Category: San Francisco Giants

Seventh Heaven: AL pitching dominates in 4-3 All-Star Game win over the NL

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By Morris Phillips

CLEVELAND — For the American League and the Indians’ Shane Bieber, the 90th All-Star Game was everything it was cracked up to be.

The AL scratched together some early offense, then pitched with dominance on their way to a 4-3 win, their seventh win in a row in the Midsummers Classic. Bieber, pitching in front of his fanbase and his pride-filled manager, Terry Francona, struck out the side in the fifth to preserve a 1-0 lead, a feat that earned the 24-year old the game’s MVP, the first time a player from the host team has won the award since 1999.

“It’s an incredible feeling now, now that it’s kind of sinking in,” Bieber said. “Just to be able to do it in front of the home crowd, and my first All-Star Game is definitely not something that I expected, especially being added to the game five days ago, four or five days ago.”

Nine American League pitchers got one inning of work each, with AL starter Justin Verlander setting the tone with a two-strikeout first inning. By the time the NL got on the scoreboard for the first time in the sixth, they had just two hits while striking out 11 times.

Bieber and Oakland’s Liam Hendriks combined to fan Willson Contreras, Ketel Marte, Ronald Acuna Jr., Kris Bryant and Trevor Story consecutively before Charlie Blackmon homered off Hendriks to cut the AL lead to 2-1. In all, NL hitters struck out 16 times, and managed to hit just seven balls beyond the infield.

In contrast to last year’s showcase in Washington D.C., and juxtaposed against the homer-happy, first half to the 2019 season, the NL was completely out of step. Last year at Nationals Park, National League hitters clubbed five home runs–one each from Contreras and Story–while striking out 12 times and drawing five walks. In Cleveland, with seven hitters back in the lineup from D.C., they struggled to create a rally outside the eighth inning, when they struck for two runs off Cleveland’s Brad Hand.

“A lot of hard throwers and great pitchers over there,” Bryant said. “Unless you’ve seen them before, it’s a difficult matchup.”

While the NL offense appeared to hit the snooze button, the American Leaguers proved resourceful and scrappy, using infield singles to set up both of their initial runs. First, the Astros’ Alex Bregman legged out a chopper to third, and scored on Michael Brantley’s double. Then in the fifth, Gary Sanchez of the Yankees doubled, then moved to third on a ground out, and scored on Jorge Polanco’s infield hit.

The AL kept stitching it together in the seventh, when Oakland’s Matt Chapman drew a leadoff walk off Milwaukee’s Brandon Woodruff. Then with runners at the corners and no out, Xander Bogaerts of the Red Sox hit into a double play, but Chapman scored on the play. Down 3-1, manager Dave Roberts summoned the Giants’ Will Smith to pitch to Joey Gallo, but the Rangers’ slugger spoiled that plan with a loud home run on Smith’s first pitch.

“I really didn’t understand the magnitude of it; I just hit a home run in the All-Star Game,” said an excited Gallo. “Watching this game growing up, and now I hit a home run in it. It’s pretty special. I think I have to take a step back. Everything happened so quick.”

Gallo’s homer was thumped, the loud crack of the bat inside the ballpark confirmed that. But the numbers did too. Gallo’s blast exited Progressive Field at 111 mph, the fastest in an All-Star Game since exit velocities were first tracked in 2015.

Gallo’s moment was Smith’s as well, and another humbling All-Star experience for Giants’ pitchers. Smith figures to be hot on the trade market in the coming weeks given his 1.98 ERA and 23 saves, but leaving a fat pitch over the plate to a left-handed slugger won’t enhance his value. But clubs will no doubt take note of the fact that Smith’s only allowed home runs to left-handed batters twice in the last three seasons.

The All-Star Game had a couple of feel-good moments with 19-year veteran C.C. Sabathia summoning closer Aroldis Chapman from the bullpen in the ninth, and getting a rousing welcome from Cleveland fans, who supported him over the first 7 1/2 seasons of his career. Sabathia has announced his retirement after the season, and his appearance organized by MLB was an acknowledgment of the extraordinary nature of his career.

Carlos Carrasco, recently diagnosed with leukemia, also made an appearance, with four of his Indians’ teammates and Francona. All five held placards across their chests saying “I Stand for Cookie (Carrasco’s nickname).” Carrasco stood in the middle, and his placard simply said, “I Stand.”

