Category: San Francisco Giants

Crawford and Pence go deep in the Giants’ 5-3 win over the Rangers

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Photo credit: @SFGiants

By Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO — What is that old saying by Baseball Hall of Famer Yogi Berra? “It is like Déjà vu all over again.”

After jumping out to a 4-0 lead after the bottom of the first inning, the San Francisco Giants were forced to hold onto the victory after nearly blowing it in the end and ended up with the 5-3 win over the Texas Rangers before a crowd of 40,287 at AT&T Park on Saturday afternoon.

“It’s really incredible how similar the two games were but we found a way to get the last out today,” Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. “Torture was back.”

Brandon Crawford came up with the big hit in the bottom of the first inning, as he smashed a three-run home run off of Martin Perez. It was the 12th home run of the season for Crawford.

Andrew McCutchen got the ball rolling for the Giants in the bottom of the first inning, as he doubled to left field to lead off the bottom of the first. It was the second straight day that McCutchen came up with an extra base hit to lead off the game.

After the McCutchen double, Brandon Belt then singled and then Evan Longoria drove in the first Giants run of the afternoon, as he hit a sacrifice fly that scored McCutchen from third base. Brandon Belt came up with the heads up play of the game early on, as he went to second on the Longoria sacrifice fly.

Nick Hundley then walked, and then Perez was able to get Austin Slater to line out to Nomar Mazara in right field, and then Crawford launched his home run over the right-center field wall.

Andrew Suarez bounced back from two tough starts, as he went seven strong innings, allowing zero runs on three hits, walked three batter and struck out five on his way to his fifth win of the season.

“This whole week I looked at old video just to see what could get me going again,” Suarez said. “Once I know I’m getting a lot of groundballs I know that’s when I’m in my game.”

Despite allowing those four runs in the bottom of the first inning, Perez ended up pitching a good game, as he allowed four runs on five hits, walking one and striking out four in five innings of work.

After that fateful first inning, where Perez gave up four runs on three hits and walked one, he then settled down, as he allowed two hits and struck out four in his final four innings of work.

Hunter Pence lengthened the Giants lead up to 5-0 in the bottom of the seventh inning, as he hit a pinch-hit home run off of former Giants teammate Matt Moore.

It’s very important to continue to send that message of relentless attack,” Pence said. “Even where we are and as clouded as it may seem, you still never know. When there’s still a chance in this game of baseball, things can get hot in an instant.”

Things began to get interesting in the top of the eighth inning, as after Hunter Strickland was able to get the first two outs of the inning, then it got weird for the second day in a row.

Joey Gallo reached when Slater was unable to close hid glove on the potential third out of the inning, then Shin-Soo Choo singled Gallo to right field and then Rougned Odor launched a three-run home run onto the Arcade to get the Rangers within two runs. Strickland was able to regroup, and get Elvis Andrus to ground out to end the inning.

The ninth inning was no better for the Giants, as closer Will Smith came on for the third straight day and got the first out, but then Jurickson Profar walked and then Robinson Chirinos beat out an infield single and then Smith uncorked a wild pitch that sent the potential tying run into scoring position; however, Smith was able to get Adrian Beltre to strikeout for the second out of the inning.

Smith was unable to end it without some drama, as he walked pinch-hitter Isiah Kiner-Falefa and that was end of the day for Smith.

Mark Melancon came on to end the game, as he pinch-hitter Carlos Perez to fly out to Slater end the game. It was the second save of the season for Melancon, and the first since June 21 against the San Diego Padres.

NOTES: Odor’s home run in the top of the eighth inning was the seventh home run allowed by the Giants bullpen since in the last 10 games.

With the two home runs by Crawford and Pence, this was the first time that the Giants hit more than one home run in a game since June 19 against the Miami Marlins.

That was just the second pinch hit home run of Pence’s career, the only previous one was on June 18, 2017 against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field.

Buster Posey will miss the rest of the season, as he will undergo hip surgery in Colorado on Monday. Posey will miss the next six to eight months.

UP NEXT: The Giants and Rangers conclude their series with a finale on Sunday afternoon at 1:05 pm PDT.

Derek Holland looks his seventh win of the season for the Giants, while Yovani Gallardo tries for his eighth win for the Rangers.

Giants strike first, but end up losing to Rangers 7-6 in 10 innings

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Photo credit: @SFGiants

By: Ana Kieu

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. — The San Francisco Giants had hoped to build their win streak when they returned to AT&T Park, where they welcomed the Texas Rangers for a three-game series that began on Friday night.

