Category: San Francisco Giants

Giants nearly 50 games into 2018: steady with room for improvement

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Photo credit: @SFGiants

By Morris Phillips

In a lot of ways, the 2018 Giants haven’t tipped their hand in regards to what type of team they’ll eventually become.

First of all, they’re 24-24, after they were 19-19 and 14-14. That’s as .500 as a team can get with a sample size of 48 games, still not a third of the way through a 162-game schedule. The Giants are 13-14 against the NL West. They’re 7-7 in one-run games, 2-2 in extra innings, they were 13-13 in April, now they’re 9-10 in May.

The most games they’ve been over .500? Four.

The most games they’ve been under. 500? Four.

Immediately after winning a season-best four in a row, they lost six straight, their worst slide. And the Giants have 12 wins against right-handed starting pitchers, and 12 wins against left-handed starting pitchers.

Again, if the Giants were a poker-faced, Vegas-based, card wizard, they be a pretty good one.

But if they’re a post-season contender, one year after they lost 98 games, then we can’t quite confirm that to be true even as they sit just two games off the pace of division-leading Arizona, and a game-and-a-half behind second-place Colorado.

So what might happen next for baseball’s current over-the-hill gang?

While they eagerly wait for the return of Mark Melancon, Madison Bumgarner, Hunter Pence and Joe Panik (likely returning in that order), the schedule remains unrelenting. On Tuesday, the Giants wash down a challenging four-game set with the Rockies, with two at the home of the World Series champion Astros. They’ll see familiar face Gerrit Cole, the former Pirate with the uncanny ability to unleash 96 mph heaters on the black.

The Giants most immediate need? Not letting Cole get comfortable and mowing down San Francisco hitters in waves. Remember, Cole’s struck out 10 or more opposing batters in five of his nine starts, while the Giants collectively have fanned 10 or more times in 16 of their 48 games, exactly one-third of their contests.

No wonder the Giants languish at No. 22 in the latest ESPN Power Rankings while the defending champion Astros are No. 3: they haven’t proven anything yet.

The Giants could succeed or fail with or without their four, returning stars. They could go either way as well with their near, completely healthy offensive attack, or surge or regress once their starting rotation becomes whole. No outcome seems implausible.

But whatever happens, it starts with Cole on Tuesday, Justin Verlander on Wednesday, and continues Friday in Chicago with the Cubs’ Kyle Kendrick.

Now that’s challenging.

San Francisco Giants podcast with Morris Phillips: Ex-Giant Romo starts his first career game; Belting them out of the yard, Belt with 3-run jack

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@SFGiants photo: San Francisco Giant Brandon Belt goes yard for a three-run homer against the Colorado Rockies at AT&T Park Sunday.

Morris Phillips on the SF Giants podcast:

Former San Francisco Giants pitcher Sergio Romo pitched in his first career start for the Tampa Bay Rays. Romo used as a closer or reliever in his Giants, Dodgers and now Rays days, pitched an inning plus no runs, walking two, and striking out three against the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday.

Brandon Belt: Belt has been hitting the ball out of AT&T Park like he’s auditioning for the Hall of Fame. Belt hit another majestic home run this time a three run shot that helped put the Giants in the win column with a four-run 9-5 victory over the visiting Colorado Rockies.

Manager Bruce Bochy said Belt’s been hitting as hard as anyone else and getting as many home runs as he has in a short amount of time this has been an incredible ride for him.

Next up at AT&T: The Giants are off Monday, but will hit the road starting with Houston on Tuesday and Wednesday. Then they get another day off on Thursday 24th then open up a three-game series in Chicago on Friday night against the Cubs. Then they close out the road trip in Colorado next Monday night at Coors Field.

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

 

 

Belt continues power surge in Giants’ 9-5 win over Rockies

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Photo credit: @SFGiants

By Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO–Brandon Belt gave the San Francisco Giants the lead for good with one swing of the bat.

Belt hit a three-run home run off of Jake McGee in the bottom of the seventh inning, helping the Giants to a come-from-behind 9-5 victory over the Colorado Rockies before a crowd of 40,334 at AT&T Park Sunday.

“You feel good when he is up there,” said Bruce Bochy.

With the victory, the Giants gained a split in their first series against the Rockies, who they will see beginning on May 28 for a three-game series at Coors Field.

The Giants also finished the home stand on a high note, as they won the final two games of the home stand and went 4-3 against the Cincinnati Reds and Rockies.

