Category: San Francisco Giants

Photo credit: @SFGiants

By Jeremy Kahn

Things were looking good for the San Francisco Giants at the end of the first inning, but then the Chicago Cubs came to the plate.

Between the two teams, they scored six runs on five infield hits, that included a great play by a first time second baseman and a ball off of the second base umpire.

All things got worse for the Giants in the bottom of the fourth inning, as Jorge Baez hit an opposite field three-run home run and the Cubs defeated the Giants 8-3 at Wrigley Field Sunday night.

Neither starter made it out of the fourth inning, as Ty Blach went just three innings, allowing five runs on seven hits, walking four and striking out three, as he fell to 3-5 on the season.

Cubs starter Tyler Chatwood went only 2.2 innings, as he allowed three runs on six hits, walking five and struck out three. It was the second consecutive horrific start for Chatwood, who also went 2.2 innings in his last start against the Cleveland Indians on Tuesday night in a 10-1 Cubs loss.

Pablo Sandoval, who made his first ever start at second base for the Giants got them on the board in the top of the first inning, as he beat out a throw from Addison Russell that scored Brandon Belt.

Mac Williamson then extended the Giants lead up to 3-0, as he an opposite field single that scored Evan Longoria and Brandon Crawford respectively.

Longoria was one of two walks in the inning off of Chatwood, and then Crawford loaded the bases with an infield single just prior to the Sandoval base hit that scored Belt.

The Cubs got right back into the game in the bottom of the inning, as Alex Almora, Jr., reached on an infield single. After an out by Baez, Kris Bryant got the Cubs on the board, when he doubled off the right-center field wall and then came the bizarre play of the game.

Anthony Rizzo hit a comebacker that Blach knocked down, and then ricocheted off of second base umpire Cory Blaser and bounced to Sandoval, who threw too late to Belt and Bryant all the way around from second base to score.

After Wilson Contreras struck out for the second out, Kyle Schwarber singled to send Rizzo to third and then Russell tied up the game.

Things were looking good for the Giants in the top of the second inning, as they loaded the bases with nobody out; however, Chatwood was able to get out of the jam without allowing a run.

Blach got into his own bases loaded nobody out jam in the bottom of the third inning, as he gave up three consecutive walks to Bryant, Rizzo and Contreras, but then he was able to regroup to get Schwarber and Russell to strikeout swinging and then Jason Heyward flew out to left field to end the threat.

Pierce Johnson came on to replace Blach in the bottom of the fourth inning after Blach walked eventual winning pitcher Randy Rosario, and then Almora ended Blach’s day after he doubled to centerfield.

Baez then greeted Johnson by hitting a three-run home run into the right field bleachers to give the Cubs the lead for good.

Tommy La Stella hit for Rosario in the bottom of the fifth inning, and he hit a single that scored Heyward. Almora continued then his hot hitting, as he doubled to right-center field that scored La Stella from first base.

Rosario went 2.1 innings, allowing no runs on one hit, walking two and striking out three, as he won for the first time this season.

NOTES: Andrew Suarez looks for his second win of the season on Monday, as the Giants open a three-game series against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Chad Bettis looks to improve to 5-1 on the season, as he takes the mound for the Rockies.

Buster Posey, who missed Saturday’s game with a sore right hip also missed Sunday’s game, but could available for the Giants opener in Colorado.

UP NEXT: Giants open a three-game series against the Rockies in Colorado starting Monday at 4:10 pm PST.

Photo credit: sfexaminer.com

By Jeremy Kahn

Chris Stratton put a stop to the San Francisco Giants modest three-game losing streak, and it was the bullpen that held down the fort down the stretch.

Stratton went five innings, allowing three runs on four hits, while walking three and striking out four and the Giants defeated the Chicago Cubs 5-4 at Wrigley Field Saturday night.

As for Stratton, it was his third straight win. He’s now 6-3 on the season.

It was a huge comeback victory for the Giants, who fell behind 2-0 at the end of the second inning, but then Brandon Crawford continued his hot hitting, as he hit a huge two-run home run in the top of the fourth inning that tied up the game.

After the Cubs retook the lead in the bottom of the fourth inning, the Giants took the lead back for good in the top of the fifth inning, as Andrew McCutchen doubled to centerfield that scored Gorkys Hernandez. Brandon Belt gave the Giants the lead for good, as he singled to center to score McCutchen.

It was the third loss in their last four games for the Cubs, who were swept in a two-game series against the Cleveland Indians earlier this week at Wrigley Field.

Belt added a sacrifice fly in the top of the seventh inning to score Hernandez from third base, and Evan Longoria moved up an additional 90 feet to second base.

Hernandez is turning out to be a god send for the Giants, as he recently became the Giants everyday centerfielder, replacing Austin Jackson, who came to the Giants during the offseason from the Cleveland Indians. On the game, Hernandez went 3-for-5 with two runs scored and raised his average to .311 on the season.

The Cubs got within one run in the bottom of the eighth inning, as Anthony Rizzo hit an opposite field single off of Tony Watson to score Kyle Schwarber; however, that would be the closest that the Cubs would get.

Closer Hunter Strickland came on in the bottom of the ninth inning and retired the Cubs in order for his 10thsave of the season.

Stratton gave up three walks in the bottom of the second inning, as the Cubs took a 1-0 lead and look to extend the score; however, a Javier Baez comebacker that Stratton snared and threw to Nick Hundley for the first out of the inning. Jose Quintana then was unable to help out his own cause, as he grounded into double play to end the inning.

Schwarber then extended the Cubs lead in the bottom of the third inning, as he hit his ninth home run of the season.

