Category: San Francisco Giants

Bullpen can’t hold onto lead as Giants fall to Dodgers late 5-3

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Photo credit: @SFGiants

By Jeremy Harness

The San Francisco Giants gave a gallant effort in this three-game series against the defending National League champion Los Angeles Dodgers, but in the end, they came up just a bit short, dropping the series by virtue of a 5-3 loss at the hands of their intra-state rivals at Dodger Stadium Wednesday night.

They surprised LA in the first game but dropped the second game, but they were in position to take the third – and the series – when starter Derek Holland left the game into the hands of a bullpen that has shown to be capable this young season.

The Giants held the lead into the seventh inning with a 3-2 lead when righty reliever Reyes Moronta ran into immediate trouble. He gave up a leadoff double to catcher Austin Barnes but seemed to get things back on track by punching out pinch hitter Alex Verdugo.

After a walk, he got Justin Turner to fly out and was one strike away from getting out of the inning. But that’s when David Freese, whose heroics led the St. Louis Cardinals to the World Series title in 2011, lined one off the wall in right-center to bring in two runs and give the Dodgers a 4-3 advantage.

“Reyes has been so good over the past year and this year, but give them credit,” manager Bruce Bochy said. “He just mis-located a fastball in the end.

“We have a good bullpen, so that’s going to have to be out strength, holding on to those games.”

The Dodgers added another run in the eighth, when Chris Taylor’s double, which landed in the same area as Freese’s did an inning earlier, brought in Cody Bellinger.

The two-run cushion was more than enough for closer Kenley Jansen, who nailed down his third save of the season with a perfect ninth inning, as the Dodgers took the three-game series.

Derek Holland had a solid outing against the Dodgers Wednesday night. The crafty left-hander went five innings and surrendered only a pair of runs on three hits, walking four and striking out seven in taking the tough no-decision.

The Giants will return to Oracle Park to host its home opener against the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday afternoon at 1:35 pm.

Headline Sports podcast with London Marq: Ice meltdown in Vancouver–Sharks can’t answer Canucks’ 3 goals in third period; Quakes’ best game in 0-0 draw against Colorado so far; plus more

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Photo credit: @NBCSSharks

On the Headline Sports podcast with London:

#1 In one that you can call just a big meltdown, the San Jose Sharks started a two-game road trip in Vancouver Tuesday night, had a 2-1 lead and looked like they might actually win this one against the Canucks, but all for not as the Canucks scored three unanswered goals to hand San Jose its ninth loss in 10 games 4-2.

#2 The San Jose Earthquakes are a team that is all shook up. They have not won one a game yet this season and have played six games and their best game was against Colorado in a 0-0 draw. London tells us from he has seen of the Quakes what the problem is?

#3 The San Francisco Giants have shown some improvement on the current road trip taking the first game against the Dodgers on Monday night 4-2, thanks to Brandon Belt’s home run to help pace the win. On Tuesday night, the Giants lost by a run, but it’s been something to look forward to after they struggled in San Diego losing three out four.

#4 The Oakland A’s are getting plenty of pitching they got a 7-0 shutout over the World Champion Red Sox on Monday and then on Tuesday they got a 1-0 shutout with great A’s starting pitcher Mike Fiers and A’s reliever Blake Treinen.

#5 The Sacramento Kings just couldn’t do anything with James Harden and the Houston Rockets on Tuesday night in Golden One Center. Harden put away 36 points and he was again a scoring machine in a 130-105 win.

London Marq does the Headline Sports podcast for http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Bellinger hits grand slam in Dodgers’ 6-5 win over Giants

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Photo credit: brobible.com

By Jeremy Kahn

With a chance to possibly tie up the game, Pablo Sandoval ended the game with one swing of the bat.

Cody Bellinger hit a towering grand slam in the bottom of the third inning, as the Los Angeles Dodgers hung on to defeat the San Francisco Giants 6-5 at Dodger Stadium.

Madison Bumgarner committed a throwing error on a Russell Martin come backer that Brandon Belt was unable to dig out.

Bumgarner then walked Hyun-Jin Ryu on four pitches, and then Enrique Hernandez singled in Martin and then Bumgarner regrouped to get Justin Turner and Corey Seager; however, Bumgarner then gave up a single to A.J. Pollock and then Bellinger launched a Bumgarner offering over the center-field wall to give the Dodgers a 5-0 lead.

Ryu was cruising along until he gave up a single to Gerardo Parra in the top of the sixth inning and then Bumgarner hit his first home run of the season, a two-run blast into the left field bleachers.

Despite allowing the home run to Bumgarner, Ryu went seven innings, allowing two runs on six hits, not allowing a walk and striking out five, as he won for the second time in as many starts on the season.

It was the 18th career home run for Bumgarner, tying him for 20th place all-time for home runs by a pitcher.