Gorkys Hernandez hit his fourth home run of the season in the bottom of the fifth inning, a two-run blast to straightaway centerfield that looked like a lazy fly ball; however, the Bay Area wind let it sail over the centerfield wall to get the Giants within a run of the Rockies. Miguel Gomez hit a pinch-hit single just before the Hernandez home run.

“Gorkys had a huge hit, Tommy (Tomlinson) had a huge hit into the gap,” said Bochy.

Just one inning later, the Giants took their first lead of the game, as Kelby Tomlinson tripled to the left-center field wall that scored both Belt, who singled to lead off the inning and Brandon Crawford, who walked with one out.

“Just trying to put together a nice at-bat, swung the bat well today and yesterday,” said Tomlinson.

The Rockies tied up the game in the top of the seventh inning, as Ian Desmond walked to lead off the inning, then stole second and went to third on a Nick Hundley throwing error. Nolan Arenado then tied up the game with a single up the middle off of Giants reliever Sam Dyson.

Ty Blach went just 4.1 innings, allowing four runs on eight hits, walking two and striking out one, as he did not fare in the decision.

Like Blach, Tyler Anderson did not fare in the decision for the Rockies, as he went 5.1 innings, allowing five runs on six hits, walking one and striking out four.

Hernandez got the rally started in the bottom of the seventh inning, as he singled to lead off the inning, and after a Buster Posey fly out to centerfield, Evan Longoria then walked and then Belt hit his 11thhome run of the season. Hundley then extended the lead, as he hit his fifth home run of the season.

The Giants took an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning, as Posey tripled to the 421’ mark in right-center field and then scored on a sacrifice fly by Noel Cuevas, who made a terrific catch to take an extra base hit away from Longoria.

The Rockies finally broke through in the top of the fourth inning, as Trevor Story doubled in Arenado, who led off the inning with a single. Cuevas then singled to score Story from second base.

Blach was then sent to the showers in the top of the fifth inning, as Anderson helped out his own cause, as he singled to lead off the inning and then on a Story single. After Chris Iannetta popped out for the second out of the inning, Cuevas drove in his second run of the game, with a bases loaded walk to give the Rockies a 4-1 lead.

Will Smith continues to make great strides as he comes back from Tommy John Surgery that kept him out for the entire 2017 season. In his only inning of work, Smith struck out the side.

“He has been throwing the ball so well,” said Bochy.

NOTES: After an off-day on Monday, the Giants open a brief two-game series at Minute Maid Park against the defending World Champion Houston Astros. Andrew Suarez will take the mound in the opener for the Giants, while Gerrit Cole will take the mound for the Astros.

The off-day on Monday, will be their first off-day since May 3, the day before the beginning of their three-city, 10-road trip thru Atlanta, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. During the streak of playing 17 days in a row, the Giants went 8-9.

Mac Williamson continues to swing the bat well, as he through his first two games with the Sacramento Rivercats on his rehab assignment, Williamson is 3-for-5 with three runs scored, a double and two home runs and six runs batted in.

Hunter Pence went 2-for-5 on Saturday night with an RBI, and is now hitting .321 (18-for-56) with two doubles, six RBIs, and four walks in his 14 games with the Rivercats, as he recovers from his sprained right thumb.

UP NEXT: The Giants will return to action Tuesday against the Astros at 5:10 pm PST.

Crawford continues to swing bat well; Giants defeat Rockies 9-4

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Photo credit: @MLB_News247

By Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO–Brandon Crawford continues to swing the bat well, and with that the San Francisco Giants broke out of their recent funk.

Crawford went 3-for-5 on the afternoon, as the Giants came back to defeat the Colorado Rockies 9-4 before a crowd of 39,195 at AT&T Park Saturday afternoon.

With the victory, the Giants put a stop to their modest three-game losing streak and defeated the Rockies best pitcher in the process.

After scoring just seven runs during the three-game losing streak, the Giants scored in every inning between the second and sixth innings.

Crawford got the ball rolling for the Giants in the bottom of the second inning, as they trailed the Rockies 2-0 at the end of an inning and a half.

After leading off the inning with a single, Crawford was forced out at second base on a Miguel Gomez ground out, Gorkys Hernandez continues his hot hitting, as he doubled to left field that sent Gomez to third base. Chris Stratton then helped out his own cause, as he drove in his first major league run with a ground out to Trevor Story at shortstop.

The Giants took the lead for good in the bottom of the third inning, as they loaded the bases, as Andrew McCutchen singled, Buster Posey singled, then Brandon Belt walked to load the bases. After Evan Longoria flew out for the first out of the inning, Crawford lashed a double down the left field line that scored both McCutchen and Posey.