“He’s one of our teammates and one of the big guys in the clubhouse. You don’t wish that upon anybody. We just got to support him in any way we can,” said Brad Hand, one of Carrasco’s teammates on the field during the emotional moment.

San Francisco Giants podcast with Morris Phillips: Will Smith had an outstanding first half, represent Giants at All-Star game

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Photo credit: @sfgiants_fanly

On the Giants podcast with Morris:

#1 Last Wednesday Giants reliever Will Smith and All-Star team representative pitched in relief against the San Diego Padres pitched an inning, struck out two and gave up one hit, to get his 23rd save

#2 Smith’s save looked easy in that Wednesday ninth inning. He went right through it and many of his saves have been that way.

#3 Smith has pitched so well this season he has yet to get his first blown save. He has been money in the bank closing ball games.

#4 The other report on Smith is he’s being showcased. He pitched on Saturday in relief at Oracle Park on Saturday pitching one inning, giving up one hit. He didn’t get the save, but got of the Giants out of the inning.

#5 In the last seven games, he pitched in relief he’s saved four games. Smith is a very focused reliever and doesn’t take too much time to get out of an inning.

Morris does the Giants podcasts each Monday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com also is covering the All Star game in Cleveland

Futures Game ends in a tie after eight innings. A tie? Eight innings?

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By Morris Phillips

CLEVELAND — The last time a game ended in a tie on All-Star Weekend all hell broke loose.

This time the mood was considerably lighter.  Here’s how:

The 21st addition of the showcase for the top prospects in each big league club’s stable promised to be different, and it was. For the first time, instead of the USA vs. the World format, the teams were split traditionally, National League versus American League. Also, the ballgame was shortened from nine innings to seven, in part to limit the exposure to the pitchers, in keeping with how the precious commodities are treated on the minor league circuit where young arms routinely–but sparingly–hit 100 mph on the radar gun.

Home runs, wild innings? Sure, after last year’s 10-6 slugfest in Washington D.C. in which the clubs combined to hit eight home runs, why not run it back?

Well, the slugfest never materialized. Instead, the hard throwing proliferated, and the two clubs did all they could to scratch out some runs, but after eight innings–one more than scheduled–the game ended in a 2-2 tie.

In a nod to how things are currently done at the minor league level, extra innings began with a runner at second base to promote a quick ending, again to spare young arms, and minimize the number of marathon ballgames.  But in this case, neither club was able to push across a run in the eighth.

“Guys need their (mid-season) break, so you can’t play forever, and you only have so many pitchers here,” said Nationals prospect, shortstop Carter Kieboom.

So instead of a dramatic ending, all the late drama was contained in one at-bat from Rangers’ prospect Sam Huff, who came up with a 418-foot home run off Colorado’s Ben Bowden with one on and one out in the seventh to break up a 2-0 NL shutout. Ironically, Bowden was 20 for 20 in save chances at the Double-A level this year. But on Sunday night, he walked the leadoff man, Jo Adell, then one out later, gave it up to Huff.

“He got a pitch to hit and put a great swing on it,” said Jim Thome, the legendary Cleveland slugger who managed the American League squad.

Huff was named Futures Game MVP for his dramatic homer that exited Progressive Field at more than 109 mph.

Last year’s Futures Game MVP, Cincinnati prospect Taylor Trammel knocked in a run in the fourth to put the NL up 2-0. Then with Trammel on third, and lefty Kris Bubic on the mound, Trammel attempted to steal home. But Bubic recovered from being unaware and threw a perfect pitch low and outside that garnered an out call from the home plate umpire. But replay showed that Trammel got his hand across the bag just ahead of catcher Jake Rogers’ tag. But without a replay system legislated into the Futures Game, the call stood.

The Giants’ two top prospects–catcher Joey Bart and outfielder Heliot Ramos–got into the game, but didn’t factor into the headlines. Ramos grounded a single through the middle of the infield in his only at-bat, and Bart–wearing matching, rainbow-themed gloves and cleats–went 0 for 2.

Bart did make his mark defensively, throwing out Wander Franco trying to steal second base. Franco, only 18 years old and considered the consensus, number one prospect in baseball as a Rays minor leaguer, currently plays at the Double A level. But Bart’s release and throw were perfect, reaching second base in fewer than two seconds, faster than the current, effective standard for major league catchers.

