Category: San Francisco Giants

mercurynews.com file photo: San Francisco Giant catcher Buster Posey 2016 Giants All-Star representative

On the Giants podcast with Morris, Madison Bumgarner nearly got the deal done on Sunday night at AT&T Park after losing a no hitter on a Arizona Diamondbacks Jake Lamb hit in the eighth to break it up for Bumgarner. Bumgarner had that effective signature pitch the curve ball working for him. Bumgarner had offensive help from the first four hitters in the line up Denard Span, Angel Pagan, Brandon Belt, and Buster Posey who scored a run each for the Giants 4-0 win.

Johnny Cueto will be representing the Giants as the National League starting pitcher. Cueto has had his variety of pitches that have kept hitters off balance all season and will have an opportunity to show case his handy work against the American League hitters. Buster Posey the Giants catcher whose no stranger to the All-Star game will get the starting call behind the plate for the National League.

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

 

By Jeremy Kahn

foxsports.com photo: San Francisco Giant pitcher Madison Bumgarner almost pitched a no hitter at AT&T Park on Sunday

SAN FRANCISCO-Madison Bumgarner is definitely going to be in the running for the Cy Young Award when the offseason award season comes around, and this performance against the Arizona Diamondbacks proved why.

Bumgarner tossed his third complete game of the season, as he allowed only a base hit to Jake Lamb in the top of the eighth inning, a walk to Rickie Weeks, Jr., Lamb also reached on a fielding error by Gregor Blanco in the top of the fifth inning and Bumgarner struck out 14, as the San Francisco Giants completed the three-game sweep of the Diamondbacks with a 4-0 victory before a crowd of 42,075, the 454th consecutive regular season sellout at AT&T Park.

This marked the first sweep by the Giants over the Diamondbacks at AT&T Park since September 9-11, 2014.

To go along with Bumgarner’s third complete game of the season, this was the Giants major-league leading eighth complete game. During the entire 2015 season, the Giants completed only seven games.

Bumgarner won his 10th game of the season, joining fellow All-Star pitcher Johnny Cueto with double figure wins. The duo are the pair of Giants teammates to accomplish this feat since Matt Cain and Tim Lincecum each won 10 games prior to the All-Star break in 2009.

The 14 strikeouts not only tied Bumgarner’s career-high, but it was the 29th time in his career that he topped the double figure plateau in strikeouts and that is good enough for second place in New York/San Francisco Giants franchise history. Only Lincecum with 36 has more than Bumgarner.

The Giants raise their record to 57-33 on the season, the best record in the major leagues and they are a season-high 24 games over .500. Since moving to San Francisco in 1958, this is only the second time that the Giants are going into the All-Star break with the best record in the major leagues. The Giants last entered the All-Star break with the best record in baseball was in 1993, when they went 59-30.

Also the 57 wins by the team are the second most in team history behind the 1993 team that won 59 before the break.

With the victory, Bumgarner raises his record to 10-4 on the season, and Bumgarner joins Max Scherzer of the Washington Nationals as the only pitchers to have double-digit victories at the All-Star break in the four of the last five seasons.

This was the fourth one-hitter of Bumgarner’s career, and it was the second longest no-hitter of his career. Bumgarner’s longest no-hit bid was broken up with two outs in the top of the eighth inning against the San Diego Padres on September 12, 2015.

Bumgarner struck out 14 for the third time in his career, with both previous times coming during the 2015 season. The first time was against the San Diego Padres on June 23 and then on August 16 versus the Washington Nationals.

Lamb broke up the perfect game with two outs in the top of the fifth inning, as Blanco was unable to hold on the ball that glanced off his glove.

The left-handed Lamb, who was facing Bumgarner for the first time in his short major league career broke up the no-hitter in with one out in the top of the eighth inning.

Weeks reached on Bumgarner’s only walk of the game, as he led off the top of the ninth inning, but was retired as part of the game-ending double play, when Jean Segura grounded to Ramiro Pena, who threw to Brandon Crawford and then onto Brandon Belt to end the game.

It was a huge night for Crawford, as he drove in three of the four Giants runs on the evening. The 61 runs batted in by Crawford are the most by a Giants player before the All-Star break since Pedro Feliz drove in 62 runs in 2006.

The Giants got to Diamondbacks starter Archie Bradley in the first inning, as Denard Span singled, went to second on a Angel Pagan double and then scored on a Buster Posey single. Pagan scored the second run of the inning, when Crawford hit a sacrifice fly to Brandon Drury in left field.

Bradley held the Giants in check for the remainder of the game, as he went six innings, allowing just two runs on seven hits, walking two and striking out six.

Crawford drove in the Giants final two runs of the night in the bottom of the seventh inning, as he doubled off of Daniel Hudson to score Belt and Posey.

By Jeremy Kahn

AP photo: San Francisco Giants pitcher Jake Peavy greets Grant Green after Green hit a two run homer in the fourth inning at AT&T Park on Saturday vs. the Arizona Diamondbacks

SAN FRANCISCO-Grant Green gave the San Francisco Giants a lead that they would never relinquish with one swing of the bat.

Green hit a two-run home run off of Robbie Ray in the bottom of the fourth inning, as the Giants defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks 4-2 before a crowd of 41,571, the 453rd consecutive regular season sellout at AT&T Park.

Jake Peavy lasted only 4.1 innings, allowing two on seven hits, while walking one and striking out three; however he did not fare in the decision, as he failed to go the required five innings, despite the fact that he was leading when he was replaced by Javier Lopez.

The Giants jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third inning, as Angel Pagan singled, stole second and then Brandon Belt tripled to right-center field.