Gomez then got in on the act, as he singled in Belt for the third run of the inning and the Giants took a 4-2 lead.

After the Rockies cut the lead in half in the top of the fourth inning, as Daniel Castro grounded into a double play that scored Desmond, the Giants came back with a run of their run in the bottom of the inning.

Gregor Blanco tripled just past the second baseman, and after both McCutchen and Posey were unable to bring in Blanco, Belt greeted reliever Chris Rusin with a single to right-center field to extend the Giants lead up to 5-3.

The Rockies would not go away, as they clawed back in it to get within one run, as Blackmon led off the inning with a single of his own. Gerardo Parra then singled Blackmon to third base.

The defensive play of the game came up next, as Story hit a single to right that scored Blackmon and McCutchen came up throwing and tried to get Parra at third base. Bruce Bochy challenged the call, as it looked like Longoria tagged Parra and after a 1:57 review, the call was reversed.

McCutchen blew the game wide open in the bottom of the fifth inning, as he hit a two –run double that scored Austin Jackson, who picked up a pinch-hit single off of Rusin and Gomez, who led off the inning with a single of his own.

Crawford capped off his big day in the bottom of the sixth inning, as he hit a two-run home run off of Brooks Pounders.

Over his last 18 games, Crawford is 31-for-69 (.448) with 16 runs batted in and thru the first six games of the home stand, he is 12-for-22, a .545 clip.

Every member of the Giants starting lineup with the exception of Stratton picked up a hit, as McCutchen joined Crawford with three hits. Posey, Belt and Gomez each picked up two hits, as the Giants got 17 hits on the afternoon.

Stratton went the minimum five innings, as he allowed four runs (three earned), allowing eight hits, walking two and striking out one, as he won for the fifth time this season.

Gray, who was unable to get out of the fourth inning, allowed five runs on nine hits, walking one and striking out four and saw his record fall to 4-6 on the season.

NOTES: Ty Blach looks to end the series and the home stand on a high note, as he takes the mound on Sunday afternoon, while the Rockies will send Tyler Anderson to the mound.

Mac Williamson went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run in his first rehab game on Friday for the Sacramento Rivercats against the Salt Lake Bees. Williamson last played on April 24, a span of 24 games after crashing into the wall near the Giants bullpen in left field and suffered a concussion.

Hunter Pence went 2-for-4 in the same game, as is now hitting .314 with two doubles and five runs batted in in his 13 games with the Rivercats. Over his last seven games, Pence is hitting .393, as he is 11-for-28 during that stretch.

UP NEXT: The Giants and Rockies’ series finale is scheduled for Sunday afternoon at 1:05 pm PST.

Desmond does a number on Giants in Rockies’ 6-1 win

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Photo credit: @MLB_News247

By Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO–Ian Desmond may be getting booed at Coors Field after his slow start with the Colorado Rockies, but he loves playing at AT&T Park.

After going 0-for-4 in the first game of the four-game series against the San Francisco Giants, the new Rockies first baseman could begin to change the opinion of Rockies fans with one swing of the bat.

Desmond cranked a three-run home run off of Derek Holland in the top of the fourth inning, as the Rockies defeated the Giants 6-1 before a crowd of 40,970 at AT&T Park Friday night.

Prior to going 2-for-4 on the evening, Desmond was 30-for-89 (.337) with a home run and 13 runs batted in.

Kyle Freeland went 6.2 innings, allowing one run on five hits, while walking one and striking out five on his way to his fourth win of the season.

As for Holland, he went six innings, allowing four runs on six hits, walking one and striking out three and his record fell to 2-5 on the season.

Holland was cruising along until the top of the third inning, when Nolan Arenado walked to lead-off the inning, then Trevor Story singled and after a Noel Cuevas strikeout, Desmond took a Holland offering and planted it into the left-center field bleachers.

Gorkys Hernandez got the Giants off to a quick start, as he hit a home run to lead-off the bottom of the first inning. It was the third home run of the season for Hernandez and his second of the week, as he hit a solo home run to the top of the fifth inning on Sunday against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park.

Desmond added another run batted in, as he doubled off of Holland to score Arenado, who doubled to lead-off the top of the sixth inning.

Charlie Blackmon put the finishing touches on the scoring for the Rockies, as he hit a Jose Valdez offering and planted it on the right-field arcade for a two-run home run. It was the 12thhome run of the season for Blackmon.

