Category: San Francisco Giants

Diamondbacks continue playoff surge Pollock’s two run double serves Snakes well in 3-2 win

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Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Paul Goldschmidt (44) is congratulated by Ketel Marte (4) after scoring in the second inning, during a MLB game between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park in San Francisco, California. Valerie Shoaps/CSM (Cal Sport Media via AP Images)

By Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO-Things were looking good for the San Francisco Giants in the early going, but it was the top of the seventh inning that proved to be the Achilles heel for them in the end.

A.J. Pollock hit a two-run double that scored Peninsula native Daniel Descalso and Ketel Marte in the top of the seventh inning, as the Arizona Diamondbacks came back to defeat the Giants 3-2 before a crowd of 39,810 at AT&T Park.

The seventh inning comeback made a winner of Robbie Ray, who won his 14th game of the season, as he went seven innings, allowing two runs (one earned), allowing six hits, walking not a batter and striking out 10.

It was a tough loss for Jeff Samardzija, who pitched eight strong innings for the Giants, allowing three runs on six hits, not walking a batter and striking out six. With the loss, Samardzija set a dubious career high with 14 losses.

Samardzija was cruising along after he allowed a double to Chris Herrmann in the top of the second inning, as after that, Samardzija retired the next 14 Diamondbacks in a row until Descalso singled with one out in the top of the seventh inning.

Samardzija helped himself out at the plate in the bottom of the sixth inning, as he led off the inning with a single, went to second on a Joe Panik single and then scored when Ray could not handle a throw on a Hunter Pence single that allowed Panik to advance to third base. Unfortunately, that is where the rally ended, as both Buster Posey and Nick Hundley struck out to end the threat.

Pence was forced to leave the game in the top of the ninth inning, as he suffered back spasms and is listed as day-to-day.

NOTES: Madison Bumgarner looks to even up the series on Saturday night, as he takes the mound against Zack Greinke.

Engelb Vielma was claimed from the Minnesota Twins, and to make room for the 23-year infielder, the Giants moved Michael Morse to the 60-day disabled list to create a spot on the 40-man roster.

San Francisco Giants-Arizona Diamondbacks preview: Diamondbacks come to AT&T Park with some momentum; First in Wild Card standings

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AP File Photo: San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Jeff Samardzija (29) delivers against the Chicago White Sox during the first inning of a baseball game in Chicago on Saturday, Sept. 9, 2017. (AP Photo/Matt Marton)

By Jeremy Harness

SAN FRANCISCO– For the Giants, the end of the 2017 season cannot possibly come fast enough, as they prepare to close out the worst season they have had in many years.

 Before they play their last game, however, the Giants do have a chance to screw things up for teams that are in the playoff hunt at this point. One of those teams happens to be the Arizona Diamondbacks, who the Giants will face this weekend at AT&T Park.

 The three-game series will start Friday night, as righty Jeff Samardzija (9-13, 4.47 ERA) will take the hill opposite Arizona lefty Robbie Ray (13-5, 2.81 ERA).

 The Diamondbacks are currently 9 ½ games behind the division-leading Los Angeles Dodgers, and even though the Dodgers have not clinched the division yet, the chances of Arizona catching them are slim and none at this point.

 However, the Diamondbacks own the first wild-card spot in the National League with a five-game lead. Behind them, with a hold of the second and final wild-card spot are the Colorado Rockies.

 Those two teams are coming off a four-game series that they split right down the middle, with Arizona winning the final two games there, including a 7-0 shutout on Thursday.

 Arizona has a rather-easy schedule going forward following this weekend’s series with the Giants. The Diamondbacks will then head to San Diego to face the Padres for a three-game series before welcoming the Miami Marlins at Chase Field next weekend.

 From that point, the Giants will head down to Arizona for a three-gamer before the Diamondbacks go to Kansas City to wrap up the regular season.

 The Rockies, however, may have an easier schedule in front of them. They will see the Padres twice before the season ends, and sandwiched between series with San Diego, the Giants and Rockies will get together for a two-game series next week.

 

Moore of the same: Giants drop series finale as Matt Moore loses for the 14th time

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Los Angeles Dodgers’ Cody Bellinger follows through on a two-run home run against the San Francisco Giants during the fifth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2017, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

By Morris Phillips

SAN FRANCISCO– It may have been the most telling at-bat of the Giants’ 22,000 some-odd at-bat, 2017 season. It certainly felt like the most telling at-bat of the season for pitcher Matt Moore.

