Category: San Francisco Giants

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.

Giants complete sweep of Padres with 7-5 win on Wednesday night

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AP photo: San Francisco Giants Evan Longoria takes one deep for a two-run homer in the top of the third inning as the Giants went onto sweep San Diego at Petco Park on Wednesday night.

By Jeremy Harness

Through all of the struggles that they have endured in a year that they have spent the majority of in the division cellar, the Giants still know how to beat the San Diego Padres.

On Wednesday, they used two big run-producing innings to do away with the Padres in a 7-5 win at Petco Park, and thus putting the finishing touches on a three-game sweep.

The night did not get off to a promising start, however. Starter Shaun Anderson gave up the first two runs of the game in the second inning, and then after the Giants regrouped and took the lead in the third, he gave up two more runs in the bottom half.

Anderson lasted only four innings and surrendered those four runs on eight hits – which included a solo homer to Fernando Tatis, Jr. that gave San Diego a 4-3 lead – while walking one batter and striking out three.

The Giants’ offense, however, was able to pick Anderson up. After chasing starter Cal Quantrill from the game after 4 1/3 innings, the Giants teed off on reliever Luis Perdomo in the sixth inning, scoring four runs and taking the lead for good.

They used three RBI doubles as well as a run-scoring single to accomplish this, giving them a 7-4 lead.

The bullpen also had their starter’s back. After Anderson left the game, the Giants’ relievers put up zeroes in four of the final five innings, with the lone hiccup being a solo homer given up by Tony Watson off the bat of Hunter Renfroe in the eighth.

The very next inning, Will Smith came in and did what he has done for the majority of this season. He shut down the San Diego bats and did not allow a single baserunner, and he has now converted all 22 of his save opportunities in 2019.

Longoria hits 2 HRs in Giants’ 10-4 win over Padres

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Photo credit: @SFGiants

By Jeremy Kahn

It took Evan Longoria nearly a year and a half to have a game where he just went off against the opposition.

Longoria hit two home runs and drove in five runs, as the San Francisco Giants defeated the San Diego Padres 10-4 at Petco Park.

It was the third home run in two games for Longoria, who also hit one in the Giants 13-2 victory over the Padres on Monday night.

Donovan Solano hit his first career leadoff home run to get the Giants on the board, as the Giants have won three games in a row and also have won four out of their last five.

Matt Strahm allowed gave up all three home runs on the evening, including the Solano home run that came on the first pitch of the ballgame.

Longorias first home run of the game came in the top of the second inning, and then hit a mammoth three-run home run in the top of the fifth inning that landed on the balcony of the fourth level of the Western Metal Supply Co. Building that also scored Solano and Brandon Belt, who led off the inning back-to-back singles.

Austin Slater, who was recalled from Triple-A Sacramento after Sundays win over the Arizona Diamondbacks came up with a pair of doubles. The Slater doubles were two of the eight extra base hits for the Giants just one night after pickup nine against Padres pitching.

Kevin Pillar came up with four hits on the evening for the second time in three games, as the Giants scored 10 or more runs in three straight games for the first time since they did it against the Cincinnati Reds from August 23-25, 2010 at AT&T Park.

It was another quality start for Tyler Beede, as he went seven innings, allowing just one earned run, scattering four hits, walking just one and striking out four and won for the second time.

On the other side of things, it was a rough game for Strahm, who went five innings, allowing seven runs on 11 hits, walking one and striking out six.

NOTES: This is the first time that the Giants have been off on July 4 since the 2013 season, after losing via walk-off fashion against the Cincinnati Reds by the final score of 3-2 in 11 innings at Great American Ballpark.

UP NEXT: Shaun Anderson looks to send the Giants into a July 4 day off with a victory, as he looks for his fourth win of the season.

Cal Quantrill goes to the mound for the Padres, as they look to avoid the three-game sweep at the hands of the Giants.