A’s prospect, Jorge Mateo, a shortstop ranked as Oakland’s eighth-best minor leaguer, singled in his first at-bat, but came up empty as one of the batters in the eighth inning given an opportunity to end the game with a runner placed on second base at the beginning of the inning.

Longoria wins it on home run in seventh SF wins 1-0

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photo from sfgate.com: San Francisco Giants’ Evan Longoria, left, is congratulated by third base coach Ron Wotus (23) after hitting a solo home run against the St. Louis Cardinals during the seventh inning of a baseball game in San Francisco, Sunday, July 7, 2019.

By Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO-Evan Longoria ended two things against Jack Flaherty with one swing of the bat.

Longoria hit a solo home run with one out in the bottom of the seventh inning, breaking up both a shutout and a no-hitter and it helped the San Francisco Giants to a 1-0 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals before a crowd of 33,841 at Oracle Park.

This was only the third shutout of the season for the Giants and the first since April 24 against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre.

On the afternoon, the Giants only got two hits, and this was the fewest hits in a game where they won since a two-hit over the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on March 30, 2018.

Flaherty was throwing a perfect game until he walked Alex Dickerson to lead off the bottom of the fifth inning.

After the Longoria home run, Dickerson singled to left, but then Flaherty got Stephen Vogt to fly out to Dexter Fowler and then Kevin Pillar lined out to Paul DeJong to end the inning.

It was the 12th home run of the season for Longoria, and his fifth in his last six games. During the six-game stretch, Longoria is hitting .429 (9-for-21) with seven extra base hits (two doubles and five home runs), 10 RBI and eight runs scored.

Longoria is no stranger to breaking up no-hitter, as it was the fourth time in his career that he broke up a no-hitter in the 7th inning or later.

With DeJong on first base in the top of the seventh inning, Paul Goldschmidt hit a line drive into the right-center gap; however, Pillar flew through into the air and made a fantastic catch that kept the game scoreless.

The Longoria home run made a winner out of Jeff Samardzija, who pitched a tremendous game, as he went seven innings, scattering four hits and striking out two on his way to picking up his sixth win of the season.

This was the first time since August 28 and September 2, 2017 that Samardzija went seven innings with two or fewer runs. That was also the last time he pitched at seven innings in consecutive starts.

It was a tough loss for Flaherty, who also went seven innings, allowing one run on just two hits, walking one and striking out six and saw his record fall to 4-6 on the season.

Sam Dyson pitched one inning, allowing one hit and struck out three. Closer Will Smith came on in the top of the ninth inning and despite giving up a single to Goldschmidt, he picked up his 23rd save in 23 chances, as Fowler grounded into a double play to end the game.

Over his last 19 outings, Smith has not allowed a run in 17 of those games and is possessing a 0.96 earned run average (two earned runs in 18.2 ip) with 30 strikeouts and opposing hitters are hitting .156 against him.

NOTES: Pillar also drove in the only run of the game on April 11, when he homered against the Colorado Rockies in a 1-0 Giants victory that made a winner out of Samardzija.

The Giants are now 18-9 in one-run games and 4-7 in final games of the series.

This was the seventh time this season that the Cardinals have been shutout, and it was the first time that the Cardinals have lost a series to the Giant since May 19-21, 2017 at Busch Stadium.

UP NEXT: Following the All-Star break, the Giants begin a three-game series against the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday night.

Shaun Anderson will open the series against the Brewers at Miller Park on Friday night, followed by Madison Bumgarner and Tyler Beede. The Brewers starter has yet to be determined.

Bumgarner leaves after getting hit on elbow in Giants’ win

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By Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO — Madison Bumgarner was not around when Austin Slater gave the San Francisco Giants the lead for good.

Bumgarner was forced to leave the game after the bottom of the second inning, as he was drilled on the left forearm by a Jose Martinez line drive that went for an infield single.

X-Rays came back negative, and Bumgarner ended up with a left elbow contusion.

Slater gave the Giants the lead in the bottom of the fourth inning, as he hit an opposite field grand slam and the Giants defeated the St. Louis Cardinals 8-4 before a crowd of 32,487 at Oracle Park.

Pablo Sandoval led off the inning with a single, then after a Brandon Crawford strikeout, Kevin Pillar came up with his second hit of the night. Joe Panik then reached on an error when Tyler ONeill lost the ball in the lights, and finally, Slater gave the Giants the lead on his first career grand slam.