Laboring near 100 pitches and trying gamely to survive the fifth inning, while allowing only two runs, both in the first–Moore fell behind rookie Clay Bellinger 2-0 with a runner aboard, and no outs. Bellinger, a lefty hitter with power, and a healthy grasp of the scouting report on the Giants’ starter, dug in. Anyone with knowledge of the pertinent situational stats could sense Bellinger’s bells ringing in anticipation of the pitch.

And sure enough, Moore’s fastball missed location, grabbing too much of the zone, up and middle, and Bellinger deposited it in McCovey Cove, on a rope. 

Simply, Bellinger’s in the midst of a rookie campaign for the ages, and couldn’t have hit the ball any harder. Moore’s having the worst season of his career, and couldn’t have had a more visibly pained reaction to the pitch.

Manager Dave Roberts, mindful of Moore’s strong outings against his club in 2016, liked what he saw from his offense leading up to Moore’s 80th pitch of the night, the one Bellinger crushed.

“Tonight, we had a plan. Stayed diligent to the plan. Got the pitch count up, hoping for a mistake,” Roberts said. “It was a big homer.”

Moore would go to face two more batters after Bellinger struck, throwing 91 pitches to record just 13 outs. Throughout, Giants’ television commentator Mike Krukow spoke of Moore’s lack of confidence in locating his pitches, reflected in the fact that only 60 percent found the strike zone on Wednesday.

“Winning cures everything, and we haven’t done a lot of that this year,” Moore said. “Say what you want, I only play every fifth day, so being able to put us in that kind of situation in the fifth inning, it feels like I let us down when we’ve had enough of that.”

Take nothing away from the 28-year old starter who was 17-4 for the Rays in 2013, but only 11-19 in two seasons with the Giants. He battled on Wednesday. But it was a losing battle. Soon the Giants must decide if they’ve seen enough from a guy saddled with a 14th loss of the season and a 5.39 ERA, or if they’re willing to bet $8 million that the contract-friendly lefty can regain his confidence in 2018.

Here’s some of the numbers that GM Bobby Evans must sift through that suggest Moore won’t return.

Eleven of Moore’s 29 starts have come against NL West competition, and he’s 1-6 with four no-decisions. His only win was on April 10 (Arizona) and he’s 0-2 against the Dodgers, allowing 17 earned runs in 21 innings.

Left-handed hitters have terrorized Moore, hitting .373 against him prior to Wednesday. Against the Dodgers, Corey Seager and Bellinger had three of the five hits Moore allowed. In the NL West, lefty sluggers Charlie Blackmon, Jake Lamb, Bellinger and Seager might be the ones most likely to hope Moore returns to the Giants in 2018.

Prior to 2017, lefties hit just .240 against Moore.

Of the 188 hits Moore has allowed in 167 innings of work, 77 have been extra-base hits. All five hits Moore allowed on Wednesday were for extra bases, including Bellinger’s splash job, the 26th home run he’s allowed.

“Growing up, you always see Barry Bonds do it,” Bellinger said of his big hit Wednesday being a splash. “To actually do it is pretty cool.”

Bellinger’s homer increased the Dodgers lead to 4-0 on a night Yu Darvish and a pair of relievers allowed the Giants five singles. Darvish, in his first ever appearance against the Giants, went seven innings, striking out five and walking none.

Since being acquired from the Rangers at the trade deadline Darvish had lost three consecutive starts, and had been a confounding presence with his new club as a result. Apparently, only the malleable nature of the Giants’ offense kept Darvish’s turn in the rotation from being skipped.

The Giants endorsed the Dodgers’ decision to start Darvish by getting shutout for eight innings, getting two of their five singles, and their only run, after being down to their last of 27 outs. Spotty defense didn’t help things either, a fly ball inexplicably fell between Hunter Pence and Kelby Tomlinson in the second inning.

 

 

San Francisco Giants Podcast with Michael Duca: With Tuesday night win Dodgers avoided reaching a possible all time loss steak record at 16

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AP File Photo: San Francisco Giants manager Bruce Bochy looks on against the Colorado Rockies in the first inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2017, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

San Francisco Giants Podcast with Michael Duca:

1 After the Giants took Monday night’s first game of the three game series against the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers at 2 AM 8-6 the Dodger got that sinking feeling that they may not ever break that long losing streak that extended to 11 that night. They breath easier now after snapping the streak on Tuesday night.

2 The Dodgers one figure who helped them with the win was starter Klayton Kershaw who pitched six innings and gave up eight hits and two runs.