Arenado also lived up to why he is the winner of the last five Golden Gloves, as he made a diving stab at a Kelby Tomlinson groundball and threw Tomlinson out from his knees behind third base.

NOTES: Chris Stratton will look to stop the Giants three-game losing streak, as he takes the mound on Saturday afternoon, as he looks for his fifth win of the season. The Rockies will send right-hander Jon Gray to the mound, as his looks to win his fifth.

Mac Williamson began his rehab assignment today for the Sacramento Rivercats, and he went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run. Austin Slater followed up the Williamson home run one of his own, as the duo went back-to-back, as Slater also went 1-for-4 in the 7-3 Rivercats win over the Salt Lake Bees.

Hunter Pence continues his rehab assignment for the Rivercats, and he went 2-for-4 on the evening in Salt Lake City.

The hitting star of the night for the Rivercats was Chase d’Arnaud, who went 3-for-5 with a home run and three runs batted in.

This was the 500th career appearance for Rockies reliever Bryan Shaw, who came on to replace Freeland in the bottom of the seventh inning.

UP NEXT: The Giants and Rockies will face off for Game 3 Saturday afternoon at 1:05 pm PST.

Rockies outlast Giants 5-3 in 12 innings

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Photo credit: @SFGiants

By Jeremy Harness

SAN FRANCISCO – Carlos Gonzalez has a pretty nice track record against the Giants, and that continued Thursday night.

After the Rockies used walks to load the bases in the 12th inning, Carlos Gonzalez brought in two runs with a bloop single off reliever Cory Guerrin just beyond the outstretched arm of second basemen Kelby Tomlinson to break a 3-3 tie and ultimately give Colorado a 5-3 win at AT&T Park.

The Giants put together a rally in the bottom of the 12th, putting two runners on, but the rally fell short with a popout.

The Giants got a nice outing from starter Jeff Samardzija, who went 6 1/3 innings and gave up three runs on five hits. He issues three walks and struck out three, but he did not factor in the decision.

The Rockies got to Samardzija (1-2, 6.94 ERA) in the second, getting three runs off the big right-hander to race out to an early lead. The final blow of the inning came when Samardzija’s pitching counterpart, Chad Bettis, singled in a run.

In the third, however, Samardzija exacted a little revenge by lining a single off Bettis, which moved Austin Jackson to third. A sac fly by the ensuing batter, Gorkys Hernandez, brought in Jackson to narrow Colorado’s lead to 3-1.

Bettis (4-1, 3.12 ERA) went six full innings and surrendered three runs on five hits, walking two and striking out five.
The Giants then used a two-out rally in the sixth to tie it up. Buster Posey drew a walk before Brandon Belt lined one just over the brick wall in right-center.

The hit was initially ruled a double, as the ball ricocheted hard back into the field of play, but the umpiring crew got together and upon review, the ball was found to have cleared the wall and instead hit the railing just beyond it, resulting in a game-tying two-run home run.

Meanwhile, Samardzija settled down very nicely after that turbulent second inning, shutting Colorado’s bats down from that point until he left the game in the seventh. Thursday night marked his longest outing of this brief season. After starting the season on the disabled list with a strained pectoral muscle, Samardzija went 5 2/3 innings in a 6-5 loss to Pittsburgh last Saturday.

Will Smith and Sam Dyson took over for Samardzija and did not allow a single baserunner over the ensuing inning and a third.

The Giants were down to their last out in the ninth when Brandon Crawford’s chopper was just out of the reach of Rockies reliever Adam Ottavino, which Crawford used to leg out an infield single. He then stole second, but Austin Jackson grounded out weakly to third, sending the game to extras.

The Giants and Rockies face each other again Friday night at 7:15 pm PST.

San Francisco Giants podcast with Michael Duca: Giants are a .500 club and doing better than most

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@SFGiants photo: Inside the San Francisco Giants dugout are the bat rack and the helmets of Brandon Crawford, Brandon Belt, Evan Longoria, and Andrew McCutchen on Thursday night.

On the SF Giants podcast with Michael Duca:

I like what the San Francisco Giants are doing better than what the Los Angeles Dodgers are doing. The Dodgers snapped their six-game losing steak Thursday night and caught up with the Miami Marlins. The Dodgers are now 17-26 and the Marlins drop to 16-27 in their loss to LA.

There are six teams on pace to lose 100 games and the Dodgers and Marlins are two of them, the Padres are another one. The White Sox are currently on a pace to lose 121. The White Sox have won only 11 games thus far this season. The White Sox won a game against the Texas Rangers on Thursday 4-2, snapping a two-game lose streak.