Those five runs allowed by Bumgarner were unearned, as he went six innings, allowing five hits, walking two and striking out four; however, he saw his record fall to 0-2 on the season.

Turner gave the Dodgers what proved to be the deciding run in the bottom of the seventh, as he hit a sacrifice fly that scored Martin, who doubled to lead off the inning and went to third on a throwing error by Steven Duggar on a pinch-hit single by Alex Verdugo.

Things began to get interesting in the top of the ninth inning, as Evan Longoria doubled to lead off the inning against Yimi Garcia, then Buster Posey walked and that would be the end of the night for Garcia, as closer Kenley Jansen came on to face Brandon Crawford, who reached on a throwing error by Jansen that loaded the bases with nobody out.

Jansen then walked Yangervis Solarte to narrow the Dodgers lead down to 6-3, and then after Joe Panik struck out for the first out of the inning, Parra hit a two-run single to cut the lead down to 6-5 and put the tying run on third base.

Unfortunately, Sandoval grounded into a double play to end the game and even up the three-game series.

NOTES: Kevin Pillar was acquired by the Giants from the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for Alen Hanson, Derek Law and Juan De Paula.

Pillar, 30, spent the first seven seasons with the Blue Jays. This season, Pillar is 1-for-16 in his first five games this season.

To make room for Pillar on the roster, the Giants designated outfielder Michael Reed for assignment.

Pillar, who grew up in the Los Angeles suburb of West Hills in the San Fernando Valley struck out in the top of the eighth inning.

UP NEXT: Derek Holland makes his second start of the season on Wednesday night, as he takes the ball against Ross Stripling, who is also making his second start of the season.

Belt keys Giants’ late rally in 4-2 win over the Dodgers

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By Morris Phillips

Somehow, Dodgers’ home runs didn’t destroy the Giants. And Julio Urias couldn’t pitch the Giants into submission for a full nine innings.

Instead, Brandon Belt did the most with his final two at-bats of the evening, and the Giants rallied for an unlikely 4-2 win.

“We had a tough series in San Diego,” Belt said. “We wanted to change the tide when we came over here.”

Clearly, the tide was rising on the Giants by just entering the ballpark of the two-time National League champions on Monday. In just four games, the Dodgers hit 14 home runs and scored 42 runs in taking three of four from the Diamondbacks. Seven of those homers came in one game.

Then on Monday, Urias took control on the mound, and the Dodgers’ home run total swelled to 16 as they built a 2-0 lead after five innings.

The Giants–with just home run over their first, four-plus games–needed a response. Frankly, it wasn’t apparent that they had one.

Belt homered leading off the sixth to trim the Dodgers’ lead to 2-1. But Joe Kelly, on in relief of Urias, retired Evan Longoria, Buster Posey and Brandon Crawford in succession. The Giants have scored twice face five pitchers from the opposition in 26 1/3 innings and all were starters Urias although it wouldn’t happened pitched well enough to complete the game although he pitched his five innings, giving up three hits and seven strikeouts.

Meanwhile San Francisco manager Bruce Bochy said that his pitching staff put his mind at ease with keeping the Dodgers line up off balance after the Giants came back from behind with relievers Trevor Gott, Mark Malancon, Tony Watson, and Will Smith closing.

Giants starter Drew Pomeranz pitched for five innings giving up six hits, two runs, two earned, one walk, and six strikeouts. The Dodgers scored all their runs in the bottom of the fifth.

The Giants face the Dodgers in game two of the series tonight Madison Bumgarner (0-1) goes for the Giants and for the Dodgers Hyun-Jin Ryu (1-0).

San Francisco Giants podcast with Morris Phillips: Giants must depend on young outfield and hitting in Dodgers series

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Photo credit: @SFGiants

On the Giants podcast with Morris:

#1 Four games amount to three loses as the Giants scored only five runs.

#2 The Giants utility players Conner Joe and Michael Reed started in the opening series in San Diego. Reed went 0-7 and Joe went 0-4. The Giants will really be depending on Joe and Reed to come off the bench and help with the hit production.

#3 The Padres got some decent pitching out of starter Chris Paddock, who went five innings, two hits, one run, one walk, and seven strikeouts.

#4 Giants starter Jeff Samardzija went five innings, three hits, one run, four walks, and two strikeouts in a 3-1 loss.

#5 The Giants open up with the Dodgers tonight in L.A. The Dodgers already have scored 14 runs in three games and lead the NL West with a 3-1 record.

Morris does the Giants podcasts and game recaps each Monday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Paddack, Machado lead the Padres to 3-1 win over the Giants

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Photo credit: @sportingnewsca

By Jeremy Kahn

Even though he did not get the win in his major league debut, this will be a game that Chris Paddack will never forget.