3 The Dodgers also avoided reaching the all time franchise loss streak going back to the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1944 at 16 straight games

4 The 2018 season schedule came out and San Francisco manager Bruce Bochy was pleased to see more road trips and home games that will be longer with nine to ten games per stand. It would give the club time to settle down rather than just picking up and going all the time.

5 The Dodgers start Yu Darvish (8-12) against the Giants Matt Moore (5-13) Wednesday night at AT&T Park to conclude this current series.

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

 

Kershaw continues dominance against Giants; LA snaps 11 game skid in 5-3 win at AT&T

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Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw (22) throws against the San Francisco Giants during the sixth inning of a baseball game in San Francisco, Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2017. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

By Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO-After leaving the ballpark near 3:00 AM, the last thing that the San Francisco Giants and the Los Angeles Dodgers wanted was extra innings, and luckily that did not come into fruition.

Yaisel Puig hit a two-run double in the top of the fourth inning, as the Dodgers hung to defeat the Giants 5-3 before a crowd of 38,727 at AT&T Park.

With the victory, the Dodgers broke their 11-game losing streak, and lowered their magic number to win the National League West down to eight with 17 games to play.

Clayton Kershaw went six innings, allowing two runs (one of them earned) on eight hits, while walking one and striking out six on his way to 17th win of the season against just three losses.

Kershaw is now 13-4 in 21 games, 20 of them starts against the Giants at AT&T Park.

The lone run that Kershaw allowed was a solo home run to Kelby Tomlinson in the bottom of the third inning. It was the first home run of the season for Tomlinson, and his first since October 3, 2015.

Johnny Cueto lasted just 3.2 innings, as he gave up four runs on six hits, while walking four and striking out eight. In those 3.2 innings of work, Cueto threw 101 pitches.

Chase Utley hit his eighth home run of the season in the top of the fourth inning, as he led off the inning. Utley’s home run landed in McCovey Cove, as it was the second night in a row that a home run landed in San Francisco Bay. Denard Span hit one into the drink on Monday night.

After the Giants cut the Dodgers lead down to one in the bottom of the seventh inning, Justin Turner doubled in Chris Taylor.

Cody Bellinger became the first Dodgers player since June 4, 2004 to be intentionally walked three times in the same game, as Jose Hernandez accomplished the feat against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

NOTES: Matt Moore takes the ball in the finale for the Giants, while Yu Darvish will pitch for the Dodgers.

After further discussion with Major League Baseball and Chicago White Sox Official Scorer Bob Rosenberg, Buster Posey will be credited with a steal of home from the Giants game on Friday night against the Chicago White Sox.

Giants send Dodgers to an LA-record 11th consecutive loss–at 2 a.m.

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San Francisco Giants’ Hunter Pence, right, is congratulated by teammate Denard Span (2) after scoring against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the third inning of a baseball game, Monday, Sept. 11, 2017, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)

By Morris Phillips

SAN FRANCISCO– The rain finally stopped, play resumed, the runs came steadily–first from the Giants, then the Dodgers–and in the end, at 2:10 a.m., the visitors in blue had a very, embarrassing loss after an unusually long night at the ballpark.

It never rains in Southern California? OK, this one was at suddenly stormy AT&T Park. The last Giants-Dodgers rain out at Dodgers Stadium was in August 1977, the night after Elvis died.

The Los Angeles Dodgers never lose 11 in a row? Can’t say that: In the midst of one of their most successful seasons ever since moving from Brooklyn in 1958, the Dodgers have gone nearly two weeks without a win, stuck on 92 wins for the season, after Monday’s 8-6 loss to the Giants.

“We came back, got back in the game a couple times,” Corey Seager said. “Unfortunately we didn’t win. Just got to get back to winning, that’s about it. Nothing else about that.”

The first batter of the game, Curtis Granderson struck out facing Chris Stratton at 7:58pm. Nearly three hours later, Denard Span, the Giants’ third batter of the night, homered to give the Giants a 2-0 lead.

A nearly three-hour rain delay–after the game’s first batter–turned the evening toward the surreal. The Giants struck first, scoring in each of the first three innings to build a 4-0 lead and chase Dodgers’ starter Kenta Maeda. But the Dodgers responded, tying the game with four runs in the fourth.

The Giants led in the fifth and sixth, only to see the Dodgers match those runs in the next frame.

The difference? Hunter Pence’s RBI single in the sixth, scored Pablo Sandoval to give the Giants a 7-6 lead. Buster Posey’s RBI double in the seventh provided insurance. Hunter Strickland pitched a scoreless eighth, and Sam Dyson pitched the ninth, earning his 13th save.