So with all things being equal coming into Thursday’s game at 22-22 isn’t all bad. Everybody has been saying they’re playing .500 ball and if they get healthy, they can do some damage and they certainly can. Pitcher Madison Bumgarner came out of his bullpen rehab healthy and was rearing to go and throw another one and then head out on his rehab assignment.

There’s much more on the Giants podcast with Michael Duca listen in each Friday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Splash Hits Into Giants’ McCovey Cove

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Photo credit: @PaulBraverman

By Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO–When AT&T Park opened for business back on April 11, 2000, there is the San Francisco Bay Area, and the portion just beyond the right field wall was coined as “McCovey Cove,” by former San Jose Mercury News columnist Mark Purdy.

When you hit a home run on the fly into the cove they were called, “Splash Hits” and the count is noted on the 24-foot wall in right field.

In the 19 seasons that baseball has been played at AT&T Park, there have been 78 “Splash Hits” that have landed in San Francisco Bay on the fly.

It maybe just 309 feet down the right field line, but to hit a ball into the Cove, it is a little further, as you have the arcade seating, the passageway and the port walk, where the fans can watch the game through the knothole.

Nearly three weeks after the first regular season game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Barry Bonds reached McCovey Cove for the first ever “Splash Hit,” hit by a San Francisco Giants player.

Bonds reached the Cove, as he launched a home run off of Rich Rodriguez, a left-handed reliever for the New York Mets.

Nine days later against the St. Louis Cardinals, Bonds reached the water twice in the same game against Cardinals starter Andy Benes and reliever Heathcliff Slocumbe.

Eleven months and one week after reaching the water against the Cardinals, Bonds joined a very exclusive club when he hit the seventh “Splash Hit,” off of Dodgers reliever Terry Adams. The two-run home run off of Adams was the 500th career home run for Bonds, and became just the 17thplayer to hit 500 home runs in a career.

Bonds hit the first nine “Splash Hits,” until Felipe Crespo reached the water on May 28, 2001 against the Arizona Diamondbacks and reliever Bret Prinz.

Crespo hit his second “Splash Hit,” om July 8, 2001 against the Milwaukee Brewers and pitcher Curtis Leskanic.

Bonds and Crespo were the only Giants player to have “Splash Hits” until J.T. Snow hit one off of Kyle Lohse of the Minnesota Twins on June 5, 2003.

Jose Cruz, Jr., hit the Cove for his first “Splash Hit” on July 8, 2003, as he took Dan Haren of the Cardinals into the Bay.

Michael Tucker made it a quintet on May 30, 2004, as he took left-hander Joe Kennedy of the Colorado Rockies for a swim into McCovey Cove.

Catcher A.J. Pierzynski joined the club, as he reached the water off of Denny Stark of the Rockies.

When Bonds retired at the end of the 2007 season, there were 45 “Splash Hits,” and 35 of them were hit by Bonds.

Since Bonds retired after the 2007 season, there have only been 33 “Splash Hits” by Giants players from 2008 to the present.

Both Pablo Sandoval and Brandon Belt are currently tied for second with eight “Splash Hits,” while Denard Span hit five in his two years with the Giants.

While the Giants have 78 “Splash Hits,” opposing players have hit 45 in the time span that the park has been opened.

Todd Hundley of the Dodgers hit the first “Splash Hit” by an opponent on June 30, 2000 off of former Giants closer Robb Nen.

Former major leaguer Ryan Klesko is the only player to have “Splash Hits” as a Giants player and as an opponent

Kevin Correia is the only pitcher serve up “Splash Hits” as a Giants pitcher and an opposing pitcher.

Carlos Delgado, Carlos Gonzalez and Adam LaRoche have the most “Splash Hits” hit by an opposing player with three.

There have been three post season “Splash Hits,” as Bonds turned the feat against the Cardinals on October 12, 2002, then Rick Ankiel of the Atlanta Braves reached the water on October 8, 2010 and then Bryce Harper hit the last post season “Splash Hit” on October 7, 2014.

Headline Sports podcast with Tony Renteria: Green-Harden battle could just be the beginning of a physical series; Cano says he didn’t know he was taking steroids; Does Gruden know what he’s doing?

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Photo credit: @clevezirm

On the Headlines Sports podcast with Tony Renteria:

#1 Tony will be looking back a bit on that first game with the Houston Rockets and Golden State Warriors when the Rockets’ James Harden and the Warriors’ Draymond Green got into a scrap in the first few minutes.