Bumgarner went just two innings, allowing one run, scattering four hits and striking out two, as he did not fare in the decision.

Miles Mikolas lasted just four innings for the Cardinals, as he allowed five runs (four earned), six hits and struck out 6; however, he lost for the ninth time this season.

The Cardinals took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning, as Tommy Edman led off the game with a single, and then Martinez lined the ball off of Bumgarner’s left forearm for an infield single.

Paul Goldschmidt gave the Cardinals the lead, as he singled to score Edman from second base.

Like the opener, the Giants got on the board in the bottom of the first inning, as Brandon Belt singled to lead off the inning and eventually scored on a Sandoval sacrifice fly.

The bullpen was solid for the Giants, as Sam Dyson, Reyes Moronta, Mark Melancon, and Will Smith went the final seven innings to secure the victory for the Giants.

Dyson went two innings, allowing just one hit and raised his record to 3-0 on the season.

Home plate umpire Mike Everitt, like Bumgarner, was forced to leave the game in the sixth inning, as he took a foul ball off the mask on a line drive hit by O’Neill. Three umpires finished the game.

Mike Yastrzemski got in on the hit parade in the bottom of the seventh inning, as he singled, then stole his first major league base and then scored on an Alex Dickerson triple to right-center field. Sandoval then picked up his second hit of the night, as he smashed a two-run home run off of Tyler Webb.

It was the 11th home run of the season by Sandoval, and his first as a right-handed batter since hitting one off of Caleb Smith of the Miami Marlins on June 11, 2018, at Marlins Park.

Things got interesting in the top of the eighth inning, as the Cardinals scored three runs off a Goldschmidt three-run home run off the Arcade Garage in right field to get the Cardinals within four runs. Tony Watson, who gave up the three-run home run to Goldschmidt was able to get out of the inning without allowing any more damage.

That was the 13th career home run for Goldschmidt at Oracle Park, the most by any active opposing player in the major leagues

Closer Will Smith was summoned in the top of the ninth inning and gave up a pinch-hit single to Yadier Molina, however, he then got Edman to ground into a force play and then Martinez grounded into a double play to end the small rally and the game.

NOTES: Slater is the 22nd Giants player to hit a pinch-hit grand slam since the team moved to San Francisco in 1958.

Rich Aurilia was the last Giants player to hit a pinch-hit grand slam which came on June 12, 2003, against the Chicago White Sox at Comiskey Park.

Slater is only the second Giants player to hit a pinch-hit grand slam at Oracle Park since it opened in 2000, and Russ Davis hit it on August 21, 2000, against the Florida Marlins

Joey Bart and Heliot Ramos will represent the Giants at the Sirius/XM Futures Game at Progressive Field in Cleveland on Sunday afternoon. Bart is hitting .242 with six home runs and 21 RBI on the season in just 33 games for the San Jose Giants, while Ramos, who is also playing for San Jose, is hitting .298 with nine home runs and 29 RBI on the season in 52 games.

Bart missed a considerable amount of time with a broken left arm that was suffered on April 16, when he was hit by a pitch against the Stockton Ports at Municipal Stadium.

UP NEXT: Jeff Samardzija closes out the first half on Sunday afternoon, as he takes the Oracle Park mound and will face Jack Flaherty, who will take the ball for the Cardinals in their final game before the All-Star break.

Cardinals stop Giants’ 4-game winning streak with 9-4 win

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Photo credit: @SFGiants

By Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO — On the night where there was shaking in Southern California, the San Francisco Giants’ pitching got all shook up.

Jose Martinez and Paul Goldschmidt each hit home runs in the top of the first inning, and despite a comeback, the St. Louis Cardinals defeated the Giants 9-4 before a crowd of 37,603 at Oracle Park.

Martinez hit a solo home run, and then two batter later Goldschmidt launched a two-run blast into the Garden beyond the left-center field wall to give the Cardinals a 3-0 lead.

Once again, it was a tough first inning for Drew Pomeranz, as he saw his earned run average increase to 11.25 (20 ER/16 IP) and batters are hitting .365 with eight home runs in the first inning, this according to Bill Arnold of the Sports Features Group.

