs became a stat 100 years ago during the 1920 season.

Dickerson put the Giants on the board in the top of the first inning, as he launched the second longest home run of the season, as his 480-foot home run that landed in the upper deck came up three feet short of tying Giancarlo Stanton of the New York Yankees for the longest home run of the season.

Once again, Dickerson hit a home run in the top of the second inning, as he hit a two-run home run in the top of the second inning, as the Giants scored four runs and took a 5-0 lead. With the second home run by Dickerson, it became the first home run of game of Dickersons career.

Dickerson hit a double in the top of the fourth inning and then hit his third home run against Jairo Garcia in the top of the sixth.

In the top of the ninth inning, Dickerson barely missed tying Mays record with four home runs, as he doubled off the left-center field wall. It was the fifth hit and second double of the night for Dickerson, who became the first player since Matt Carpenter last season to have five extra base hits in the same game.

Kevin Gausman went five innings, allowing two runs and two hits to pick up his second win of the season. Both of the hits that Gausman allowed were home runs by Garrett Hampson.

NOTES: Those 23 runs were the third-most that the Rockies allowed in team history, behind the 26 runs that the Chicago Cubs scored on August 18, 1995 and the 24 runs they allowed to the Cincinnati Reds on May 19, 1999. The 27 hits by the Giants tied for the most allowed by a Rockies team, set when the Cubs also hit 27 in that 1995 game.

Daniel Robertson was called up from the alternate site in Sacramento and made his Giants debut and singled in his Giants debut in the top of the eighth inning.

Former Giants outfielder Kevin Pillar made his debut for the Rockies, as he started in centerfield, one day after being acquired from the Boston Red Sox.

UP NEXT: Logan Webb looks to even his record on the season at 3-3, as he takes the mound in the series and road trip finale for the Giants, while Kyle Freeland heads to the mound for the Rockies, as they look to split the series.