Category: San Francisco Giants

Opportunity squandered: Chatwood outduels Samardzija, Giants fail to put Cards on their heels in the wild card chase

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By Morris Phillips

One night after racking up 19 hits, scoring 12 runs and appearing as if they had solved their biggest problem, the Giants came crashing back to their norm.  Instead of seizing control of their playoff lives, they died a small death, shutout 2-0 by a division foe seven seasons removed from their last postseason appearance.

How could the Giants lose to the Rockies under these circumstances?  Well, the answer starts and ends with Colorado’s Tyler Chatwood.  The hard-throwing, right hander had AT&T Park fans sitting on their hands, allowing four, disconnected singles in a terrific, eight innings of work.

“Everything was live,” Rockies manager Walt Weiss said of Chatwood.  “Great finish to his pitches.  He had the sinker, cutter combo, and then he started mixing in the curveball.  That’s kind of been his formula the last few times out where he starts to go to the curveball in the middle innings.  He made it interesting with a couple of leadoff walks late, but he gets the groundball and that’s what he’s really good at.  He can put the ball on the ground with the best of them.  He got two, huge double plays.  To shut down that team for eight innings, that’s impressive.”

“Chatwood’s been tough on us,” manager Bruce Bochy admitted.  “He was good tonight.  We just couldn’t figure him out.”

For the first eight innings, the Giants never got a baserunner as far as third base.   When a glimmer arose, Chatwood induced Buster Posey to ground into a double play in the seventh, then got Angel Pagan to do the same in the eighth.

Consequently, the Giants’ playoff picture remained muddied.  Four games remain, and the Giants are a 1 ½ games behind the Mets who won, and just a game in front of the Cardinals, who lost on Wednesday.  Had the Giants won, they would have had St. Louis teetering on the proverbial cliff.  Instead, they’d better win Thursday, or cede critical momentum to the Cards heading into the season’s final weekend.

The Giants were shutout for the ninth time since things got dicey following the All-Star break.  They’ve had far too many nights like these, but to be fair, Chatwood was a different animal.

The 26-year old pitcher missed most of the 2014 season, and all of 2015 while recovering from a second Tommy John surgery, the first coming when he was just a freshman in high school.  The effects of the first procedure might have been on the minds of the Angels when they gave up on the locally-reared prospect they drafted, more so than his so-so 6-11 rookie season in 2011.

Traded to Colorado for catcher Chris Ianetta after that 2011 season, Chatwood had two fair seasons with the Rockies, winning a combined 13 games in 2012 and 2013, first out of the bullpen, then as a member of the team’s starting rotation.  Elbow issues prompted the second Tommy John procedure in 2014, but since returning in April, Chatwood, according to Weiss, has exceeded expectations.

To say the least: with the win Wednesday, Chatwood improved his record to 8-1 in 13 starts away from chaotic Coors Field.  His ERA of 1.69 in those road starts is the lowest of any major league pitcher this season, while shattering the Rockies’ ERA record of 2.44 established in 2013 by Jhoulys Chacin, who made 13 road starts that season.

Opposite Chatwood, Jeff Samardzija was obscured.  The Giants’ starter pitched superbly, striking out a season-best 11, while allowing two runs in six innings.  In the sixth, Samardzija induced RBI machine Nolan Arenado to hit into an inning-ending double play, no small feat since Arenado earlier picked up his major league-leading 130th RBI.

But all that battling simply saddled the Giants’ starter with the loss, despite his performance announcing that he’s postseason-ready, if one exists for the Giants.

“This is the time of year, man,” Samardzija said.  “This feels great to be out there pitching when the weather turns a little bit and the season comes to an end.  I always love being able to see the finish line and it always allows me to go a little harder.”

Samardzija’s performance put him over 200 innings of work for the season, his fourth consecutive such season.  But will he pitch again?  The Giants tinkered with their rotation, putting Madison Bumgarner in line to start Friday against the Dodgers opposite Clayton Kershaw, with Bum’s next logical start being the wild card game a week from now.

Win next Wednesday, and the Giants will head to Chicago to challenge the powerful Cubs in the NLDS.  But after the loss to the Rockies, that’s a long way off.

On Thursday, the Giants send Johnny Cueto to the mound in a matchup with Colorado’s 10-win Jon Gray at 7:15pm.

