Category: San Francisco Giants

Photo credit: @SFGiants

By Jeremy Kahn

Coming into this series against the San Francisco Giants, the Atlanta Braves were one of the hottest teams in major league baseball, as they were on a five-game winning streak.

Well, that streak came to an end quickly on Friday night and the Giants ended up completing their first three-game sweep of the Braves in four years after a 4-3 victory Sunday at SunTrust Park.

Andrew Suarez gave up just one unearned run in 5.1 innings along with seven hits and one walk. Since being recalled from Sacramento on Tuesday to replace the Johnny Cueto, who is on the disabled list with right elbow tightness, Suarez has allowed just two earned runs in those two starts.

After trailing for the third game in a row, the Giants took the lead for good in the top of the third inning, as both Nick Hundley and Pablo Sandoval each drove in runs with singles.

The Giants tacked on two more runs in the fourth inning, as Alen Hanson scored from third base, when he slid in head first to beat the throw from Freddie Freeman on a Gregor Blanco groundball.

Andrew McCutchen added a sacrifice fly that scored Austin Jackson to give the Giants their final run of the afternoon.

Braves rookie starter Mike Soroka lasted just four innings in his first home start, as he allowed four runs on seven hits and three walks. Soroka is now 1-1 in his career.

Soroka did pick up his first major-league hit in the bottom of the second off of Suarez.

Hanson did get his third consecutive two hit game, as he doubled in the top of the fifth inning. On the flip side, Hanson did commit two fielding errors on the afternoon.

The Giants took a three-run lead into the bottom of the ninth inning, but the Braves mounted a comeback, when Kurt Suzuki, who came off the bench to pinch hit, lashed a double that scored Jose Bautista, who singled. Ender Inciarte cut the Giants lead down to one run, as he grounded to score Johan Camargo; however, rookie Ozzie Albies was unable to tie up the game or win it, as he popped out to end the game. Hunter Strickland, who came on close to the game for the first time this weekend picked up his eighth save of the season.

The Braves took the lead in the first inning for the third straight game, as Ronald Acuna Jr., hit a single to left field for his first hit at SunTrust Park. Acuna later scored on a Tyler Flowers single.

NOTES: Mac Williamson, who is eligible to come off the seven-day concussion disabled list, remains on there with a virus and will need a few days. Williamson will also be sent to the minors for a rehab assignment. Reyes Moronta, who left the game on Saturday night with tightness in his back to begin the bottom of the ninth inning, “seems to be doing better,” according to Bruce Bochy.

The Giants last sweep of the Braves came from May 2-4, 2014 at Turner Field.

UP NEXT: Jeff Samardzija takes the mound on Monday afternoon, as the Giants continue their three-city, 10-game road trip and open up a four-game series against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park.

Photo credit: @SFGiants

By Jeremy Kahn

It seems that the San Francisco Giants are beginning to find their stride, despite the fact that their two top starters and closer are currently on the disabled list.

Buster Posey and Andrew McCutchen each picked up three hits, and Alen Hanson hit his second home run of the season and drove in four runs, as the Giants defeated the Atlanta Braves 11-2 at SunTrust Park.

Brandon Crawford also picked up three hits and drove in two runs for the Giants, who have at least nine runs in their last three games.

With the victory, the Giants have clinched their fifth straight series and have won three in a row and 10 out of their last 13.

On the evening, the Giants as a team picked up 18 hits, as Braves starter Brandon McCarthy went just 3.1 innings.

Ty Blach picked up his third win of the season, as he went 7.2 innings and allowed just one earned run in the victory.

Hanson got his night started in the second inning, as he hit a double that scored Crawford and then in the top of the third inning, Hanson hit a McCarthy pitch just inside the right field foul pole for his second home run of the season.

The Giants blew the game wide open in the third, that saw Brandon Belt hit a run-scoring single and then Evan Longoria hit a double that fell in just out of the reach of Nick Markakis in right field for his 1,500thcareer hit that drove in Posey.

McCutchen scored on a Posey single in the top of the fourth inning, that saw the Giants score three runs, as Crawford later added a two-run double that scored both Posey and Belt.

Posey got the Giants into the double figure plateau in the top of the fifth inning, as he singled to score Gorkys Hernandez.

Nick Hundley continued his hot hitting, as he hit a single in the top of the ninth inning to score Crawford.

