Category: San Francisco Giants

San Francisco Giants podcast with Michael Duca: Stratton’s gem helps SF get the shutout and get to .500

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Chris Stratton #34 of the San Francisco Giants pitches during the third inning of a game against the San Diego Padres at PETCO Park on April 12, 2018 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)

On the Giants podcast with Michael:

#1 It wasn’t quite a nail-biter as Giants starter Chris Stratton lost his no hit bid early in the ball game the third inning to pitcher and pinch-hitter Clayton Richard on a base hit, but Stratton didn’t allow another hit over the seven total innings. He pitched in the Giants’ 7-0 win at Petco Park in San Diego on Thursday night.

#2 Stratton surrendered only three walks and threw for four strikeouts. He’s one of the key pitchers that have help San Francisco improve not only their rotation, but kept the club in their games.

#3 Giants manager Bruce Bochy said that Stratton looks to have worked his way to the No. 1 position in the rotation.

#4 The Giants start Ty Blach tonight at Petco Park. who had a good outing. Michael takes a look at his body of work going into tonight’s game.

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

Giants blank Padres 7-0; Stratton gets a one-hitter

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Photo credit: @SFGiants

By Joey Friedman
Sports Radio Service

In their first meeting of the season, the San Francisco Giants shutout the San Diego Padres by a score of 7-0 at Petco Park Thursday night on the backs of pitchers Chris Statton and Derek Law. Hunter Pence and Buster Posey would each collect two RBIs in the win. San Diego position players were held hitless tonight.

In the Giants’ half of the first, they mounted an attack with a Joe Panik walk, an Andrew McCutchen single, a Buster Posey walk, and an Evan Longoria fielder’s choice ground ball to San Diego shortstop Freddy Galvis on the first pitch which turned in a run as Longoria reached first when Galvis took the out at second in Posey. After Brandon Crawford walked to load the bases again, Hunter Pence pushed everybody up 90 feet with a broken-bat RBI bloop single to right.

San Diego’s sparkling defensive play came in the third inning when Gregor Blanco hit with runners on the corners, the Giants up 3-0 with one out and a 0-1 count. Blanco popped up a bunt in foul ground that held in the air just long enough for Padre catcher Austin Hedges to make a diving grab halfway to the backstop. He would throw to first to double off the runner Crawford and end the threat.

The only hit in the game for the Padres came from 34-year-old LHP Clayton Richard who pinch hit for starting pitcher Bryan Mitchell before Mitchell could get his first at-bat of the night. Through 289 career at-bats, Richard carried a .118 batting average. The line drive to right came off starting pitcher Chris Stratton of the Giants in the third inning.

The Giants’ next big inning came in the 6th when the Giants loaded the bases with two out. Andrew McCutchen grounded the ball to third baseman Christian Villanueva, who through the ball in the dirt to Gold Glove first baseman Eric Hosmer who could not dig it out. The ball bounced into the seats, sending McCutchen to second, scoring two. Before the inning was over, the next batter, Buster Posey, would hit a ball on the ground down the left field line, scoring two more, and sending Posey to second. The Giants would load the bases once again before Hunter Pence would fly out to right to end an inning in which the Giants scored four runs on four hits and an error, leaving three on base.

For the Giants, Chris Stratton would pitch seven innings of one-hit ball on 101 pitches. He walked three and struck out four. He would improve to a 1-1 record. Reliever Derek Law came in to finish the game in the eighth, going two innings and striking out a pair. No one could cross the plate tonight for San Diego.

Bryan Mitchell of the Padres got the tough loss after going for three innings of four-hit, five-walk, and two strikeout baseball. All three runs he allowed were earned. His record is now 0-2. Nice relieving appearances for Jordan Lyles and Robbie Erlin were belittled by the four unearned runs that Colten Brewer gave up due to the Villanueva error.

The Giants saw a multi-hit night from Longoria, Pence, and Blanco. Almost everyone who picked up a bat got a hit tonight with the exception of Brandon Belt (who went 0-2 with two walks), Nick Hundley (0-1 in a pinch-hitting role), and Chris Stratton (0-3).

What’s Next?
Ty Blach (1-1, 4.11 ERA) will be on the hill for the Giants in the second game of the series opposed by Tyson Ross (1-1, 5.25 ERA) of the Padres. They will be making their fourth and third starts, respectively at 7:10 pm PT tomorrow night.

 

 

Goldschmidt hot, Dyson not as the Diamondbacks capture the series with the Giants

Published on by moepeaLeave a comment

giants-suarez-0411

By Morris Phillips

SAN FRANCISCO–The Giants’ future appears bright. Now, they could use some tightening up on their present.

