Category: San Francisco Giants

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.

Sportstalk remote podcast at One Market Restaurant San Francisco Monday July 1, 2019

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Photo credit: onemarket.com

Cast: Michael Duca (host), David Zizmor (analyst), Jeremy Kahn (Giants beat writer), Morris Phillips (A’s and Giants beat writer), Amaury Pi-Gonzalez (Oakland A’s Spanish announcer), and Lee Leonard (producer).

Our thanks to our hosts at One Market: Larry Bouchard (Owner/Partner), Tonya Pitts (Wine Director & Sommelier) and Catlin Roche (server). On an unbelievable Monday night in downtown San Francisco, Sportstalk was enjoying the fine dining selections from the One Market menu, Halibut,  Steak, Scallops, New York Steak, Red Snapper, and much more.

We are glad to return to One Market Restaurant for the first time since Thursday, October 20, 2016, which seems like yesterday. On today’s podcast: Discussions on the Kevin Durant and Andre Iguodala’s departure to Brooklyn and Memphis respectively. Will San Francisco Giants pitcher Madison Bumgarner be dealt before the trade deadline and the New York Yankees make it no secret their interested.

San Francisco Giants podcast with Morris Phillips: MadBum gets win in 7 innings of work; Where’s Bumgarner in trade talks?

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sfgate photo: San Francisco Giant starter Madison Bumgarner who pitched seven innings Sunday at Oracle Park in San Francisco is rumored to be showcased and no doubt shopped by other clubs in the run at the trade deadline this month.

On the Giants podcast with Morris:

#1 Kevin Pillar and Buster Posey provided the punch that got the San Francisco Giants over the top against their inner division team rivals the Arizona Diamondbacks with seven combined hits from Pillar and Posey. What got into them?

#2 Madison Bumgarner was on the mark in the Giants’ 10-4 win Sunday, pitching seven innings, surrendering one hit and four runs, striking out nine.

#3 Bumgarner has been working the count, picking his spots, keeping hitters of balance. It’s as almost if he’s showcasing with all the talk about going to be a rent a player, he’s always on, but teams are shopping. Here we are in July, the trade deadline is coming, will Bumgarner stay or will the Giants keep him?

#4 Since the subject of the trade deadline and the month of July is here, will the Giants be dealing this month who stays and who’s getting shopped?

#5 The Giants are at Petco Park tonight to take on the San Diego Padres. The Giants will start Jeff Samardzija (4-7, 4.52 ERA) going up against the San Diego Padres’ Logan Allen (2-0, 1.38 ERA).

Listen for the San Francisco Giants podcasts each Monday with Morris Phillips at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Pillar and Posey help Bumgarner get fifth win defeat Diamondbacks 10-4

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photo by sfgate.com: San Francisco Giants’ Kevin Pillar, right, celebrates with Evan Longoria (10) after hitting a two-run home run off Arizona Diamondbacks’ Robbie Ray in the second inning of a baseball game Sunday, June 30, 2019, in San Francisco.

By Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO-Kevin Pillar and Buster Posey helped out Madison Bumgarner with their bats in the series finale.

Pillar and Posey combined for seven hits, while Bumgarner went seven innings, allowing just one run on four hits, walking no one and striking out nine and the San Francisco Giants defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks 10-4 before 31,778 at Oracle Park.

With the victory, the Giants ended the month of June with a record of 14-13, their first winning month since going 18-10 in June of 2018.

It was a Pillar two-run home run in the bottom of the second inning that got the Giants going, as he hit his 11th home run of the season.

Pillar added a two-run single in the bottom of the third inning that helped the Giants to the victory and split the four-game series.

Posey doubled in the bottom of the first inning, and then singled in the third and fifth innings, before walking to load the bases in the bottom of the seventh inning for Evan Longoria with nobody out.

The three hits by Posey match his season-high and marked his second three-hit game in three appearances. During the span, Posey is hitting .750 (6-for-8) with two doubles, two runs scored and two runs batted in.

Pillar hit a solo home run, singled twice and hit a double, as it was his first four-hit since July 13, 2018 for the Toronto Blue Jays against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park.

It was the fifth four-hit game of Pillars career, who picked up two during the 2017 season and one during the 2015 season.

The five runs batted in by Pillar are a career-high, to go along with his career-high tying four hits.

Longoria then singled in Brandon Belt, who walked to lead off the inning against reliever Matt Andriese. Pillar then followed it up with his fourth hit of the game, as he singled to left to score pinch hitter Alex Dickerson, who singled while pinch hitting for Tyler Austin, who walked and struck out twice before leaving the game.

Mike Yastrzemski got in on the act, as he hit a two-run double to left field to score Longoria and Pillar.

The sixth and final run of the inning came when pinch-hitter Pablo Sandoval singled off of T.J. McFarland that scored Yastrzemski.

In all, the Giants sent 10 men to the plate, scored six runs on five hits, as they blew the game wide open.

The Diamondbacks attempted to get back into the game in the top of the eighth inning, as they scored three runs off of reliever Derek Rodriguez.

Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo was ejected in the top of the fifth inning for arguing balls and strikes with home plate Mike Muchlinski, and it was fourth all-time ejection for Lovullo in his managerial career.

It was not a good day for Diamondbacks starter Robbie Ray, who went just four innings, allowing four runs on six hits, walking three and striking out five and saw his record fall to 5-6 on the season.

NOTES: With the nine strikeouts on the afternoon, Bumgarner tied Tim Lincecum for second place all-time in San Francisco Giants lore with 1,704.

Juan Marichal is the all-time San Francisco Giants leader in strikeouts with 2,281

Will Smith was named as the lone All-Star for the Giants, as he is 1-0 with a 2.16 earned run average with 21 saves in 21 chances this season for the Giants.

Smith is the first Giants left-handed reliever to go to the All-Star Game since Gary Lavelle made the All-Star team in 1983

The 21 saves to start the season are the second most by a Giants reliever to start a season, trailing only Rod Beck who saved 28 in a row to begin the 1994 season.

In his Giants career, Smith is tied for second place with Craig Lefferts with 35 saves by a left-hander, Lavelle is currently the all-time leader in saves for a left-hander with 127.

UP NEXT: Jeff Samardzija takes the mound on Monday night, as the Giants open a brief three-game road trip against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. The Padres will counter with Logan Allen.