Paddack retired the first 10 batters he faced, and struck out seven in five innings of work, as the San Diego Padres defeated the San Francisco Giants 3-1 to win the opening series of the season three games to one.

Not all things went well for Paddack, as he blew a chance to get his first major league run batted in, when Giants right fielder Gerardo Parra threw Paddack out at first base to end the bottom of the second inning.

Manny Machado, who signed a lucrative contract with the Padres after finishing the 2018 season with the Los Angeles Dodgers after being acquired from the Baltimore Orioles drove in the eventual game-winning run with a ground out in the bottom of the seventh inning.

The Giants got to Paddack in the top of the fifth inning, as Brandon Crawford singled and then Pablo Sandoval doubled him Crawford for what was the Giants only run of the afternoon.

Unfortunately, that lead would last until the bottom of the inning, as Franchy Cordero waked as a pinch hitter for Paddack, when to second on a Sandoval throwing error and then scored the tying on a Eric Hosmer single.

The Padres took the lead for good in the bottom of the seventh inning, as Nick Vincent walked Hosmer to load the bases; however, Machado beat the throw on a ground ball from Joe Panik that allowed Hunter Renfroe to score from third base.

Austin Hedges drove in the final run of the game, as he singled in the bottom of the eighth inning.

San Diego native Vincent, who grew up in Ramona, allowed one run on three hits in 1.1 innings in relief of Giants starter Jeff Samardzija.

It was a tough no-decision for Samardzija, who went five innings, allowing an unearned run on three hits, walking four and striking out two.

Adam Warren pitched two strong innings to notch his first win as a member of the Padres.

NOTES: Evan Longoria sat out the finale after fouling a pitch off his calf in his second at-bat on Saturday night.

UP NEXT: Drew Pomeranz will make his Giants debut on Monday night, as the Giants open a three-game series against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium.

Giants finally get in the win column with a 3-2 victory over the Padres

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Photo credit: @SFGiants

By Jeremy Kahn

Well, it took three games, but the San Francisco Giants got into the win column with the help of great pitching from their starter and bullpen.

Dereck Rodriguez went five innings plus, giving up two runs and five hits, as the Giants defeated the San Diego Padres 3-2 at Petco Park.

Rodriguez got into a jam in the bottom of the sixth inning, as he gave up a leadoff double to Manuel Margot and a single to Ian Kinsler that ended Rodriguez’s evening on the bump.

Travis Bergen came onto replace Rodriguez, but was treated rather rudely, as he gave up a two-run double to Eric Hosmer that cut the Giants lead down to 3-2.

Reyes Moronta then replaced Bergen, and responded by striking out the side, including Manny Machado, Will Myers and Hunter Renfroe to end the threat.

In two innings of work, Moronta struck out five in his season debut for the Giants and also gave up just one hit, before turning the ball over to Tony Watson, who gave up two hits in the bottom of the eighth inning.

Will Smith came on in the bottom of the ninth inning, striking out two to pickup his first save of the young season.

The Giants took a 1-0 lead in the top of the sixth inning, as Yangervis Solarte doubled in Steven Duggar, who singled off of rookie Nick Margevicius, who was making his major league debut for the Padres.

Joe Panik drove in the final two runs of the game, as he singled off of Robert Stock, who replaced Margevicius that scored Evan Longoria, who singled to score Solarte; however, Buster Posey was thrown out at the plate trying to stretch the Giants lead.

It was an impressive debut for Margevicius, who went five innings, allowing one run on five hits, while walking no one and striking out five.

NOTES: With the victory, the Giants avoided their first 0-3 start since the 2012 season, when they won their second World Series in three seasons under manager Bruce Bochy.

The Padres were going for their first 3-0 start since the 1984 season, when they went on to their first World Series appearance and ironically, the backup on that team was none than Bochy.

Another ironic twist to those two seasons is the fact that the Giants swept the Detroit Tigers in the 2012 World Series behind World Series MVP Pablo Sandoval, and in 1984, the Padres were defeated in five games to the Tigers.

Longoria left the game with a calf injury, and is day-to-day and Duggar was hit by a pitch in the first inning off the nose; however, he stayed in the game.

UP NEXT: Jeff Samardzija will make his season debut on Sunday afternoon, while the Padres will send Chris Paddock to the mound, as the right-hander will make his major league debut.

Another loss drops Giants to 0-2

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Photo credit: @SFGiants

By Jeremy Kahn

If it was not for an Evan Longoria home run in the top of the ninth inning, the San Francisco Giants would have turned something that never was accomplished in the 137-year history of the team.

Longoria’s home run in the top of the ninth inning stopped the chance of the San Diego Padres of shutting out the Giants in the first two games of a season

The Padres jumped out to a 2-0 lead on the Giants in the bottom of the second inning, as Manuel Margot doubled in Eric Hosmer and Fernando Tatis, Jr., and the Padres defeated the Giants 4-1 at Petco Park, in a game that ended with some controversy.