San Francisco Giants Commentary by Tony the Tiger Hayes: Remembering former Giant pitcher the late Nestor Chavez dead at 22

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Remembering Nestor Chavez

By Tony “the Tiger” Hayes

latimes file photo: San Francisco Giant pitcher Nestor Chavez who died at the age of 22 in the worst aviation accident in Venezuelan history in 1969 is remembered for being an active player like Miami Marlins pitcher Jose Fernandez who died while at their peak

SAN FRANCISCO–Tragically –  baseball lost one of its great young stars this week with the death of budding Miami ace Jose Fernandez at the age of 24.
For us it brought to mind a similar tragic death of a young Giants pitcher 47 years ago.

After just two big  league appearances –  Chavez  became the only San Francisco Giant to die while under contract with the club when he perished at age 22 in 1969.

The promising Venezuelan was on his way to spring training when he was killed in one of the deadliest crashes in commercial aviation history on March 16, 1969. The jet went down in a residential area near the Maracaibo International Airport killing 155 people.

Viasa Flight 742 struck power lines shortly after takeoff and  violently slammed to the ground. Not only were all 84 people on the airliner killed, but, astonishing,  another 71 citizens on the ground perished.

An investigation showed that faulty weight censors failed to warn that the DC-9-32  was too heavy for flight.

At age 19, Chavez became one of the youngest Giants ever, debuting against the Cubs at Candlestick Park (9/9/67) with a shutout relief inning .  The first three batters he faced were future Hall of Famers, and The teen did the  job, retiring Billy Williams and Ernie Banks on routine plays while walking Ron Santo in the 8-2 Giants loss.

Coming off an 18-8, 2.92 season in the minors in 1967, Giants brass, in particular, Giants legend Carl Hubbell – then the minor league farm director – was salivating at the opportunity to see the peach-fuzz faced kid face prime time hitters.

The “Meal Ticket” wasn’t disappointed as Chavez did not allow an earned run in five innings over his two games.

Chavez showed premature polish upon arriving at Candlestick Park in ’67. Though fresh faced and youthful looking, Chavez was not intimated – having faced professional hitters since his early teens, in both his native Venezuela and in the Giants farm system – where he debuted at 16.

He advanced steadily through the farm system, hitting a rough patch only in 1968 when arm tenderness limited him to 17 contests at Triple-A Phoenix.

Like his mentor Juan Marichal who shutout the visiting Phillies for his first MLB victory in 1960, Chavez also blanked Philadelphia (four relief innings) to earn his lone big league win, also at Candlestick (9/30/67).

After Bill Henry pitched goose eggs over the first three innings, Chavez shut down the Phils in the middle frames, before Lindy McDaniel came on for a two inning save in the 1-0 conquest, the nite-cap of a double-header.

In his four frames that day Chavez surrendered two hits, walked two and struck two, while facing 15 hitters.

San Francisco Giants podcast with Michael Duca: Is Tuesday night’s laugher the start of something big…don’t count the chickens just yet

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AP photo: San Francisco Giants Hunter Pence heads to first after connecting for a single for an RBI off Colorado Rockies starter German Marquez in the first inning on Tuesday night at AT&T Park

On the Giants podcast there is something different about the Giants win on Tuesday it was a win big or go home kind of moment as they Giants try and close in on the NL Wild Card. The Giants are a game back of the NL Wild Card standings. With Sunday Oct 2nd being the last day of the regular season. The offense came alive with home runs from Buster Posey and Hunter Pence.

The Giants got a huge rally in the fifth inning on Tuesday for a landslide 12-3 win out at AT&T Park. The Giants had 19 hits the most hits they’ve had in a home game this season since June when they achieved 18 hits against the Oakland A’s. Do the Giants have their swinging groove back? Michael takes a look and how the rest of this homestand looks on the podcast.

 

San Francisco Giants Tuesday game wrap: Giants Moore dominant in win with a 12-3 laugher over Rockies

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By Jeremy Kahn

AP photo: San Francisco Giants Buster Posey belts a fifth inning home run off Colorado Rockies pitcher German Marquez on Tuesday night at AT&T Park

SAN FRANCISCO-Yes, the National League Western Division is out of reach for the San Francisco Giants, but they are still fighting for the NL Wild Card spot.