After Crawford tied up the game with his sixth home run of the season in the top of the fourth inning, Baez gave the Cubs the lead in the bottom of the half of the inning, as he hit his 12th home run of the inning.

The bullpen quartet of Reyes Moronta, Sam Dyson, Watson and Strickland pitched four innings, allowing one run on three hits, not walking a batter and striking out one.

Quintana pitched just 4.1 innings, as he gave up four runs and five hits and saw his record fall to 5-4 on the season.

NOTES: Ty Blach looks for his fourth win of the season on Sunday night, as he takes the mound against Tyler Chatwood, who also looks for his fourth win of the season. Chatwood leads the major leagues with 40 walks on the season.

Buster Posey is currently day-to-day with soreness in his right hip.

Joe Panik, who is out with a sprained left thumb will begin a rehab assignment on Monday with the Sacramento Rivercats.

Alen Hanson, who replaced Panik at second base and was then injured himself with a strained left hamstring will play an extended spring training game on Monday in Arizona, and then will begin a rehab assignment on Wednesday with San Jose.

Madison Bumgarner began his rehab assignment in Sacramento, and pitched 3.2 innings, not allowing a run or a hit, walking one and striking out eight. Bumgarner also went 1-for-1 in his only plate appearance.

Mark Melancon pitched an inning, and struck out a batter in his only inning of work.

UP NEXT: The Giants and Cubs conclude their series in a nationally televised game on ESPN Sunday night at 5:08 pm PST.

Photo credit: @playtheapp1

By Jeremy Kahn

After opening their three-city, nine-game road trip against the defending World Champion Houston Astros, the San Francisco Giants moved onto the winners of the 2016 World Series champion Chicago Cubs for their next series.

Kyle Hendricks gave up just one run on two hits in seven innings of work, as the Cubs defeated the Giants 6-2 at Wrigley Field.

Hendricks, who improved to 4-3 on the season, struck out seven and walked two, as the Cubs bounced back from a two-game sweep against the Cleveland Indians on a high note.

This was the Giants third straight loss to open the road trip, and have been outscored 21-5 through their first three games with five games remaining.

Gorkys Hernandez picked up two of the four Giants hits on the afternoon, including a leadoff home run in the top of the fourth inning that broke up Hendricks’ perfect game.

Evan Longoria picked up a RBI single in the top of the ninth inning that scored Brandon Belt, who singled, then advanced to second on indifference and then scored the Giants first run since the fourth inning when Longoria singled off of Pedro Strop.

The Cubs broke the game wide open in the bottom of the seventh inning, when they ended Holland’s day. Will Smith gave up a two-run double to Ben Zobrist, and then Cory Gearrin gave up a two-run single to Kris Bryant. Former Oakland A’s prospect Addison Russell hit a RBI single in the bottom of the eighth inning for their final run of the afternoon.

Strop retired the first batters of the inning, but then Belt and Longoria picked up back-to-back hits for another run. That was the end of the day for Strop, as Joe Maddon turned the ball over to Brian Duensing, who eventually walked Brandon Crawford.

That was all for Duenisng, as Maddon brought on his closer, Brandon Morrow, who struck out the returning Mac Williamson to end the game and picked up 11thsave in 12 opportunities this season.

Holland allowed three runs (two of them earned) in six innings of work, and allowed five hits before being replaced by Smith. Before being replaced, Holland hit Javier Baez and then walked Ian Happ.

NOTES: Chris Stratton looks to stop the Giants three-game losing streak, as he takes the mound against the Cubs Jose Quintana.

Madison Bumgarner looks to begin his rehab assignment on Saturday for the Sacramento Rivercats, where he will throw approximately 45 pitches. Joe Panik is making progress and could begin a rehab during the Giants road trip that will end on Wednesday against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field.

UP NEXT: The Giants and Cubs meet again for Game 2 Saturday at 4:15 pm PST on FOX.

Photo credit: @SFGiants

By Jeremy Harness

So the Warriors and the Giants have something in common after Thursday: they will both hope to get bounce-back efforts after being humbled in the city of Houston.

The Warriors are facing elimination from the NBA playoffs after a loss to the Rockets in the Toyota Center on Thursday and will head home in search of answers. The Giants, on the other hand, had the day off on Thursday and have had a full day to process what happened to them.

Thankfully for the Giants, they don’t have to win their very next game to keep their season alive, but they do need to find a way to get things back on track after dropping two straight games to the Astros at Minute Maid Park.

That starts with a three-game series with the Chicago Cubs inside of Wrigley Field, which starts Friday afternoon.

The Giants will start the series with left-hander Derek Holland (2-5, 4.94 ERA) on the mound against Chicago righty Kyle Hendricks (3-3, 3.40 ERA). Holland has lost two of the last three decisions, the latest being a 6-1 loss at the hands of the Rockies last Friday, during which he surrendered four runs on six hits, walking one and striking out three.

Hendricks, meanwhile, also gave up four runs on six hits in his last outing, a 5-4 loss at Cincinnati last Friday, but he got away with a no-decision. However, he enters Friday’s matchup having dropped two of his past three decisions as well.

Chris Stratton (5-3, 4.92 ERA) will take the ball on Saturday opposite Cubs lefty Jose Quintana (5-3, 4.47 ERA). Stratton has won three of his last four, as he beat Colorado last Saturday, 8-4, after giving up four runs on eight hits.

Quintana has won two of his past three decisions, his last outing being a dominant performance at Cincinnati last Saturday that saw him give up only a single hit over seven innings in a 10-0 win.

To close out the series, lefty Ty Blach (3-4) will take the hill against Chicago righty Yu Darvish (1-3).