For only the second time in the history of the franchise in San Francisco, the Giants started rookies making their major league debut in consecutive games, and the reviews for both guys were overwhelmingly positive.

Andrew Suarez got the call on Wednesday afternoon in place of Johnny Cueto, who landed on the disabled list with a sprained ankle, and he was a roaring success out the gate, retiring the first ten batters he faced.

Lengthy home runs allowed to Paul Goldschmidt and backup catcher John Ryan Murphy eventually would spoil Suarez’s bid for a victory, with the D’Backs expanding on an initial 3-0 lead and winning 7-3.

Suarez allowed just four hits, no walks, and struck out seven. In comparison to Tyler Beede, Suarez was probably more composed andcin control, just done in by a couple of unfortunate pitches.

“I didn’t walk anyone,” the 2015 second round selection said. “I felt good.”

Trailing 3-0, the Giants rallied to tie the game in the sixth. Andrew McCutchen got an RBI groundout, then Buster Posey hit a two-run shot. But that was it for an offense that’s scored the fewest runs in the National League through the first 11 games.

Hanging in there: Giants blow ninth inning lead, but win in the bottom half, 4-3

Published on by moepeaLeave a comment

By Morris Phillips

SAN FRANCISCO–Close games mean rare opportunities, and Andrew McCutchen knows that’s the time to ramp it up.  When Arizona’s Paul Goldschmidt took reliever Hunter Strickland out of the park in the top of the ninth Tuesday night to tie the game, McCutchen got his cue.

In the bottom of the ninth, Kelby Tomlinson drew a walk. A sacrifice moved Tomlinson up a base, then Austin Jackson was intentionally walked, and reliever Jorge De La Rosa, in his worst moment, missed with a pair of splits to Brandon Belt, then walked the bases loaded on four pitches. In the Giants’ dugout, McCutchen took it all in, his competitive juices starting to flow.

“I was just sitting there, like, ‘This is about to happen again,” McCutchen recalled.

Yeah, but only because McCutchen–who had six hits and the game-ending home run against the Dodgers on Saturday–was about to make it happen.

On the first pitch fastball from De La Rosa, McCutchen singled and the Giants were 4-3 winners.

“We get a guy like Andrew McCutchen. I said he’s going to impact our club,” Bruce Bochy said. “And he’s shown that. In that position, you couldn’t ask for a better guy to be up there.”

The Giants evened their record with the 4-3 win, a sure sign that through the first 10 games of the season, the team is embracing the need to survive a tough early schedule, win just enough against the most prominent teams on their schedule, and hopefully thrive after that. In the team’s clubhouse, you can almost see the scratch and claw marks on the walls.

“We’re all about just scoring runs,” McCutchen said. “We’re a team that can do it. It’s been a little odd that we haven’t been doing that right now, but today was a good game.”

The Giants are the lowest scoring team in the National League, having scored just 30 runs in their first 10 games.  Heck, the first four games for the Giants were the worst for run scoring any MLB team has experienced in 30 years.  They scored just twice. But after a pair of 1-0 wins against the Dodgers, one blowout win over the Mariners, and a couple of games won by McCutchen on the final at-bat, the Giants have five wins to show for all their frustration.

That’s called surviving.

Tyler Beede made his major league debut on Tuesday, starting in place of Johnny Cueto, who has developed some lower body issues that have forced the cautious Giants to scratch him temporarily.  Beede, the former first round pick from Vanderbilt, made 76 starts in the minors, and would have arrived in San Francisco last season were it not for an unfortunately timed injury.

Not surprisingly after such a lengthy build up to his inevitable rise to the majors, nerves played into his debut as his pitch count skyrocketed, and his control deserted him.  But after allowing two, first inning runs, Beede settled enough to get the Giants through four innings down just 2-0.

“I was obviously working in and out of situations for the next three innings, but just limiting damage,” Beede said.  When guys get on its just kind of bearing down and making a quality pitch, getting a ground ball or getting a strikeout.  It’s easier said than done, but going out there and pitching against these guys shows that my stuff can play at this level.  So its just a matter of making those adjustments I need to make, and obviously, commanding the ball a little bit better.”

The Giants conclude this homestand and series with the Diamondbacks today at 12:45PM  at AT&T Park.

 

Godley, Diamondbacks outdo the Giants at their game, in their park

Published on by moepeaLeave a comment
502671
Paul Goldschmidt

By Morris Phillips

SAN FRANCISCO–Giants’ fans, here’s your introduction to Arizona’s Zach Godley.

Big guy, loves to fish, perpetually sweaty, selfless, great curveball, and yet another youthful player in the NL West not with the Giants who’s career track is ascending rapidly.