Headline Sports podcast with Barbara Mason: Skaggs’ death a shock to the baseball world; Coco takes out Serena; plus more

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Photo credit: @molly_knight

On Headline Sports with Barbara Mason:

#1 How shocked is the baseball world after finding out about the death of 27-year-old Tyler Skaggs, who was found dead in his Texas hotel room during the Los Angeles Angels’ trip to face the Texas Rangers. The game was canceled.

#2 Was the loss at Wimbledon for Venus Williams to 15-year-old Cori “Coco” Gauff more a pass the baton moment, defeating Williams in the first round of the tournament or was it a match for Williams trying to figure the younger player out?

#3 Megan Rapinoe is no doubt the face of the US Women’s Soccer team. She was confident, showed leadership, she took on Trump and the White House. How important is Rapinoe to women’s sports and how she represents women in the US World Cup?

#4 How realistic is it that San Francisco Giants pitcher Madison Bumgarner will be traded sooner or later? The New York Yankees are chomping at the bit at getting a shot at getting Bumgarner.

#5 The San Jose Sharks dealt their captain Joe Pavelski to the Dallas Stars. Did the concussion that Pavelski sustained in the playoffs against the Vegas Golden Knights play a role in the Sharks parting ways with Pavelski or was it something else?

Barbara Mason does Headline Sports each Tuesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Samardzija, Longoria stand out in Giants’ 13-2 rout of the Padres

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By Morris Phillips

This was an occasion where incremental improvement appeared quite dramatic.

Yes, the Giants have played slightly better ball since starting the season with just 21 wins in their first 54 contests. But that improvement hasn’t jumped off the sports pages. In fact, while winning 16 of their last 30, attendance at Oracle Park has suffered with huge chunks of empty seats spread across the ballpark.

At San Diego’s Petco Park on Monday, the Giants were a lot more noticeable in a 13-2 rout of the Padres, keyed by Jeff Samardzija’s lengthy outing and backed by three home runs. The Giants have won three of four, and scored double-digit runs in consecutive ballgames. Not weeks-long great, but for the National League’s second worst offense, something different than what we’ve seen to date.

“We’ve had some tough games offensively this year,” said Evan Longoria, who broke out with a home run and a double. “But when we have some offensive explosions, we know how to have some fun. Today was one of those days.”

The Giants built a 7-0 lead, on the strength of a four-run fifth inning, and cruised. In the early onslaught, Longoria doubled in a run, Austin Slater–in his 2019 debut–tripled home Longoria. Then in the fifth, Tyler Austin doubled home a pair, as did Buster Posey.

That gave Samardzija a nice cushion, but the Giants’ starter who suffered in June, didn’t just cruise, he rocked.

Samardzija threw eight innings–becoming the first Giants’ starter to go that deep into a ballgame in 2019–allowing two runs on five hits. After posting an 5.93 ERA in June, the improvement was dramatic. The veteran pitcher was in control throughout, and he gave other Giants’ arms a much needed break.

“We had a lot of guys down there we’re trying to give an extra day’s rest,” manager Bruce Bochy said. “He did that and more: eight solid innings. That was huge. Good stuff, good movement.”

The Giants started the season with a bunch of question marks, starting with their outfield, and continuing past their aging infield. Acquisitions of Kevin Pillar, Austin, Mike Yastrzemski, Alex Dickerson and others after Opening Day have helped the offense show some improvement. That improvement took a leap with the team’s 10-4 rout of the Diamondbacks on Sunday, then the breakout against the Padres on Monday.

San Diego’s Logan Allen won his first two major league starts, but the rookie ran into trouble on Monday. He started fast, posting zeros in the first three frames, but things went south from there. Allen allowed six runs before being pulled in the fifth, after allowing the first two batters to reach.

“I missed a few pitches here and there,” Allen said. “I still feel like I competed my butt off. But the results weren’t there. I felt strong the entire game. I felt I made good pitches. That’s the way it goes. Sometimes you have your ‘A’ stuff and you get beat. Sometimes you have your ‘C’ stuff and you win.”

The Giants continue their three-game trip on Tuesday with Tyler Beede getting the start opposite the Padres’ Matt Strahm.