Buster Posey and Hunter Pence hit back-to-back home runs in a four-run fifth inning, as the Giants defeated the Colorado Rockies 12-3 before a crowd of 41,582, the 484th consecutive regular season sellout at AT&T Park.
It was the fifth time this season that the Giants have hit back-to-back home runs, as the home run by Posey was also his 1,000th hit of his career, becoming the first Giants player since Rich Aurilia in 2003 to have 1,000 hits all with the Giants.

As for the Rockies, they have lost eight games in a row on the road and Rockies have allowed two or more home runs in seven of those eight games.

The Giants picked up 19 hits on the night, giving them the most hits in a home game this season. The previous high was 18, that happened twice this season, the first time on June 28 against the Oakland A’s and then on August 28 against the Atlanta Braves.

Asides from the three home runs, the Giants also hit four triples and this was the second time this season that they have hit four triples in a game. They also four triples against the Braves on August 28, the same day they got 18 hits.

In all, this is the fourth time that the Giants have tripled four times in the same game, it also happened against the San Diego Padres on June 25, 2015 and on September 15, 1960 against the Philadelphia Phillies at Connie Mack Stadium in Philadelphia.

Matt Moore bounced back from a subpar performance in his last start, where he lasted just one inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on Wednesday night.

In that one inning of work against the Dodgers, Moore allowed six runs on seven hits and threw 45 pitches.

Moore went 7.2 innings, allowing just one run on six hits, while walking no one and struck out 11 on his way to his 12th win of the season.

The 11 strikeouts matched Moore’s career high, tying the mark he set on September 11 against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field.

The Giants got Rockies starter German Marquez in the first inning, as Brandon Belt doubled with one out and then scored on a Hunter Pence single.

Cristian Adames led off the top of the third inning with a single, and then scored on a Charlie Blackmon ground out.

That would be the score until the bottom of the third inning,as Brandon Crawford singled in Brandon Belt with the eventual game-winning run.

In the bottom of the fifth inning, the Giants blew the game open, as they got to Marquez for four runs, which included the Giants as a team hitting for the cycle in the inning.

The first seven batters in the inning reached base, as Denard Span led off the inning with a double then scored on a Brandon Belt single, who got thrown at by Carlos Gonzalez, as he attempted to stretch his single into a double.

Posey then hit a 1-1 pitch into the left-center field bleachers for his 13th home run, and then two pitches later, Pence launched his 13th home run of the season. Brandon Crawford then tripled, and then Angel Pagan singled in Crawford for the fourth run of the inning.

Joe Panik got into the act in the bottom of the seventh inning, as he drove in Pagan, who led off the inning with a single. Panik doubled up the right-center field alley.

Crawford added a two-run triple in the bottom of the eighth inning for his fourth hit in five at-bats that scored Posey and Pence, who hit back-to-back singles in front of Crawford.

That was the second triple of the game for Crawford, as it was his first two triple game of his career.

The single by Posey was his second hit of the night, and it was the third time on the night that he reached base. As for Pence, it was his third hit of the night and his fourth time reaching base.

Panik tripled in Crawford, and then Conor Gillaspie picked up his second hit of the night, when hit his sixth home run of the season.

All of the runs in the bottom of the eighth inning for the Giants came off of Justin Miller.

NOTES: Prior to the game, the Giants acquired Gordon Beckham from the Atlanta Braves in exchange for minor league infielder Rich Rodriguez. Beckham is not eligible for the postseason.

The Giants also purchased the contract of Tony Sanchez from Sacramento, and to make room for Sanchez, the Giants placed Mac Williamson on the 60-day disabled list with a quad strain and designated reliever Matt Reynolds for assignment.

Just before the National Anthem, the Giants and Rockies lined their respective baselines and there was a moment of silence for Miami Marlins pitcher Jose Fernandez, who passed away on Sunday in a boating accident along with two others. The Giants also hung a number 16 jersey in the dugout in memory of Fernandez.

Mets, Cardinals lose ground to the Giants in the wild card race, but few notice in the wake of Jose Fernandez’ tragic death

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By Morris Phillips

Marlins Park was a strange place on Monday night.

Filled with grieving fans, and two baseball teams with burdened minds, the park was the place for those trying to make sense of the sudden, tragic death of baseball star Jose Fernandez.