Prior to Friday’s game, Dereck Rodriguez, who missed the Giants’ last 10 games with a Grade 1 right hamstring strain, was reinstated from the 10-day DL. Following Thursday’s game, Casey Kelly was optioned to triple-A Sacramento.

Speaking of Dereck, his father Pudge was in attendance to watch his rookie son play like any proud Papa would. And, of course, the Rangers’ Twitter had to sarcastically ask Pudge who he was going to root for tonight.

In case you didn’t know, Pudge played the majority of his MLB career with the Rangers as a catcher from 1991-2002. Pudge was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, N.Y. in his first year of eligibility on January 18, 2017. Pudge received 76% of the votes at the time.

Nathan Aung threw out the ceremonial first pitch for the Giants. Aung did a darn good job like when he last threw the first pitch at the Giants vs. Dodgers game at AT&T Park on August 22, 2013.

The Giants got on the board first, thanks to Andrew McCutchen, who hit his 15th home run of the season and 10th career leadoff homer. San Francisco had a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning.

The Giants continued to roll in the bottom of the first. Evan Longoria’s RBI single scored Joe Panik for a 2-0 lead. Then, Brandon Crawford’s sac fly allowed Buster Posey to score for a 3-0 lead. And then Alec Hanson’s sac fly that drove in Brandon Belt for a 4-0 lead.

The Giants led the Rangers 4-0 after the first. Texas had a lot of work to do in order to mount a comeback.

Fast forward to the bottom of the fourth inning, where the Giants continued pouring in the runs. Posey hit a single to score McCutchen for a 5-0 lead. Belt followed up with a single that scored Panik for a 6-0 lead.

The Giants led the Rangers 6-0 after the fourth. The Texas defense hadn’t come up with any answers to suppress the San Francisco offense yet.

After a scoreless sixth inning, the Rangers proceeded to score some runs–one apiece in the seventh and eighth innings and two in the ninth inning, which forced the game into extra innings. The Giants fans were delighted to see some free baseball on a cool, cloudy night…just not the end result.

Rangers’ Robinson Chirinos walked and Jurickson Profar scored to lift the Rangers past the Giants 7-6 in 10 innings.

Notes
This weekend, MLB is celebrating Players Weekend, a joint effort between MLB and the MLBPA. Players will be wearing traditional alternate uniforms with nicknames on the back and a patch on their sleeve to pay tribute to a person or persons who aided their career.

Enter the Catch the Cure Tacoma Sweepstakes by donating at busterstacoma.com. You could win Buster’s Toyota Tacoma!

Up Next
The Giants and Rangers meet again Saturday afternoon at 1:05 pm PDT. Andrew Suarez (4-9, 4.68 ERA) will take the mound for San Francisco, while Texas will counter with Martin Perez (2-5, 6.93 ERA).

San Francisco Giants podcast with Michael Duca: Was Holland’s racial jokes about Japanese on MLB’s “Intentional Talk” at Giants’ massage therapist intentional?

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photo from sfgate.com: San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Derek Holland (45) sits in the dugout during a baseball game against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park, Sunday, June 10, 2018, in Washington. Holland apologized Thursday over racially insensitive jokes he made in an interview alongside the team’s massage therapist, who is Japanese. 

On the Giants podcast with Miguel:

#1 San Francisco Giants pitcher Derek Holland and Giants massage therapist Haro Ogawa both appeared on MLB Network’s Intentional Talk. On the show, Holland was doing Japanese bows and yelling in pigeon Japanese-mocked accents. Holland later apologized to Ogawa, who is a native from Japan, as well as Giants’ bullpen catcher Taira Uematsu.

#2 The team issued a rather terse and deservedly so statement, “The Giants were disappointed to learn of the Derek Holland’s behavior on Intentional Talk. We do not condone that type of behavior nor does it reflect our organizational values. Derek has taken full responsibility for his actions and has made a public apology.”

#3 We asked Michael what this will do for Holland’s future on the team as the Giants returned home after concluding a four-game series against the Mets in New York on Thursday.

#4 Giants pitcher Madison Bumgarner is still perfect in New York at 6-0. He picked up a Thursday matinee victory over the New York Mets 3-1. Bumgarner passed former Giants pitcher Tim Lincecum on the Giants wins list with 109.

#5 The Giants open a series tonight against the Texas Rangers at AT&T Park. The Rangers are also coming off a win over the red-hot A’s 4-2 on Wednesday.

