Category: San Francisco Giants

New York Mets shortstop Jose Reyes (7) and second baseman Asdrubal Cabrera (13) celebrate a force out at second base to end the side, during a MLB baseball game between the New York Mets and the San Francisco Giants on ”Giants Retro Bobblehead Day” at AT&T Park in San Francisco, California. Valerie Shoaps/CSM (Cal Sport Media via AP Images)

By Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO-With just one swing of the bat, Jay Bruce gave the New York Mets the lead that would not give up and sent the San Francisco Giants to another loss.

Bruce hit a seeing eye single just out of the reach of Joe Panik in the top of the eighth inning, helping the Mets to a 5-2 victory over the Giants before a crowd of 41,216, the 523rd consecutive regular season sellout at AT&T Park.

Curtis Granderson led off the inning with a triple into the right-center field alley, then Asdrubal Cabrera walked off of San Dyson. With the dangerous Yoenis Cespedes at the plate, anything could have happened; however, Dyson was able to strikeout Cespedes for the first out of the inning.

That would be the end of the line for Dyson, as Stephen Okert came onto to face Bruce and he promptly put the ball just out of reach giving the Mets the lead for good.

After a Lucas Duda strikeout, Okert was replaced by George Kontos, who gave up a double by Wilmer Flores, that just inside the right field line and scored Cabrera with a huge insurance run.

The Giants looked listless against Mets starter Jacob deGrom, as they were able to get just three hits off the right-hander until Brandon Belt hit a opposite field home run off of deGrom, leading off the bottom of the seventh inning.

In all, deGrom, went eight innings, allowing one run on four hits, while walking one and striking out seven on his way to his seventh win of the season.

deGrom was amazing all day for the Mets, as he was able to get the first Giants out in order until Austin Slater singled off of deGrom with one out in the bottom of the third inning.

Following a Buster Posey single in the bottom of the fourth inning, only two batters were able to get hits of deGrom, as Hunter Pence singled off of deGrom in the bottom of the sixth and Belt’s solo home run that tied up the game in the bottom of the seventh.

Flores gave the Mets 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth inning, as he hit a Johnny Cueto offering and put it into the left field seats for his seventh home run of the season.

Despite allowing the solo home run to Flores, Cueto settled down to go seven innings, allowing just that one run, while allowing five runs, walking three and striking out three, as he did not fare in the decision.

The Mets added another two runs in the top of the ninth inning, as Jose Reyes tripled off of Kyle Crick to lead-off the inning and then he scored on a Michael Conforto pinch hit single. With Cespedes at the plate, Crick unleashed a wild pitch that scored Conforto from third base.

After giving up two runs in the top of the ninth, the Giants would not go away, as after a Pence groundout to lead-off the inning, Buster Posey singled and it looked like the Mets turned a game-ending double play, Belt was called safe, as he beat the throw from second base.

Belt then went to second on defensive indifference, and then scored easily, as Brandon Crawford singled; however, Ryder Jones, who was making his making his major-league debut grounded out to end the game.

NOTES: Matt Moore looks to salvage the series, as he takes the mound on Sunday afternoon for the Giants, while Rafael Montero takes the mound in search of his first win of the season for the Mets.

With the purchase of Jones’ contract from Sacramento, the Giants designated Aaron Hill for assignment.

Madison Bumgarner threw a simulated game, where he threw 45 pitches in two innings of works at the Giants’ Arizona complex in Scottsdale. Bumgarner will throw three innings on Sunday for the Giants rookie ball club in Arizona. If everything goes well in Arizona, he could make a rehab start for Sacramento or San Jose.

The 20 hits by the Mets on Friday night tied a season high. This was the third time this season that the Mets picked up 20 hits or more in the same game. They are one of only two teams to have three 20 or more hit games. The Nationals are the only other team. The three 20 or more hit games tie a team record that was set in 1964 and 2015.

New York Mets third baseman Jose Reyes (7) is held on first base during the first inning of a MLB baseball game between the New York Mets and the San Francisco Giants on ”Orange Friday” at AT&T Park in San Francisco, California. Valerie Shoaps/CSM (Cal Sport Media via AP Images)

By Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO-After a 1-7 road trip, you would think that the San Francisco Giants would be happy to return home; however, that did not happen.

Ty Blach lasted just three innings, allowing seven runs on 11 hits, walking one and not a striking out a batter and the New York Mets defeated the Giants 11-4 before a sellout crowd of 41,769, the 522nd consecutive regular season sellout at AT&T Park.

Seth Lugo went 5.2 innings, allowing four runs on seven hits, while walking four and striking out three on his way to second win of the season.