In facing MLB’s toughest schedule through the first 28 games of 2018, the Giants are seeing the best-of-the-best early and often. On Monday, that gauntlet of a schedule brought the Diamondbacks to AT&T Park, and by any measure, Arizona impressed.

In beating the Giants 2-1–with both teams limited to five hits–the D’Backs manufactured runs early, pitched, played defense and their bullpen got the big outs late.

Just like the Giants used to do.

Last year, the Diamondbacks won 93 games, with winning records both home and away, and they somehow flew under the radar, dwarfed by the bigger story lines in Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Chicago and Boston. An epic wild card win over the Rockies brought Arizona some notoriety, an NLDS loss to the Dodgers kept them from being a bigger story.

Now with a franchise-best ever 8-2 start, the Diamondbacks are looking for more, and getting it. Godley’s clearly no No. 5 starter, not with his swing-and-miss curveball, and his excellent mechanics, and ability to not tip his pitches. Everything comes out looking the same which prevents hitters from keying on something, and being hitterish.

Godley may have pitched better last week when matched with Clayton Kershaw he downed the Dodgers 6-1 while allowing just one run, on four hits, in seven innings of work.  Against the Giants, Godley again went seven, allowing four hits, no runs while piling up nine strikeouts.  According to Godley, the key was the Giants’ approach, not his.

“They were just aggressive, and that played in to what we wanted to do,” Godley explained.

In his first ever appearance at AT&T Park, Godley relied heavily on his curveball, and his success against the Giants’ first three hitters in their lineup.  Godley allowed one hit, and struck out six when facing the Giants’ 1-2-3 combo of Joe Panik, Brandon Belt and Andrew McCutchen. After Belt struck out looking on reliever Archie Bradley’s 95 mph fastball at the knees in the ninth, the Giants’ first baseman was saddled with an 0 for 4 collar with four strikeouts.

And while the Giants have been gritty and competitive early this season, they haven’t produced a lot of offense. After scoring just one run Monday, one thing sticks out. The Giants are a major-league worst 30th with runners in scoring position, hitting .119 (8 for 67).  They were 0 for 4 on Monday.

In the eighth, the Giants got a leadoff double off the bat of Brandon Crawford in their best opportunity to catch Arizona, leading 2-0 at that point. But Hunter Pence flew out, with Crawford advancing to third, then scoring on Gregor Blanco’s ground out.  But without the tying run aboard, pinch hitter Pablo Sandoval tried to dial up magic, and struck out to end the inning.

Derek Holland was plenty effective, closing the door after allowing two runs in the first, with Paul Goldschmidt’s run-scoring triple as the big blow.  Holland ended up going six innings, allowing just two hits while striking out eight. That’s a quality start, and deserving of a better fate.

“It was a pitcher’s duel, but (Godley) obviously lasted longer than I did,” Holland said.

The Giants get a second crack at the Diamondbacks on Tuesday with Tyler Beede making his major league debut after being called up from the minors. Beede replaces Johnny Cueto, who will instead pitch Wednesday afternoon. Arizona will counter with Patrick Corbin, who is 2-0, winning his first two starts.

 

San Francisco Giants podcast with Morris Phillips: Giants have two two-game splits so far on homestand; Diamondbacks take first place team into AT&T for three-game set against Giants

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

@sfgiants photo: San Francisco Giants starter Ty Blach makes a delivery against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday at AT&T to conclude the two game series

On the Giants podcast with Morris:

#1 Seems like the Giants couldn’t do much with the Dodgers starter Clayton Kershaw, who went eight innings and gave up a run.

#2 Fortunately for the Giants they got good pitching as well from Ty Blach, who pitched six innings giving up four hits and a run.

#3 The Dodgers in extras did get help from their bench as pinch hitter Kyle Farmer, who hit a opposite field double for an RBI to score teammate Cody Bellinger for the go-ahead and winning run.

#4 This was a tightly-played series between the two rival teams with both games of the rain shortened two-game series going extra innings.

#5 The Arizona Diamondbacks (7-2)–first place in the NL West–open a three-game series at AT&T Park tonight as this will be another test for San Francisco, who will try and use a strong offensive line up against the competitive D-Backs.

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

 

Farmer’s Insurance: Dodger’s Farmer wins it in extras clutch RBI double for 2-1 win

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

on twitter @thecaryoz photo: Los Angeles Dodger hitter Kyle Farmer takes a hack at an opposite field double that scored teammate Cody Bellinger in the tenth inning at AT&T Park in San Francisco

By Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO-Kyle Farmer was sitting on the bench for nine innings, and then Dave Roberts called his name.