Michael Duca does the Giants podcasts each Friday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

MadBum gets Giants out of New York with a split following 3-1 win over Mets

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Photo credit: @MLB_News247

By Jeremy Harness

The San Francisco Giants desperately needed to get a win to get out of town and capture some momentum, and Madison Bumgarner made sure they got that against the New York Mets.

The Giants’ big lefty took the ball Thursday afternoon and threw eight solid innings at the Mets, and as a result, the Giants came away from New York with a 3-1 win at Citi Field, and the two teams ended up splitting the four-game series.

Bumgarner surrendered a single run on five hits, striking out eight and not walking a single batter. Not only did Bumgarner get it done on the mound, but he also helped his own cause at the plate, as his double in the fourth inning gave the Giants a 2-0 lead and gave the team the momentum that they sorely needed and would not relinquish.

However, the double almost did not happen, and maybe it should not have happened, either. That’s because the batter before Bumgarner, catcher Nick Hundley, took a ball that looked like it should have been a third strike that would have ended the inning.

Hundley ended up coaxing a walk out of Mets starter Jacob DeGrom, who saw his record drop to 8-8 after giving up a pair of runs on four hits, walking four and striking out 10.

The Mets put some major heat on Bumgarner in the seventh inning, after Todd Frazier led off the inning with a solo homer, and then used a hit batsman and a single to put runners on first and second with nobody out.

However, Bumgarner got out of the jam flawlessly, as he forced Kevin Plawecki into a double play before striking out Michael Conforto to keep the Giants up one run.

The Giants got that run right back in the eighth, when Evan Longoria tattooed an inside fastball and sent into the left-field seats to increase the lead to 3-1.

The Giants return home to AT&T Park to host the Rangers for a three-game series starting Friday night at 7:15 pm PDT.

Giants keep yucking it up on road trip as they lose to Mets 5-3

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Photo credit: @SFGiants

By Jeremy Harness

The San Francisco Giants appear to be running out of gas at the wrong time. They were swept this past weekend in Cincinnati, and things are not looking very good against a team that they are clearly better than in the New York Mets. They committed a couple of costly errors and gave up more than their fair share of home runs in a 5-3 loss at Citi Field Wednesday night.

The Giants have dropped two of the first three of this four-game series to the Mets.

Starter Casey Kelly surrendered a pair of solo homers while closer Hunter Strickland gave up one of his own, and as a result, the Giants have slid all the way to 9 ½ games back of the National League West lead, as they now sport a 62-66 record.

The Mets got two of those longballs in the first inning to shoot out to a 3-0 lead, and the Giants could not recover from that.

Kelly gave up four runs–two of those earned because of the two errors the Giants made during the course of the game–on seven hits over six innings. He struck out four hitters while not walking anyone, but the two homers proved to be his undoing.

Meanwhile, Noah Syndergaard was solid over six innings, as he gave up a pair of runs on five hits, striking out six while walking only one. In the process, he ran his season record to 9-3.

Austin Slater and Joe Panik each had a pair of hits for the Giants apiece, with Slater hitting a solo homer in the seventh to narrow the Mets’ lead to only a run.

Things seem to be getting worse for the Giants off the field as well. Catcher Buster Posey, who went 0-for-4 on Wednesday and now has a batting average of .284, is reportedly heading toward having hip surgery that would put an end to his season.

The Giants and Mets wrap up their four-game series Thursday at 10:10 am PDT.

San Francisco Giants podcast with Marko Ukalovic: Posey to have hip surgery; McCutchen waived by club–could end up with playoff team

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Photo credit: @SInow

On the San Francisco Giants podcast with Marko:

San Francisco catcher Buster Posey has called it a season he will have hip surgery. The Giants decided after they fell eight games back it was time to get Posey’s hip taken care of.

Giants manager Bruce Bochy said he wants Posey ready for next season. Posey hit .286 for this season, five home runs and 40 RBIs.

The Giants’ Andrew McCutchen was placed on waivers Tuesday night.The Giants could deal McCutchen, who is .257 and a free agent at the end of season. Teams named that could use McCutchen include Oakland, St. Louis, and New York Yankees, who are all playoff teams.

The Giants face the Mets again for game three of the series after the 6-3 loss on Tuesday night. The Giants will start Casey Kelly (0-1, 1.69 ERA) and Noah Synergaard (8-3, 3.40 ERA).

Marko Ukalovic does the Giants podcasts each Wednesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Giants unable to hold lead; lose to Mets 6-3

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Photo credit: @SFGiants

By Jeremy Kahn

Chris Stratton was cruising, but then the seventh inning came and the New York Mets tied up the game with the help from a former San Francisco Giants outfielder.