Unfortunately, the Giants committed three errors, including a dropped ball by Hernandez in the bottom of the ninth inning.

The Giants committed two errors in the bottom of the third inning, as Crawford committed an error on a ball hit by Albies. Hanson then committed a throwing error on a ball hit by Ronald Acuna, Jr., that retired Albies at second base.

Markakis drove in the Braves final run of the evening, as he doubled to right field that scored Acuna.

The Braves took the lead for the second straight game in the bottom of the first inning, as Freddie Freeman grounded out to first base that scored Ozzie Albies from third base.

NOTES: It was another nice crowd for the Braves, as they drew 38,242 for the game, one night after setting the record of 41,807.

Melancon threw 20 pitches in the bullpen, and looks to be on track to getting off the disabled list on May 25. Currently, Melancon is on the 60-day disabled list with a right elbow strain.

Reyes Moronta was forced to leave the game in the bottom of the ninth inning after he threw eight straight balls to start the inning. Moronta left the game with a tight back.

UP NEXT: Andrew Suarez will start for the Giants on Sunday afternoon, as they look for the sweep, while the Braves will send Mike Soroka to the mound for his first start at SunTrust Park. In his major-league debut on Tuesday night, Soroka allowed one run in six innings against the New York Mets at Citi Field.

Photo credit: @SFGiants

By Jeremy Kahn

After allowing a two-run home run in the bottom of the first inning, it was like déjà vu all over for Chris Stratton and the San Francisco Giants.

Stratton, who got just four outs in his last start against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday afternoon, was able to recover and go five innings, allowing three runs on six hits, walking two and striking out six and the Giants defeated the Atlanta Braves 9-4 at SunTrust Park.

The win by the Giants stopped the Braves five-game winning streak, who are coming off a three-city, 10-game road trip, where they went 7-3 against the Cincinnati Reds, Philadelphia Phillies and New York Mets, who the Braves now lead in the National League East by 1.5 games.

Freddie Freeman gave the Braves a quick 2-0 in the bottom of the first inning, as he hit a Stratton pitch into the left field seats. Following the Freeman home run, Jose Bautista, who was recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett made a great first impression on the Braves fans, as he doubled in his first at-bat.

Unfortunately for the Braves and their crowd, the Giants put a quick stop to the lead in the top of the second inning.

Gregor Blanco hit a two-run triple, Alen Hanson hit a run-scoring double and then scored on a fielder’s choice, Brandon Belt added a RBI double and finally Evan Longoria drove in the final run of a six-run inning, when he grounded out.

Nick Markakis cut the Giants lead in half in the bottom of the third inning, as his sixth home run of the season.

Brandon Crawford then gave the Giants a five-run in the top of the seventh inning, as he hit his third home run, a two-run blast into the right field seats.

Crawford went three-for-five on the night for the Giants with two runs batted in for the Giants, who have won six out of their last eight.

Ozzie Albies drove in the final run of the game for the Braves, as he hit a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the seventh inning that scored Charlie Culberson, who hit a pinch-hit single, while batting for Jesse Biddle, who came in the top of the seventh and surrendered the two-run home run to Crawford.

It was a rough night for Braves starter Mike Foltynewicz, who pitched just five innings, allowing six runs on nine hits, walking two and striking out four.

Will Smith made his second straight appearance in relief for the Giants, as he went one inning, allowing one run on one hit. Smith, who missed all of the 2017 season after Tommy John surgery, made his season debut on Wednesday afternoon against the San Diego Padres at AT&T Park.

Longoria closed out the scoring for the Giants in the top of the ninth inning, as he hit his team-leading seventh home run of the season off of Max Fried.

NOTES: Ty Blach takes the mound on Saturday night, as the Giants continue their three-game series in Atlanta. The Braves will send Brandon McCarthy to the mound, as they look to even up the series.

Mark Melancon will throw in the bullpen for the first time this season on Saturday. Melancon is on the disabled list with a right elbow flexor strain. Mac Williamson, who is eligible to come off the seven-day concussion disabled list on Saturday may not be ready, as he suffering from a virus.

This was the largest crowd in SunTrust Park history, as they drew 41,807 in the opener of the three-game series.

UP NEXT: The Giants are on a three-city, 10-game road trip that began on Friday night, then will move to Philadelphia for a four-game set and end after three games in Pittsburgh on May 12.