#2 The Seattle Mariners’ Robinson Can came clean admitting he took a substance Furosemide, a diuretic he told reporters that he was given the substance by a doctor in the Dominican Republic, but didn’t realize it was a banned substance. Cano was suspended by MLB for 80 games and is one of the highest-paid players in the MLB.

#3 Oakland Raiders head coach Jon Gruden has been getting some criticism about the way he’s handled personnel so far. He’s let go of Michael Crabtree, punter Marquete King and now Kahlil Mack’s contract, whose contract is coming up could be leaving. The Raiders are looking for some cap room.

#4 In spite of the A’s having the usual arm problems their starters have been coming through with Sean Manaea helping Oakland get a one run 6-5 win and Tuesday night with pitcher Daniel Mengden improving his record to 3-4, going six innings, eight hits, two runs, and three strikeouts and two wins in the series against Boston.

#5 The Giants, after losing five straight all on the road, have now won three straight and are preparing for the Colorado Rockies starting on Thursday night. The Rockies, who are in second place in the NL West, will be a test for San Francisco at AT&T Park after success against a last-place Reds team.

Tony does Headline Sports each Thursday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Remember that Mike Leake-Adam Duvall trade from 2015? Oh, yeah.

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By Morris Phillips

SAN FRANCISCO–The Cincinnati Reds’ best West Coast roadtrip in seven years came steeped in subtlety, a lot like the Reds’ season to date.

It surely didn’t get its crescendo on Wednesday at AT&T Park. The Reds did just enough good, delivering the game’s biggest hit–former Giant Adam Duvall’s three-run homer in the first inning–then basically starving out the home team from there in 6-3 victory that, yes, capped their road trip, and helped them avoid yet another three-game sweep. But it wasn’t the cathartic release the Cincinnati players enjoyed by sweeping the Dodgers four straight over the weekend.

After a dreadful 8-26 start to the season that dropped the Reds 13 games behind the NL Central-leading Brewers on May 7, they’ve won six of nine.

Matt Harvey, currently the Dark Knight of Southern Ohio, didn’t resurrect his career on Wednesday, but he certainly looked like he’s working on it. The sensation of a few seasons back struck out five of the final six batters he faced, but was lifted after a generally, rough four innings in which gave up seven hits and three runs.  Even Harvey admitted afterwards, following Brandon Belt’s home run that trimmed the Reds’ lead to 4-3, he needed to figure something out to get as far as he did.

“I was telling (his batterymate, Tucker Barnhart) after the game that after the home run to Belt, I threw a pitch to Sandoval or whoever followed him, I kind of felt it click. I realized was flying open and wasn’t really getting out front and executing pitches the way I wanted to,” he said.

Harvey followed that realization by striking out Pablo Sandoval, Double A-Richmond callup Miguel Gomez, Kelby Tomlinson, Andrew Suarez and Gregor Blanco in a six-batter sequence.  It wasn’t his finest moment, but it did find the Giants’ weakness. San Francisco’s lineup without Buster Posey and Brandon Crawford was exposed as an easier touch. The Giants squandered too many run scoring opportunities, and struck out 10 times, the 15th time they fanned that frequently in 44 games thus far.

The Giants went the final six innings scoreless, while the Reds added on. Three, pretty good Cincinnati relievers–Jared Hughes, workhorse Wandy Peralta and closer Raisel Iglesias shut the door on the Giants despite allowing a collective, five hits and some hair-raising–and controversial (see Ben Leonard’s story)–moments.

The Giants fell back to .500 (22-22) with the loss, somehow getting the least out of eight base hits, three doubles, Belt’s homer and a pair of walks.  Pinch-hitter Austin Jackson struck out with a runner at third, and one out, in the sixth. Sandoval hit into an inning-ending double play in the seventh. And Belt, who hit his team-leading ninth homer in the third, struck out with a runner aboard to end the game.

The game’s hero, Duvall was considered the 25th best prospect in the Giants’ system when they dealt him in July 2015 to get Mike Leake from the Reds to bolster their rotation for that season’s stretch drive. Since then, the former University of Louisville first baseman has hit 77 homers and 78 doubles for the Reds while the Giants passed on resigning Leake for the 2016 season. Duvall homered twice in the concluded series, and also came up with a terrific catch, robbing Sandoval of extra bases in the first inning.

“They made a couple of plays there that saved them,” manager Bruce Bochy conceded.