Michael Conforto hit a sacrifice fly to score Jeff McNeill, who went 4-for-4 on the night, and then Austin Jackson tied up the game with a single to score Wilmer Flores. The Mets then added four runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to even up the four-game series with a 6-3 victory over the Giants at Citi Field on Tuesday night.

McNeil picked up his fourth hit of the night to score Jose Reyes to give the Mets the lead for good in the bottom of the eighth. Two batters later, Conforto launched a three-run home run to put the final runs on the board for the Mets.

Evan Longoria hit a two-run home run in the top of the first inning to give the Giants a 2-0 lead, and it looked like it would hold up until Stratton got into trouble in the bottom of the seventh inning.

Stratton, who was recalled from Double-A Richmond earlier in the day, and Derek Law was optioned to Sacramento to make room for Stratton. In all, Stratton went 6.1 innings, allowing two runs on six hits, not walking a batter and struck out four.

Tony Watson got into trouble in the bottom of the eighth inning, and was unable to keep the Mets off the board in the fateful frame, as he went one inning, allowing four runs on three hits, walking one and striking out one and fell to 4-5 on the season.

McNeill equaled his career-high with those four hits that included that double in the bottom of the eighth inning.

This was the second time since he was recalled that McNeill picked up four hits in the same game.

McNeill was not the only Mets player to have a big game, as Conforto hit a three-run homer and drove in four runs on the night.

The rookie picked up singles in his first three at-bats, and scored the Mets’ first run of the game on Conforto’s sacrifice fly in the bottom of the seventh inning.

Longoria’s home run off of Steven Matz in the top of the first inning was the first home run by the Giants since Andrew McCutchen hit one on Wednesday night against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium.

It looked like Matz was in line for a loss, but ended up with a no-decision, as he went five innings, allowing two runs on five hits in his second start since returning from a strained pitching forearm.

Hunter Pence made the defensive play of the night, as he made an over-the-shoulder basket catch with his back to the field, a la Willie Mays in the 1954 World Series not too far from Citi Field at the Polo Grounds, which happened to the Mets first home in their first two seasons of 1962-1963 before moving into Shea Stadium in 1964.

Austin Slater drove in the Giants final run of the evening, as he singled in the top of the ninth inning in the top of the ninth inning.

NOTES: Buster Posey sat out the game, and according to reports, Posey may hip surgery that would end his season. Dereck Rodriguez, who is currently on the 10-day disabled list with hamstring issues ran prior to the game, and will go through pitcher’s drill tomorrow. Rodriguez is set to be activated from the disabled list on Friday, and scheduled to start that night against the Texas Rangers in the opener of a three-game series at AT&T Park.

UP NEXT: The Giants and Mets will meet again Wednesday at 4:10 pm PDT.

Casey Kelly will make his second start of the season in the third game against the Mets in place of Rodriguez. Kelly went 4.1 innings on Friday night against the Cincinnati Reds, while the Mets will send Noah Syndergaard to the mound, who went 5.2 innings, allowing four runs on eight hits against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park.

We’ll Take It!: Giants need big assist from the bumbling Mets to win 2-1 in 13 innings

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By Morris Phillips

If you’re the offensively anemic San Francisco Giants, hanging around the ballpark until your opponent falls flat on their faces can be an effective strategy.

Trying to neatly pull everything together with five hits and a run over the game’s first seven innings, then add three singles over the final six innings of a 13-inning affair wasn’t going to cut it for San Francisco, but that’s precisely when Mets’ left fielder Dominic Smith ever so politely bumped into shortstop Amed Rosario, allowing Brandon Crawford’s fly ball to drop harmlessly in front of both as Andrew McCutchen crossed the plate with the game’s winning run.

If your the Giants desperately trying to interrupt a four-game losing streak, you’ll take it.

“We had our struggles there in some pretty good situations where we just needed to hit a groundball,” manager Bruce Bochy explained. “We had a hard time. We had a tough time getting the big hit. We got a break and you take it.”

Breaks have all but disappeared for the Giants in August when it comes to scoring runs. The Giants are hitting .229 as a team and have just seven home runs and 59 runs scored in 17 games. Those numbers have dropped the team into the National League’s bottom three in each of those categories. And that lack of production didn’t get a measurable jump on Monday, not even close.

Former Giant Zac Wheeler was simply following the established script when he held the Giants scoreless for the game’s first six innings Monday before allowing a run in the seventh.