The Giants wasted little time to get back into the game, as they loaded the bases with nobody out and despite the fact that Dakota Hudson got two straight outs, Brandon Crawford walked on a 3-2 pitch to get the Giants on the board to score Brandon Belt and then Kevin Pillar singled to left field that scored Buster Posey.

Alex Dickerson continues his hot hitting, as he hit his fourth home run of the season to tie up the game in the bottom of the third inning.

Unfortunately, Pomeranz gave the lead right back to the Cardinals, as Kolten Wong doubled and former Stanford infielder Tommy Edman tripled to right-center field to give the Cardinals the lead for good.

Pomeranzs night was done after four innings, as he gave up four runs on six hits, walking four and striking out three, as his record fell to 2-9 on the season.

The Cardinals tacked on two more runs in the top of the fifth inning off of Trevor Gott, Matt Wieters singled to score Tyler ONeill and then Wong drove in a run, as he reached on a Fielders Choice that scored Fowler.

Mark Melancon gave up a run in the top of the seventh inning, as he gave up a single to ONeill and then Fowler tripled to right-center field.

Wong then followed up with a single that scored Fowler to give the Cardinals a five-run lead.

Fowler finished off the scoring for the Cardinals the top of the ninth inning, as he took a Ray Black pitch and put It on the arcade. It was the third hit of the night for Fowler, who came up a double short of the cycle.

Stephen Vogt drove in a run in the bottom of the ninth inning, as he hit a sacrifice fly to ONeill to score Brandon Crawford.

NOTES: Donovan Solanos 10-game hitting streak came to an end, as he went 0-for-2 after replacing Joe Panik at second base in the top of the seventh inning.

UP NEXT: Madison Bumgarner takes the mound on Saturday night, as he looks for his sixth win of the season, while the Cardinals will send Miles Mikolas to the hill and he also looks for his sixth win of the season.

San Francisco Giants podcast with Michael Duca Part 1: Giants coming off sweep in San Diego, ready for St. Louis after 4th of July off

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photo from sfgate.com: San Francisco Giants’ Evan Longoria, right, is greeted by third base coach Ron Wotus after hitting a two-run home run during the third inning of a baseball game Wednesday, July 3, 2019, in San Diego

On the Giants podcast with Michael:

#1 Thursday was the first time in a while the Giants didn’t have to play on July 4th, which gave them sometime to prepare for their three-game series coming up tonight with the St. Louis Cardinals at Oracle Park.

#2 The Giants are coming off a three-game sweep past the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Does the sweep have some impact some confidence building for the Giants, who have not swept too many series this season?

#3 Just looking ahead to Saturday, the Giants’ Madison Bumgarner (5-7, 4.02 ERA) is pitching on Saturday and has had some good recent outings against the Diamondbacks and Rockies. Some have called some of Bumgarner’s outings showcasing. It is realistic to say Bumgarner will be leaving the Giants before the end of the month?

#4 The Cardinals come in at 42-42. The Cards have won four of their last nine games. Are the Cards a team that shared the same struggles similar to the Giants or are they a good .500 that can find their way and improve in the standings?

#5 The Cardinals for Friday night’s game will be starting Dakota Hudson (6-4, 3.40 ERA) going up against the Giants Drew Pomeranz (2-8, 6.25 ERA). In two of his last three decisions, Pomeranz got the loss, so you know going into Friday night’s game, he’s looking for that win.

Michael Duca does the San Francisco Giants podcast each Friday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

San Francisco Giants podcast with Michael Duca Part 2: Pomeranz looks to get back into win column, starts tonight against Cards

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sfgate.com photo: San Francisco Giants third baseman Evan Longoria during a game in San Diego against the Padres on Wednesday, July 3rd and the Giants will be hosting the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday night at Oracle Park in San Francisco.

On the Giants podcast with Michael:

#1 Thursday was the first time in a while the Giants didn’t have to play on July 4th, which gave them sometime to prepare for their three-game series coming up tonight with the St. Louis Cardinals at Oracle Park.

#2 The Giants are coming off a three-game sweep past the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Does the sweep have some impact some confidence building for the Giants, who have not swept too many series this season?

#3 Just looking ahead to Saturday, the Giants’ Madison Bumgarner (5-7, 4.02 ERA) is pitching on Saturday and has had some good recent outings against the Diamondbacks and Rockies. Some have called some of Bumgarner’s outings showcasing. It is realistic to say Bumgarner will be leaving the Giants before the end of the month?