The teams combined to use 15 pitchers in the game, including Giant’s starter Stratton who faced just one batter. The game took slightly less longer to play than the 3 hours, 22 minutes in rain delays.

Both teams entered Monday’s series opener playing awful baseball. Both teams had lost five series in a row, and the Dodgers had compiled 15 losses in their last 16 games. The Dodgers’ losing streak makes them the first club since 1991 to build winning and losing streaks of 10 or more games in the same season.

San Francisco Giants Podcast with Morris Phillips: Rain delay has 7:15 start pushed back to 10:15PM start at AT&T due to thunder and lighting

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Fans believe it not just hours earlier were fanning themselves at AT&T Park in sunny 81 degree weather but the storm clouds formed around 5:00PM two hours before first pitch and it rained causing a delay and the game time to be changed to 10:15PM on Monday night in the opening game of the three game series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants (AP Photo/Jose Sanchez)

On the Giants podcast with Morris Phillips:

1 The Los Angeles Dodgers come to San Francisco after losing ten straight and 15 of 16 will Monday Night’s game at AT&T be a test for LA. The Dodgers want to get back on track after having this embarrassing run and if there is any sign of strange things to happen to LA is a rain delay in San Francisco which produced thunderstorms and forced a rain delay. The game was supposed to start at 7:15PM but the thunder and lighting has it rescheduled until 10:15 PM for a first pitch. Which is tough on a Monday night with patrons needing to go to work early Tuesday plus public transportation shuts down after 12 midnight.

2 The Giants are coming off two loses in Chicago. The Giants enter the ball game wanting to play spoiler at their home park on Monday night

3  Jarrett Parker the Giants designated hitter on Sunday in Chicago who had missed 96 games and one week’s worth of baseball took his first at bat and went deep. Parker previous to being the Giants lineup had looked great in batting practice but got to do it for real on Sunday.

4 Madison Bumgarner got shelled in the second inning on Sunday for six runs and eight hits mirroring pitcher Jeff Samardjiza’s last outing. Mad Bum drops his record with the loss to 3-8.

5 The Giants have now lost five straight road series and are 0-9-1 in their last 10 road trips

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

 

Road woes continue, Giants fall to White Sox 8-1 in laugher

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Chicago White Sox’s Avisail Garcia, center, scores past San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey, left, as home plate umpire Eric Cooper looks on during the fifth inning of a baseball game in Chicago, Sunday, Sept. 10, 2017. (AP Photo/Matt Marton)

By Ana Kieu

The San Francisco Giants closed out the three-game series with a brutal 8-1 loss to the Chicago White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field on Sunday.

Giants ace Madison Bumgarner faced the White Sox for the first time in his career. He was matched up against rookie Carson Fulmer, who made his second start of the season.

The Giants got off to an early start as Jarrett Parker sent a fly ball to center for a 1-0 lead at the top of the second inning, but the White Sox poured in the runs in the bottom of the second inning. A throwing error by Mac Williamson allowed Kevan Smith and Rymer Liriano to score on Yolmer Sanchez’s two-run line-drive double. Tim Anderson hit a ground ball single to left. Fresh off a cycle, Jose Abreu jacked a two-run home run for his 30th of the season. The White Sox jumped to a 5-1 lead to end the inning.

Avasail Garcia scored on an RBI double by Matt Davidson, extending the White Sox’s lead to 6-1 in the bottom of the fifth inning.

A wild pitch by Albert Suarez allowed Sanchez to triple for a 7-1 lead in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Abreu smacked his 31st home run of the season to expand the White Sox’s lead to 8-1 in the bottom of the seventh inning.

Fulmer put in a hard day’s work with six innings, three hits, one run, three walks and nine strikeouts. The White Sox had Sunday’s game from start to finish, winning the series with a lopsided 8-1 victory at home.

Notes
White Sox placed left handed starter Carlos Rodon, who suffered a season-ending shoulder injury, on the 10-day disabled list.

Giants right handed reliever Mark Melancon will undergo surgery for his forearm next week. He’ll miss the rest of the season.

Up Next
The Giants return to AT&T Park to host the rival Dodgers. Game 1 between the two teams is on Monday night at 7:15 p.m. PST.

Sox Abreu hits for the cycle in big win 13-1 over struggling Giants

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Chicago White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu (79) reacts after sliding into third base for the triple and hitting for the cycle during the game between the San Francisco Giants and the Chicago White Sox on September 9, 2017 at Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Icon Sportswire) (Icon Sportswire via AP Images)

By Jeremy Kahn

Going into his final at-bat of the game, all Jose Abreu needed for the cycle was the hardest part of it, a triple.