The Mets broke the game wide open in the top of the second inning, as they sent 10 batters to the plate and scored six runs on eight hits. Five of the eight hits in the inning were doubles, and a long two-run home run by Yoenis Cespedes.

Lugo helped out his own cause, as he drove in the eventual game-winning run with a double off of Blach that drove in Travis d’Arnaud, who led off the inning with a double of his own.

After the Lugo double, it was all downhill for Blach and the Giants.

Asdrubal Cabrera, who was moved to second base by manager Terry Collins and demanded a trade before the game, singled with two outs and then Cespedes hit a two-run home run into the left-center field bleachers.

Cespedes circled the bases in 28 seconds, and this came just days after Cespedes and Wilmer Flores spoke to Yaisel Puig of the Los Angeles Dodgers after Puig took over 32 seconds to circle the bases after a home run at Dodger Stadium earlier this week.

Following the Cespedes home run, Flores, Michael Conforto and d’Arnaud each hit doubles to extend the lead for the Mets up to six runs.

It was a big night for Cespedes, who ended the night just a triple shy of the cycle, as he went 3-for-5 against Giants pitching.

The Mets took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning, as Flores singled in Curtis Granderson from third base. Granderson led off the game with a single off of Blach.

That would be the lead for a half-inning, as Denard Span led off the bottom of the first inning with a single, and scored three batters later, when Brandon Belt doubled to right field to score Span.

Despite trailing 10-1 in the bottom of the sixth inning, the Giants attempted to get back into the game, as they scored three runs to get within six runs of the Mets.

Brandon Crawford hit a sacrifice fly to Joe Panik, who singled with one out in the inning; however, the big hit came off the bat of Gorkys Hernandez, who singled in Brandon Belt and Austin Slater.

Lucas Duda added a solo home run in the top of the seventh inning to close out the scoring for the Mets.

NOTES: Johnny Cueto takes the mound on Saturday afternoon for the Giants, as he looks for his sixth win of the season, while the Mets will send Jacob deGrom to the hill.

Prior to the game, the Giants added two players to their roster, sent one down and designated another.

Eduardo Nunez was placed on the 10-day disabled list (retroactive to Tuesday) with a strained left hamstring. To replace Nunez on the roster, Conor Gillaspie returned to action after missing time due to a back injury.

Left-handed reliever Josh Osich was recalled from Sacramento, and to make room for Okert, the Giants designated Bryan Morris for assignment.

Atlanta Braves first baseman Matt Adams (18) follows though on a solo-home run in the fourth inning of a baseball game against the San Francisco Giants Thursday, June 22, 2017, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

By Jeremy Harness

 The Giants endured a rain delay of nearly an hour and a half on Thursday and gave a very good account of themselves from an offensive standpoint, but their pitching woes reared their ugly heads again to dump the Giants.

 The pitching gave up the bank once again, and despite a furious comeback by the Giants, it cost them in the end, as they concluded a road trip that saw them lose six of the seven games away from AT&T Park with a 12-11 loss to the Atlanta Braves inside of SunTrust Field.

 Matt Cain (3-7) is looking more and more like a guy who is seeing his days as a starting pitcher being numbered with each start. He surrendered seven runs on 10 hits over only four innings before being taken out due to sheer ineffectiveness.

 On the plus side, Kyle Crick made his major-league debut on Thursday and fared very well in the process. He gave up only one hit and pitched 2 1/3 innings. By then, however, the damage had already been done, as the Giants had already given up 12 runs.

 Several Giants had multi-hit games on Thursday, and Buster Posey had three hits, including a solo homer in the second inning off Atlanta starter Jaime Garcia. Posey, who played first base on Thursday while Nick Hundley was behind the plate, also touched Braves pitching with a pair of doubles and drove in three runs.

 Now that the miserable road trip is over, the Giants will now head back home in time for a three-game series with the New York Mets, with Ty Blach (4-4) taking the hill for them in the opener, in the hope of getting his team back on track.

 Johnny Cueto will face a stern challenge on Saturday, as he will take on Mets star Jacob DeGrom, while the struggling Matt Moore will take the ball for Sunday’s series finale before the Colorado Rockies come to town for a three-game series.

 

Atlanta Braves left fielder Matt Kemp (27) is doused after hitting a two-run walk-off home run against the San Francisco Giants during the 11th inning of a baseball game early Thursday, June 22, 2017, in Atlanta. The Braves won 5-3. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

By Jeremy Harness

 Here’s how bad things have gone for the Giants this year. On the rare day that Jeff Samardzija has a quality outing for the Giants – which he did on Wednesday – his teammates find a way to not make it stand up.