Fernandez was killed in a boating accident in Miami on Sunday morning that also claimed the lives of two of Fernandez’ friends.  Sunday’s game, in which Fernandez was originally scheduled to pitch, was cancelled, and Monday became the occasion for Fernandez’ teammates to get back to work, far too soon for a group of individuals, most too young or too fortunate to have experienced something this sad and unsettling.

“It was not scripted, no one tells you how to handle it,” Marlins’ manager Don Mattingly said.  “There’s nothing that tells you how to handle it.  They just stuck together and went out and played.  I think they really wanted to honor Jose the way he played and how he went about things—just that joy that he had when he played, that confidence and that energy.  I really think that was the focus of these guys, honoring him.”

But as the game began, after several pre-game tributes and images of Fernandez shown on the stadium’s scoreboard, it quickly became apparent the grief didn’t begin and end with the Marlins.  It also affected the Mets and their ability to focus on their position in a final week of the season battle for a wild-card playoff spot.

As Dee Gordon circled the bases after hitting a leadoff home run as the Marlins’ first batter of the evening, he couldn’t even round first base before tears were visible on his face.  When Gordon crossed the plate, the second baseman tapped his chest and looked skyward, then ran toward the Marlins’ dugout where he collapsed into the arms of his teammates.

Gordon’s trip around the bases will rank as a powerful moment that will be etched into the history of the game.  So powerful was the moment it affected the players on the field who watched Gordon.

“I saw him crying when he rounded first base.  I was crying too,” Mets catcher Travis d’Arnaud said.

The evening affected all those involved in different ways.  Gordon somehow maintained enough composure to compile four of the Marlins’ 14 hits as they got past the Mets, 7-3.  New York starter Bartolo Colon, a mentor to Fernandez, allowed Gordon’s home run, and lasted fewer than three innings, charged with all seven of Miami’s runs.

Mets’ manager Terry Collins admitted to being perturbed early on regarding his team’s play.  But it wasn’t far into the game that the veteran manager knew he and his team were in extremely tough circumstances, far outweighing their precarious lead over the Giants and Cardinals.

“The whole atmosphere was not baseball,” Collins admitted.

“It was very difficult for everyone,” Colon said through his customary interpreter.

In St. Louis, the Cardinals may have also been affected by Fernandez’ death.  Facing the Reds, after losing to the Cubs in Chicago on Sunday night baseball, the Cardinals also dealt with difficult scheduling in which they will play all seven days in the season’s final week.  The Cardinals lost 15-2, falling a full game behind the Giants, and a 1 ½ behind the Mets.

While the Mets and Cardinals played and lost, the Giants returned to San Francisco in preparation for their final six games at home against the Rockies and the Dodgers.  While their path to the playoffs may be clearer with their lead on the Cardinals and virtual tie with the Mets, the Giants also may have not noticed what transpired on the scoreboard Monday.

It was that type of night, one that the world of baseball collectively wishes wouldn’t have been necessary, and hardly a respite from the overwhelming grief or the demanding playoff chase.

 

 

Giants fall to Padres 4-3, lose ground drop full game back in Wild Card

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By: Eric He

AP photo: San Padres Wil Myers is stoked after getting what would be the game winning single in the seventh to score Corey Gearing off the San Francisco Giants at Petco Park on Sunday

“Frustration” has been the name of the game for the San Francisco Giants in the second half of the season, and it continued on Sunday with a 4-3 loss to the Padres, setting the Giants back in the Wild Card chase.

The Giants are now a full game back of the Mets for first Wild Card spot in the National League, though they remain a half game up on the Mets in the second Wild Card position.

A two-run single by Buster Posey put the Giants ahead 3-1 in the third inning, but the bullpen once again could not hold the lead as starter Ty Blach went just three innings, allowing two runs.

Yangervis Solarte tied the game in the bottom of the fifth inning with an RBI single off George Kontos, and then the Padres took the lead in the seventh on a base hit to right by Wil Myers off Cory Gearing.

The Giants, in contrast, were quiet the rest of the way against the Padres’ bullpen en route to another deflating loss. They split the four-game series with the lowly Padres and have an off day before taking on Colorado at home on Tuesday.