Wheeler struck out a season-best 10 batters, and was still throwing gas in the seventh when Alan Hansen’s softly-hit double fell in, scoring Brandon Crawford. But while Hansen’s extra-base hit did the trick, it merely tied the game. With a runner in scoring position, Hunter Pence grounded out to end the inning, leaving the game tied.

Wheeler, having expended 113 pitches, was done for the evening, but the Mets’ bullpen took it from there hanging five more zeros on the scoreboard. The Giants threatened only once in the 11th, but failed when Brandon Belt struck out to end the inning with runners at first and third.

Derek Holland got the start for the Giants, and he was effective, allowing five hits and a run in four innings. Six Giants’ relievers would follow, and all acquitted themselves well, including Tony Watson in the seventh.

In the Mets’ best threat, pinch hitters Jeff McNeil and Michael Conforto singled with one out, only to see Rosario ground into an inning-ending double play.

With all three NL West contenders idle, the Giants moved within 7 1/2 games of division-leading Arizona. In between, Arizona and the Giants, the Dodgers and Rockies complicate the Giants situation with 36 games remaining in the season.

 

San Francisco Giants podcast with Morris Phillips: Cracks showing as the Giants fall eight off the pace with a dimming postseason

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Photo credit: @KNBR

On the San Francisco Giants podcast with Morris:

The last time the Giants used a position player to pitch was 27 years ago. Utility man Chase d’Arnaud pitched a scoreless eighth. The Reds, who swept the series, started three pitchers with 4.46, 5.19. 5.04 ERAs and the Giants could only get four runs to the Reds’ 11.

The Giants’ Joe Panik, who has six hits in two games, is one of the few Giants hitting. The Giants open a four-game series against the Mets Monday night at Citi Field. The Mets are 14 1/2 out of first in the NL East. The Giants are now eight games out of first and their chances are sinking for their playoff hopes.

Morris Phillips does the Giants podcasts each Monday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: This Week in 1980, Charlie O. Finley Sold the A’s for $12.7 Million

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Photo credit: thesportsesquires.com

By: Amaury Pi-González

On August 21, 1980, Athletics owner Charlie Finley announced at a news conference that he has sold his A’s to Walter A. Haas, Jr., the chairman of the board of the Levi Strauss clothing empire, Haas’s son Walter Jr., and son-in-law Roy Eisenhardt for $12.7 million.

In 1980, Finley agreed in principle to sell to businessman Marvin Davis, who was planning to move the A’s to Denver, but before that, Finley and Davis were to sign a contract, as the NFL’s Oakland Raiders announced they were moving to Los Angeles in 1982. The City of Oakland and Alameda County officials didn’t wanted to be held responsible for losing Oakland status as a big league city and refused to let the A’s out of their lease with the Coliseum. So the A’s were sold and stayed.

Although they have changed ownership a few times since, today’s A’s are in solid ground to continue playing in Oakland. These days, the last thing in mind for the A’s is to move out of Oakland, because soon they will be the only professional team left, after the Warriors move to San Francisco and the Raiders to Las Vegas. That is the good news. Plus, MLB commissioner Robert Manfred has said it all along, “the Bay Area is a two-team market.”

However, there is presently a group called Protect Oakland’s Shoreline Economy that is questioning the A’s proposed move to their favorite location of the Howard Terminal near Jack London Square. Here in the greater Bay Area, there is never a shortage of groups that oppose construction of sports facilities. and this one is the most recent. This is the second chapter of this novela. In December of last year, the A’s plans to build a 35,000 seat ballpark near Lake Merritt was stopped cold, when the community college refused to start negotiations about the proposed park.

All these recent concerns have been rather silenced by the A’s current play on the field, as they have been shocking the baseball world. They just took two out of three from the Mariners and two out of three from the Astros–two of their biggest rivals. This Monday, the Rangers open a three-game series at the Coliseum and then the A’s go on a six-game road-trip to Minnesota and Houston. They return the 30th of this month to say adios to August and welcome September with a four-game series against the M’s, three against the contending Yankees and the Rangers again. I do not believe the A’s bandwagon is close to capacity yet, as there are still a lot of folks who are not 100 percent certain they are going to see postseason play at the Coliseum. But I think they will.

By then, we will see how are the Atléticos de Oakland doing, with two very possible scenarios: 1) winning the division or 2) advancing as one of the two Wild Card teams.

Listen to the A’s games in Spanish on KIQI 1010am/990am, covering the Bay Area, Sacramento, Stockton and the Valley, and on the SAP Channel on NBC Sports California.