Farmer hit an opposite field double over the head of Andrew McCutchen in the top of the 10th inning as the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the San Francisco Giants 2-1 before a sellout crowd of 42,374 at AT&T Park.

The double off the right field wall scored Cody Bellinger, who came on in the eighth inning as a defensive replacement at first base for Kike Hernandez.

Bellinger doubled off of eventual losing pitcher Pierre Johnson to open the 10th inning, for the Dodgers, who gained a split in the brief two-game series.

Josh Fields pitched a perfect ninth inning for the victory, while Kenley Jansen came on to close it out for the Dodgers, as he picked up his first save of the season.

Despite giving up a base hit to Hunter Pence in the bottom of the 10th inning, Jansen struck out the other three batters he faced.

Matt Kemp’s single scored Yasmani Grandal with the first run that the Dodgers would get on the afternoon against Giants pitching.

It was a no-decision for Kershaw, who opened the season with two consecutive losses, his worst start to a season since 2009 when he also started 0-2.

Kershaw is 22-10 all-time versus the Giants in his career, and in 22 career games at AT&T Park, 21 of them being starts, Kershaw is still 13-4.

The Dodgers also helped out Kershaw on defense, as Chris Taylor robbed Kelby Tomlinson of extra bases in the bottom of extra bases, when he made a diving catch of the Tomlinson hit ball. Kershaw then helped out his own cause, as he pounced off the mound like a cat to get Ty Blach on a little dribbler up the third base line.

After retiring 11 in a row from the bottom of the second inning to the bottom of the sixth inning, the Giants began to get to Kershaw, as they picked up back-to-back singles; however, a great catch by Yaisel Puig in right field for the second out. Following the catch, Puig was able to get up and throw Gorkys Hernandez at third base for the final out of the inning.

Evan Longoria picked up two of the hits for the Giants, as he doubled off of Kershaw in the bottom of the second inning with one out, but was left stranded at second base. Longoria then came up in the bottom of the seventh inning, but like in the second inning, Longoria was left stranded at second base, as Pablo Sandoval grounded out to Chase Utley to end the inning.

The Giants finally got to Kershaw in the bottom of the eighth inning, as Hunter Pence and Kelby Tomlinson each singled off of Kershaw and that would be the end of the day for Kershaw.

JT Chargois replaced Kershaw, and Buster Posey greeted the reliever with a base hit that tied up the game for the Giants. Austin Jackson then grounded into a double play, and then Joe Panik flew out for the third out of the inning.

Kershaw went seven innings, allowing one run on six hits, while walking no one and striking out six.

It was not a bad outing for Ty Blach, who pitched six innings, allowing one run on four hits, walking three and striking out just one.

NOTES: Derek Holland takes the mound on Monday night, as he looks for his first win of the season, while Zack Goldey looks to improve to 2-0 on the season for the Arizona Diamondbacks.

McCutchen walks it off in the bottom of the 14th in Giants’ 7-5 win over Dodgers

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Photo credit: @SFGiants

By Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO — Welcome to one of the biggest rivalries in all of major league baseball, Andrew McCutchen of the San Francisco Giants.

McCutchen hit a three-run home run in the bottom of the 14th inning, helping the Giants defeat the Los Angeles Dodgers 7-5 before a sellout crowd of 42,302 at AT&T Park Saturday.

It was the sixth hit of the game for McCutchen, whose previous career high was five that he picked up on May 14, 2010, while playing for the Pittsburgh Pirates against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field.

The three-run home run by McCutchen capped a 12-pitch at-bat against Wilmer Font to give the Giants a dramatic come-from-behind victory.

McCutchen was down 1-2 against Font and then fouled off seven consecutive pitches, and then on the 12th pitch of the at-bat he launched the pitch into the left-center field seats for the victory.

Kelby Tomlinson and Joe Panik each singled off of Font before McCutchen’s first home run as a member of the Giants.

“I was just trying to fight him off, fight him off, until I got comfortable enough to whatever he threw up there I was ready to hit,” McCutchen said. “He didn’t elevate it too much there, and I was able to elevate.”

It was a four-RBI game for McCutchen, who saw his batting average raise from .083 to .258.

“Finally showed up today. Finally,” McCutchen said. “It’s only what, Game 7, but when you’re not getting hits, it feels like it’s forever. Feels good to show up today and do the job.”

Buster Posey also hit his first home run of the season for the Giants, as they improved to 4-3 on the young season, while the reigning National League Champion Dodgers fell to 2-6 on the season, their worst start in 42 years.