San Francisco Giants Saturday game wrap: Extra inning win for the Giants 9-6

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By Jeremy Kahn

AP photo: San Francisco Giants hitter Denard Span connects for a two run shot that puts the Giants over the top in the 10th inning as San Diego Padres catcher Derek Norris watches at Petco Park on Saturday night

After blowing a 6-0 lead on the road, the San Francisco Giants could have given up the lead and lost to the San Diego Padres, but that is not what they did.

Angel Pagan scored on a fielding error by right fielder Hunter Renfroe with one out in the 10th inning, and then Denard Span hit a two-run home run, helping the Giants to a 9-6 victory over the Padres at Petco Park.

With a 6-0 lead, and Madison Bumgarner on the mound, things were looking good for the Giants. Unfortunately that did not happen, as Bumgarner allowed three home runs.

Bumgarner was cruising, as he did not allow a hit until Renfroe broke up the no-hitter and shutout with one swing of the bat. Renfroe hit his first major league home run to break up the shutout.

Derek Norris cut the Giants lead in half, as he hit his 14th home run in the bottom of the fifth inning, and then Adam Rosales got the Padres within one run, as he hit a two-run home run of his own in the bottom of the sixth.

The Rosales home run tied the Padres record for most home runs in a season with 172, tying the 1972 team for most home runs in a single season.

Hunter Strickland was unable to hold the lead, as he gave up a single to Manuel Margot, as the rookie picked up his first career hit and first career run batted in to tie up the game.

Bumgarner went six innings, allowing five runs and four hits, walking one and striking out five. He also hit two doubles and scored a run.

Jarred Cosart pitched just one inning for the Padres, as he left with inflammation with his right elbow, as he allowed three runs on three hits and two walks in his only inning of work.

Joe Panik drove in two runs with a single, and then Pagan added a run-scoring single to give the Giants a three-run first..

The Giants added three more runs in the top of the fourth inning, as Jose Dominguez allowed all three runs on three hits and a walk.

San Francisco Giants Friday game wrap: Myers goes yard for Pads in win 7-2

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By Jeremy Kahn

AP photo: Wil Myers (above) and Carlos Asuaje celebrate the San Diego Padres win over the San Francisco Giants on Friday night at Petco Park

Wil Myers dwindled the San Francisco Giants chances to win the National League West even deeper and deeper into the night.

Myers hit a three-run home run off of Albert Suarez in the bottom of the fourth inning, helping the San Diego Padres to a 7-2 victory over the Giants at Petco Park. It was the seventh win in eight games for the Padres over the Giants since the All-Star break.

With the loss, the Giants are now in second place for the Wild Card game, one game behind the New York Mets and one-half game ahead of the St. Louis Cardinals.

As for a chance to win the National League West, the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Colorado Rockies 5-2, giving the Dodgers a seven-game lead in the division and lowering their magic number down to just two to win their fourth straight National League Western Division Championship.

Edwin Jackson improved to 5-6 on the season, as he won for just the second time in seven starts. Jackson went six innings, allowing two runs, while scattering four hits, walking five and struck out five.

Suarez went just four innings, allowing three runs on five hits, walking one and striking out one , as he fell to 3-5 on the season.

Jon Jay got to Suarez, as he led off the bottom of the first inning with a single, then Carlos Asuaje picked up his first major league hit, as he doubled and then Myers hit his 28th home run of the season.

Buster Posey, who entered the game without a hit against Jackson in his major league career, hit a two-run double to get the Giants within 3-2 in the top of the fifth inning, but that was all the scoring for the Giants.

Matt Reynolds replaced Suarez in the bottom of the fifth inning and was unable to record an out, as walked in a run and then Alex Dickerson ended his night with a two-run single.

Johnny Cueto is questionable to make his scheduled start on Sunday after he was forced to his last start against the Dodgers on Tuesday with a strained left groin.

Brandon Crawford is still day-to-day after dislocating the pinky on his glove hand in Tuesday’s game against the Dodger Stadium.