Abreu, who says his legs were not responding; however, he would not give and got the triple to become the first Chicago White Sox player to hit for the cycle in 17 years and the White Sox demolished the San Francisco Giants 13-1.

The last White Sox player to hit for the cycle was Jose Valentin against the Baltimore Orioles on April 27, 2000.

Abreu hit one of six home runs for the White Sox on the evening, as it was the 13th time in team history that the White Sox hit six home runs in the same game.

He hit his 29th home run of the season off of former White Sox pitcher Jeff Samardzija in the bottom of the first inning, added a double in the bottom of the third, after striking out in the bottom of the fifth inning, Abreu, added a single off of reliever Josh Osich in the bottom of the seventh and got the cycle, when he hit a two-run triple off of Roberto Gomez in the eighth inning.

Asides from Abreu, Tim Anderson, Avisail Garcia and Yoan Moncada also added solo home runs, while Nicky Delmonico hit a two-run home run and Yolmer Sanchez hit a three-run home run.

This was the first trip to the South Side of Chicago since the final week of the 2015 season, as he allowed six runs and eight hits in 5.2 innings.

James Shields went a season-high seven innings, as he retired 17 of the 18 batters he faced before Nick Hundley hit a home run in the top of the seventh inning.

NOTES: Madison Bumgarner closes out the series and the road trip, as he takes the mound on Sunday afternoon, while the White Sox will counter with Carson Fulmer.

Ty Blach will head to the bullpen, while Matt Cain will return to the team on Monday when the team begins an eight-game home stand against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Sick and tired Sandoval breaks out of slump in 9-2 win over Sox

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San Francisco Giants Pablo Sandoval celebrates with teammates in the dugout after hitting a three-run home run against the Chicago White Sox during the fourth inning of a baseball game in Chicago, on Friday, Sept. 8, 2017. (AP Photo/Jeff Haynes

By Jeremy Kahn

Pablo Sandoval was probably sick and tired that he recently set a San Francisco Giants record for most at-bats without a hit.

Sandoval, who set the record previously held by Johnnie LeMaster, ended his 0-for-39 slump, when he hit a three-run home run in the top of the sixth inning and the Giants defeated the Chicago White Sox 9-2.

Prior to the home run, Sandoval’s last hit was a single on August 25 against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Sandoval ended the night 1-for-3, as he added a sacrifice fly and four runs batted in.

It was the second win in a row for the Giants after they lost seven of their previous eight games.

Denard Span also hit a home run and Brandon Crawford picked up three hits and drove in a run for the Giants.

Matt Moore was solid on the mound, as he gave up two runs and allowed five hits in 6.2 innings, as he won for the second time in his last nine decisions.

The only two runs allowed by Moore came on a Avisail Garcia two-run home run for the White Sox, who have lost five in a row.

It was a tough night for Lucas Giolito, as he allowed five runs, three of those runs earned, and gave up three hits in 5.1 innings. Giolito also gave four up walks and struck out five before being ejected by home plate umpire Gabe Morales.

Giolito was not the only member of the White Sox ejected, as manager Rick Renteria was also ejected, as he was ejected by Eric Cooper, the crew chief.

Prior to being lifted and then ejected, Giolito did not allow a hit until giving up one to Crawford, who singled in the top of the fourth inning. Following the Crawford single, Nick Hundley, then after an out, Sandoval launched a Giolito pitch 405 feet into the right-field bleachers to give the Giants a 3-0 lead.

Garcia then cut the Giants down to 3-2 in the bottom of the inning, as he hit a two-run home run off of Moore.

Buster Posey scored on a weird play in the top of the sixth inning, as he scored from third base on a Hunter Pence walk. On the play, Crawford was tagged out while going to second base on a Hunter Pence walk and Posey scored from third base.

Crawford scored after he advanced to third on an Aaron Bummer wild pitch and scored on Sandoval’s sacrifice fly.

The shortstop drove in a run in the top of the seventh inning, and then the Giants closed out the scoring, as they scored three runs in the top of the ninth inning, when Span hit a solo home run and Hundley hit a two-run single.

NOTES: Former White Sox pitcher Jeff Samardzija takes the mound on Saturday, while the White Sox counter with James Shields.

Giants closer Marc Melancon will have season-ending surgery on his right forearm on Tuesday, and should be ready into time for spring training. Melancon has been bothered by chronic compression of a muscle in his arm all season.