Following the Longoria home run off of reliever Phil Maton, Padres manager Andy Green turned the game over to his closer Tyler Yates; however, the Giants were not phased the closer.

After Brandon Crawford grounded out for the first out of the inning, the Giants began to flex their muscles against Yates, as Joe Panik singled to center, then Stephen Duggar walked and then Eric Kratz was hit by a Yates pitch and then the controversy began.

Gerardo Parra struck out looking on what looked like a pitch out of the strike zone, much to the dismay of Parra and Brandon Belt struck out looking on a high pitch that home plate umpire Lance Barksdale called strike three to end the game that upset Belt.

As Barksdale left the field, he felt the barrage from Belt, Parra and even Bruce Bochy, but to no avail and the Giants dropped their second game in as many days to open the season.

Ian Kinsler stretched the Padres lead up to 3-0 in the bottom of the third inning, as he hit his first home run of the season and also first as a member of the Padres, when his 354 foot blast landed in the left field seats against Giants starter Derek Holland, who was making his season debut.

The Padres got their final run of the game in the bottom of the fifth inning, as Franmil Reyes hit a sacrifice fly to score Thursday’s hero Will Myers from third base.

Myers doubled to right field off of Trevor Gott, but Kinsler was thrown out at the plate for the first out of the inning that denied Myers another run batted in against the Giants in the first two games of the season.

Newly signed Manny Machado then singled to left field, but Myers was held at third base and then Reyes hit a sacrifice fly to lengthen the lead.

Holland pitched four innings, allowing three runs on four hits, while walking two and struck out five.

Joey Luchessi went 5.1 innings, allowing just three hits, walking two and striking out seven in his season debut.

NOTES: Prior to the game, catcher Tom Murphy was traded by the Giants to the Seattle Mariners in exchange for minor league reliever Jesus Ozoria. In his first seasons as a professional, Ozoria is 5-5 with a 3.31 ERA, walking just 14 and striking out 73 in 20 games with 10 of them in starting roles.

Murphy played in one exhibition game with the Giants after being acquired by the organization from the Colorado Rockies on Monday. He was then designed for assignment by the team on Thursday, when the team began their season.

UP NEXT: Dereck Rodriguez will make his 2019 season debut, as he takes the mound on Saturday night, while the Padres will send Nick Margevicius, who will be making his major league debut.

San Francisco Giants podcast with Michael Duca: Bummed out–Giants and Bumgarner get shutout 2-0 in opener

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On the SF Giants podcast with Michael:

#1 Madison Bumgarner started for the San Francisco Giants on Opening Day and was able to keep the San Diego Padres’ Manny Machado under control, but the Padres still won it 2-0.

#2 The Padres’ Fernado Titas got two hits to help contribute towards the win. The Padres’ Wil Myers got a home run off Bumgarner and the Padres had a 2-0 lead.

#3 This was Machado’s first game as a Padre playing in Opening Day. Although Machado didn’t get a hit, the game was a win and it should be memorable for Machado.

#4 Padres starter Eric Lauer (1-0) pitched six innings of shutout ball against the Giants, surrendering four hits, a walk and three strikeouts.

#5 Giants starter Madison Bumgarner (0-1) pitched seven innings along with five hits and two runs and posted nine strikeouts for the loss.

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

Offense flounders as Giants drop season opener to Padres 2-0

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Photo credit: @SFGiants

By Jeremy Harness

There were two positives that came out of Thursday’s season opener: Madison Bumgarner looked rather sharp and gave the Giants every chance to win, and Evan Longoria will not start the season with an extended 0-fer, which was the case in 2018.

Bumgarner surrendered only a pair of run over seven solid innings to go along with only five hits allowed. Meanwhile, Longoria went 2-for-4 at the plate, including a single in his very first at-bat of the season.

The rest of the day was rather forgettable at best, as the San Diego Padres beat the punchless Giants, 2-0, at Petco Park Thursday afternoon.

Wil Myers did all of the damage for the Padres at the plate, driving in both runs to send the Giants reeling right out of the chute. It started in the third inning, when Myers took Bumgarner deep to right-center to give San Diego a 1-0 lead.

Three innings later, he struck again, blooping in a single into shallow left-center to bring Ian Kinsler in and double the lead.

The Giants never posed a serious threat, as they never got any more than one hit in a given inning and did not get a runner safely to second base the entire game. Padres starter Eric Lauer was brilliant on Thursday, going six innings and giving up only four hits, walking only one while striking out three.

They hope to bounce back very quickly in this weekend series against the Padres by getting their bats to wake up. However, if this is any indication of things to come, it will be a very long season for the Giants.