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: The Giants the great collapse of 2016

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by Amaury Pi Gonzalez
AP file photo: San Francisco Giants starter Johnny Cueto in pain suffering from a groin pull against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodgers Stadium Mon Sep 19th has had a rough second half of the season since his All Star game appearance
SAN FRANCISCO–Regardless if the Giants make it as a wild card, their 2016 season has been a total collapse. and in some way a mystery for a team that was the same (as far as personal)in the first half as in the second half.  This franchise waited for 52 years, before winning their first ever World Series in San Francisco in 2010.
When the current 2016 season arrived to July 15, when the second half of the season began, the Giants had the best record in baseball (even better than the Cubs who are now closing in 100 wins)the Giants were  57-33.
After they played in San Diego and Johnny Cueto didn’t win the All Star game, the team has gone 23-37. the worst record in major league baseball and during this second half of the season, a week away from ending their longest winning streak was a three game winner.
 Now, Giants fans, most of them, blame Santiago Casilla, but this collapse has been far greater the result of one man. This team has a very hard time scoring runs, Buster Posey (playing with back problems) as we see today is hitting  .289 with 13 Home runs and 68 runs batted in, Brandon Belt is hitting .271 with 16 home runs and 77 runs batted in and Hunter Pence (true, he has been hurt for a portion of the season) brings a .291 with 12 Home runs and 53 runs batted in. There is “murderers row” for the 2016 San Francisco Giants with a week and 3 days left of this season.
The irony is the Giants rotation today, is better than their rotation in 2014 when they won their third World Series, but their bullpen today is all-over-the-place. While Santiago Casilla has been sent to the moon (like the Most Interesting Man in The World) in that famous beer commercial)now it seems they have resuscitated Sergio Romo, to close games again. Please do not bring back Crazy Crab again.
Now, Casilla is the easiest scapegoat, but he is not alone in that bullpen. During the past five years, the Giants have won with pitching and defense, this season power is up for most teams, except the Giants. Across the bay the Athletics have a guy with 40 Home runs Khris Davis and 100 RBIs, playing in one of me most difficult parks for home runs. Even if they advance to the postseason, as a wild card, forget the division, they still will have to do something to bring their power numbers up.
No, the Giants are not going to be the Orioles, Blue Jays or Red Sox (who by the way have  three guys in the same lineup everyday with over 100 runs batted in)but win or lose this season, they will definitely  have to do something to improve an offense that does not scares anybody.
The Giants know that, and a guy like Yoenis Cespedes or somebody with that power and excitement, would probably fit perfectly in the middle of that lineup, they have the money to sign him in the off season, these days of the Giants not been a wealthy team, playing at cold and windy Candlestick Park in front of 8,645 people, are gone, they can spend with the best of them, they have no choice but to improve their offense, if they want to win at least every two years, because with this lineup as of today, they can forget 2017 also.
Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the Spanish radio talent for the A’s, the Spanish radio talent for the Angels and does News and Commentary each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com
 
 

 

San Francisco Giants Thursday game wrap: Giants buy time, finally beat Padres 2-1

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By Jeremy Harness

AP photo: San Francisco Giants closer Sergio Romo thanks heaven after the last out against the San Diego Padres on Thursday night at Petco Park

The second half of this season has been an obvious disaster for the Giants, as they still have a chance to become the first team in baseball history to have the best record in the majors in the first half and the worst one in the second.

However, the Giants were able to put that to rest for at least one night, as Jeff Samardzija’s seven shutout innings led the way in a 2-1 win over the San Diego Padres Thursday night at Petco Park.

In the process, the Giants kept pace with the New York Mets, who also won on Thursday, as the two teams are now tied atop the National League wild-card standings.

Thursday was a landmark win in the sense that, even though the Giants had pretty owned the Padres in the past few years and had beaten them in every matchup in the first half, it was the first win against them in the second half.

Prior to Thursday, the Giants had been swept by the Padres in each of the two series that the two teams had played against each other in the second half.

To break this string, Samardzija gave up only four hits and striking out nine hitters without walking a single one. It was his second solid inning in a row, as he held the Cardinals on Saturday to only one run on five hits over 6 1/3 innings but had to settle for a no-decision.

This time around, however, he did not have to settle for that. The Giants scored a pair of runs in the eighth inning, thanks to RBI hits from Angel Pagan and Hunter Pence.

The bullpen took over for Samardzija in the bottom half of the eighth, and at first, it looked as if the Giants were heading down a familiar, desolate path after Alex Dickerson launched a solo homer off Derek Law. However, Will Smith steadied the ship immediately following that, retiring two batters to get the Giants out of the inning.

The Giants may have found a solution at closer, even if it is on a temporary basis. Sergio Romo picked up the save Tuesday night in Los Angeles, and he came in again on Thursday and pitched a scoreless ninth to preserve the one-run victory.