The Giants led on three different occasions, as they led 1-0, 3-1 and 4-3; however, the Dodgers tied it up every time and took the lead for the only time in the top of the 14th inning.

Roberto Gomez pitched the 14th inning to pick-up his first major league win, as the Giants used all nine relievers.

The Dodgers took their only lead of the game in the top of the 14th, as Logan Forsythe drove in Yasiel Puig with a single.

After just the sixth rainout in the history of AT&T Park, and first since April 11, 2006, the two old rivals played a 14th inning, five hour 16-minute game that started at 3:05 (local time) and ended at 8:21 (local time).

Font was the last reliever for the Dodgers, as manager Dave Roberts used Clayton Kershaw and Hyun-Jin Ryu as pinch hitters.

Chase Utley tied up the game in the top of the seventh inning, as he launched a pitch that landed on the arcade in right field. Utley’s double play mate, Corey Seager picked up two hits and reached five times and Rookie of the Year Cody Bellinger also picked up two hits.

“We just came up short again,” Roberts said. “That’s five runs in 14 innings. You have to look at each at-bat and the quality needs to get better. There needs to be a better pitch-to-pitch focus.”

Chris Stratton pitched five innings for the Giants, as he gave up two runs and walked four in a no-decision.

Veteran Rich Hill gave up three runs on five hits, while walking just two and striking out six.

NOTES: Kershaw, who came up as a pinch hitter will start the brief two-game series finale on Sunday for the Dodgers. Ty Blach will take the mound for the Giants in a rematch for opening day at Dodger Stadium.

The Giants struck out 18 times against Dodgers, tied for the second most in team history. This was the second time in team history that they struck out 18 times in the same game.

They struck out 18 times on September 1, 1967 against the Cincinnati Reds, and it ties the most ever against the Dodgers, as the Dodgers also did to the Giants on August 31, 1959.

The San Diego Padres struck out 20 Giants on June 18, 2001.

UP NEXT: The Giants and Dodgers conclude the series Sunday afternoon at 1:05 pm PT.

San Francisco Giants podcast with Michael Duca: Giants offense awakens after Wed’s 10-1 laugher against Seattle; Rain out shortens series to two games with Dodgers this weekend

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Photo credit: @HunterPence

On the Giants podcast with Michael;

#1 The San Francisco Giants are coming off a two game win split with the Seattle Mariners last Tuesday and Wednesday. All the talk has been about the Giants breaking out the bats in their 10-1 win.

#2 Some of the hits were from some of the guys that were expected to get around on the ball and it was a break out for some of those guys

#3 It seemed like they went out and were comfortable at the plate and just played their kind of game on offense

#4 Giants pitcher Johnny Cueto had his second good outing on Wednesday he allowed only one run against the Seattle Mariners in the 10-1 win

#5 The NL Champions the Los Angeles Dodgers are back at AT&T Park they’ve come out with a slow start at 2-5 but never underestimate them they can have a break out series and as Giants manager Bruce Bochy says don’t let that record fool you.

#6 If the Dodgers-Giants are rained out tonight a doubleheader will be scheduled for over the weekend

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

 

 

SF Giants’ series opener against Dodgers postponed due to rain; make up doubleheader Apr 28th

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Photo credit: sf.curbed.com photo

By Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO — It does not happen to the San Francisco Giants in the Bay Area often, but it happened in the first two weeks of the season.

The Giants’ series opener against the defending National League Champion Los Angeles Dodgers is being postponed due to rain.

With the rainout tonight, tomorrow’s game will now begin at 3:05 pm instead of the scheduled 1:05 pm start due to the weather. Derek Holland will start for the Giants, as his home debut will be pushed back one day.

The makeup game between the Giants and Dodgers will now be part of a day-night doubleheader that will take place on Saturday April 28, as the first game will begin at 1:05 pm and the scheduled 6:05 pm game for that night will be pushed back to a 7:05 pm start.

This is the first rainout at AT&T Park since April 12, 2006, when the Giants game against the Houston Astros postponed due to rain. That was the second game in a row that the Giants and Astros were postponed by rain, as the game on April 11 was also postponed.

Since moving into AT&T Park in 2000, this is only the sixth rainout and the second against the Dodgers. The game between the Giants and Dodgers was also was on April 12, 2003.

Other Giants games postponed since moving to AT&T Park came in the first month that the park opened back in 2000, as the game against the Arizona Diamondbacks was postponed due to rain with then President Bill Clinton in attendance. Just three weeks later, the game against the Colorado Rockies was also postponed due to rain.

In the 60-year history that the Giants have been in San Francisco, this is just the 33rd postponement. A game on May 1, 1992 against the Philadelphia Phillies was postponed due to a city curfew.