#4 The Cardinals come in at 42-42. The Cards have won four of their last nine games. Are the Cards a team that shared the same struggles similar to the Giants or are they a good .500 that can find their way and improve in the standings?

#5 The Cardinals for Friday night’s game will be starting Dakota Hudson (6-4, 3.40 ERA) going up against the Giants Drew Pomeranz (2-8, 6.25 ERA). In two of his last three decisions, Pomeranz got the loss, so you know going into Friday night’s game, he’s looking for that win.

Michael Duca does the San Francisco Giants podcast each Friday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

San Francisco Giants podcast with Michael Duca: Giants coming off sweep in San Diego, ready for St. Louis after 4th of July off

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photo from sfgate.com: San Francisco Giants’ Evan Longoria, right, is greeted by third base coach Ron Wotus after hitting a two-run home run during the third inning of a baseball game Wednesday, July 3, 2019, in San Diego

On the Giants podcast with Michael:

#1 Thursday was the first time the Giants didn’t have to play on July 4th, which gave them sometime to prepare for their three-game series coming up tonight with the St Louis Cardinals at Oracle Park.

#2 The Giants are coming off a three-game sweep past the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Does the sweep have some impact some confidence building for the Giants, who have not swept too many series this season?

#3 Just looking ahead to Saturday, the Giants’ Madison Bumgarner (5-7, 4.02 ERA) is pitching on Saturday and has had some good recent outings against the Diamondbacks and Rockies. Some have called some of Bumgarner’s outings showcasing. It is realistic to say Bumgarner will be leaving the Giants before the end of the month?

#4 The Cardinals come in at 42-42. The Cards have lost four of their last nine games looking. Are the Cards a team that shared the same struggles similar to the Giants or are they a good .500 that can find their way and improve in the standings?

#5 The Cardinals for Friday night’s game will be starting Dakota Hudson (6-4, 3.40 ERA) going up against the Giants Drew Pomeranz (2-8, 6.25 ERA). In two of his last three decisions, Pomeranz got the loss, so you know going into Friday night’s game, he’s looking for that win.

Michael Duca does the San Francisco Giants podcast each Friday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

No 4th of July play for Giants, Cardinals on deck

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Photo credit: @OracleParkSF

By Jeremy Harness

For the first time in a while, the Giants will not play on the 4th of July. However, they will still use this time to get prepared for a big weekend series while riding a wave of momentum.

They are coming off a three-game sweep of the San Diego Padres, and they will now wait for the St., Louis Cardinals to get into town, as the two teams will play a three-game series starting Friday night at Oracle Park.

The series does not pack the same punch that it has in years past – with the Giants still stuck in the National League West basement while the Cardinals hanging on with a 42-42 mark – but because of the sheer history of this pairing, it still carries meaning nonetheless.

Drew Pomeranz will take the ball for the Friday opener against Cardinals righty Dakota Hudson (6-4, 3.40 ERA). Pomeranz has been a mess this season, with a 2-8 record and a 6.25 ERA. However, he momentarily beat that back in his last start, throwing five shutout innings at the Arizona Diamondbacks last Saturday.

Hudson is coming off an outing where he did not make it out of the second inning while giving up seven runs – but amazingly only one of them earned – which included a pair of homers in losing to the same San Diego team the Giants just swept.

However, he was brilliant in the start prior to that, going seven strong and surrendering only a run to the Angels in a 2-1 win.

Madison Bumgarner (5-7, 4.02 ERA) is still wearing a Giants uniform for the time being and has gotten into a nice rhythm lately, will go Saturday night, and he will go up against Miles Mikolas (5-8, 4.34 ERA), who appears to be going in the opposite direction after a hot start.

Bumgarner has gotten the win in each of his past two starts, beating the Colorado Rockies and the Diamondbacks, surrendering three runs in his 13 innings combined.

Mikolas has lost six of his last seven decisions, but he is coming off a decent outing that saw him give up three runs over six innings, although he did not ultimately factor in to the decision.

Coming off a brilliant outing that saw him go eight solid innings in a convincing win over San Diego Monday night, Jeff Samardzija (5-7, 4.32 ERA) will take the hill Sunday for the Giants against Cardinals righty Jack Flaherty (4-5, 4.90 ERA), who is coming off a rather-shaky outing that saw him give up four runs over 4 1/3 innings against Seattle on Tuesday.