 Samardzija has undoubtedly had his share of struggles this year, but he managed to put all of that to the side Wednesday, as he threw seven innings of six-hit, three-run ball at the Atlanta Braves. He also did not walk a single batter while striking out eight of them, giving his change a chance to win for the first time in a while.

 However, it was not meant to be. But really, how many times have we said that this season?

 First of all, the Giants could not support him with any offense, as he left the game trailing 3-1. Braves starter Sean Newcomb, Samardzija’s counterpart, gave up only a run on three hits, discovering the holes in the Giants’ bats that so many other teams have found this year.

 The Giants’ however, mounted a comeback on Atlanta’s bullpen. They scored a run in the eighth against Arodys Vizcaino to narrow the lead to a single run, and then tied the game in the ninth off closer Jim Johnson, whom A’s fans remember not-so-fondly, as Hunter Pence launched a solo homer over the center-field wall.

 The Giants went quietly in the 10^th and 11^th innings, and the Braves’ bats struck one last time. This time, Cody Gearrin was the victim, as former Dodger and Padre Matt Kemp tagged him for a two-run walk-off homer in the bottom of the 11^th to send the Giants to a 5-3 loss Wednesday night.

 The Giants have now lost 10 of their last 12 games, meaning that it is probably about the time that the team may think about waving the white flag on their disintegrating season, thus turning them into likely sellers at the trade deadline when they have grown accustomed to being buyers.

 They have one more game to play in Atlanta, to be played Thursday night, before they head back to AT&T Park for a three-game series with the New York Mets before they welcome the Colorado Rockies for a three-gamer immediately following that series.

 

To no one’s surprise, the Giants currently sit in last place in the National League West, as they are 2 ½ games behind the San Diego Padres with a 27-47 record. They currently own the second-worst record in the majors, with the Philadelphia Phillies bringing it up the rear with a 22-48 mark.

 

San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Jeff Samardzija (29) works against the Atlanta Braves in the first inning of a baseball game Wednesday, June 21, 2017, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

On the Giants Podcast with Michael:

1 The Giants after snapping their six game losing streak on Tuesday night got some help from Austin Slater who clouted a three run homer to help pace San Francisco to a 6-3 victory

2 In his post game interview after Tuesday’s win you could hear it in manager Bruce Bochy’s voice the relief of finally getting back into the win column

3 Giants reliever Derek Law was sent down to triple A Sacramento after getting roughed up Tuesday in Atlanta 9-0

4 The Giants brought up reliever Kyle Crick from Sacramento to help put out some fires

5  Cubs manager Joe Maddon discussed his opposition regarding the catcher collision rule. While Giants manager Bob Bochy wants it to stay in place

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

San Francisco Giants’ Austin Slater (53) celebrates his three-run home run with Hunter Pence, left, and Brandon Belt during the eighth inning of the team’s baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Tuesday, June 20, 2017, in Atlanta. San Francisco won 6-3. (AP Photo/John Amis)

By Jeremy Kahn

It maybe June 20, but Austin Slater probably hit the biggest home run of the season for the San Francisco Giants.

Slater hit a three-run home run in the top of the eighth inning, helping the Giants to a come-from-behind 6-3 victory over the Atlanta Braves at Sun Trust Park and putting an end to their seven-game losing streak.

The Giants were helped out by some shoddy Braves defense, as they committed three errors in that fateful eighth inning that saw the Giants score five runs in the inning.

Dansby Swanson was unable to stay on second base on a throw that was originally ruled out by the umpires, but Bruce Bochy challenged the call and it was overturned and on the next pitch, Slater put a Julio Teheran pitch into the right field seats.

Reliever Ian Krol and first baseman Matt Adams also made errors in the inning that led to the Giants scoring five runs in the inning.

The Braves took an early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the third inning, as Johan Camargo hit a triple to centerfield and then Camargo scored on a Ender Inciarte sacrifice fly.

Brandon Belt hit his 12th home run of the season in the top of the ninth inning to close out the scoring for the Giants.

Matt Moore won for the first time in a month, as he won for the third time against seven losses this season.

Despite the fact that the Giants gave up a run in the bottom of the eighth inning, the combination of George Kontos, Josh Osich, Sam Dyson and Mark Melancon gave the Giants their first win on their seven-game road trip.

NOTES: Jeff Samardzija goes to the mound for the Giants on Wednesday evening, while rookie Sean Newcomb takes the mound for the Braves in place of the injured Bartolo Colon.

Eduardo Nunez missed the game due to a bothered hamstring and took an MRI to rule out a more serious injury.