That would be the score for a half-inning, as Paul Goldschmidt doubled to lead off the fourth inning, then Jake Lamb and Yasmani Tomas hit back-to-back singles to tie up the game and then Brandon Drury untied the game with a single that scored Lamb.

Brandon Crawford led off the bottom of the fourth inning, and after a Mac Williamson fly out to Michael Bourn in centerfield, Green hit his first home run since August 30, 2015 at the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field, while playing for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

George Kontos pitched an 1.1 innings to pickup his second win of the season, while Santiago Casilla notched his 22nd save of the season.

Casilla was the sixth reliever used by Bruce Bochy on the afternoon, following Javier Lopez, Kontos, Albert Suarez, Josh Osich, Sergio Romo and Casilla

The bullpen went a combined 4.2 innings, allowing one hit, one walk and striking out two.

With the victory, the Giants improve to 56-33, the best record in the major leagues and are now a season-high 23 games over .500.

The 56 wins by the Giants are the most wins by the team at the All-Star break since they won a San Francisco record 59 in 1993, and the 56 wins are the third-most since the Giants moved to San Francisco in 1958.

espn.go.com file photo: San Francisco Giants manager Bruce Bochy was ran in Friday’s game by plate umpire Quinn Wolcott (this was not the photo of that ejection) against the Arizona Diamondbacks

On the MLB Podcast with Matt Harrington Friday’s game between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the San Francisco Giants saw both managers get tossed out. The Giants Bruce Bochy thought that D-Backs pitcher Patrick Corbin who threw behind hitter Buster Posey was doing it intentionally and that Bochy argued with plate umpire Quinn Wolcott about ejecting Corbin nothing doing and Bochy ended up getting the boot.

Later in the contest D-Backs manager Chip Hale came out to get Corbin out of the game after Corbin left the mound Hale had some choice words to say at Wolcott and Hale was tossed. Hale was arguing that Giant pitcher Jeff Samardjiza should have been tossed out earlier for throwing at D-Backs hitter Juan Segura. Segura had hit a home run to start the ball game in the first inning and Samardjiza hit Segura in the arm in his next at bat which set off tempers.

Also on the podcast Matt cover the Oakland A’s and their pitching struggles. Catch Matt each and every week for the MLB podcast right here at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

By Ben Leonard
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SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. — Behind Brandon Crawford’s slicked back man bun and electric blue eyes lies a fire inside. A fire to win. A fire to back his teammates. But a silky smooth, calm, slow burning flame, one that picks up and rages when the game, or his teammates, are in jeopardy.

The moment never seems too big for Crawford, the cool UCLA kid. With his laid back demeanour and flowing hair, he seems like he would be more at home at a Southern California beach than in a big league batter’s box. Crawford’s cooly confident yet internally fiery leadership has quietly buoyed the San Francisco Giants this season, and no other time was it more apparent on Friday, leading the Giants to a 6-2 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks.

When the Diamondbacks thought they were retaliating for a retaliatory hit-by-pitch that Jeff Samardzija didn’t throw, Crawford stepped up to back up his catcher. After Arizona starter Patrick Corbin threw tight and inside to Posey and then threw right behind him, that smooth ember within Crawford was lit. Facing a 2-0 deficit, Giants manager Bruce Bochy was ejected after lobbying for Corbin’s ejection. Four pitches later, Crawford gracefully slammed one into the arcade to tie the game.

“When he walked [and threw at Posey], I wanted to make him pay for doing that,” Crawford said. “I’m not going to sugarcoat it. That’s what I was going for. I wanted to get him, and fortunately, I was able to get a pitch that I was able to get both in with.”

Giants’ outfielder Gregor Blanco knew that Crawford was going to do something to steady the team — he had a feeling that Corbin’s throw had ignited his sense of duty.

“When he took that bat, I felt like he’s going to do something,” Blanco said. “I knew he was kind of mad about it.”

Even though seemingly few have noticed, Crawford has been doing this all season long for the Giants. Count Mets’ manager Terry Collins in as one of those who hasn’t noticed Crawford’s exploits — he snubbed the Giants’ RBI leader and defensive whiz from the National League All-Star roster.

Among others, Blanco thinks Crawford should join fellow Brandon (Belt) in San Diego.

“Defensively, he’s one of the best shortstops in baseball, and now in the last couple years, he’s starting to become one of the best offensively as well,” Blanco said Friday. “So it’s really good to watch him play.”

The numbers back up Blanco’s assertion — Crawford ranks first in FanGraph’s defensive ratings, and second in overall WAR, behind just the Dodgers’ Corey Seager. But he doesn’t just do it when the game is firmly within one team’s grasp — the Giants’ count on him to come through when it matters.

“He’s a clutch hitter,” Blanco said. “He’s a guy that always in big situations, he always brings in the run or at least gives you a good at-bat.”

One of those clutch moments vaulted the Giants into the (real) National League playoffs in 2014, a grand slam that put them ahead of the Pirates in a do-or-die Wild Card Game. Without it, who knows if Madison Bumgarner would have been able to carry the Giants on his back all the way to the championship.

He’s one of the driving forces behind a team that has overperformed its way to three championships since 2010, scratching and clawing together makeshift rosters to perfection. With that magic Giants glue, they’re doing it again this season, at times rolling out lineups that look more like the San Francisco Rivercats than a major league lineup, yet still leading the majors in wins.

We may not have the best team,” Blanco said, “but we do something together that, I don’t know how we do it, we just feed off of each other.”

The Giants aren’t in your face about it, but they win. And win again. With one of the more quiet clubhouses in baseball, (Hunter Pence excepted) behind Crawford and Buster Posey they calmly do it every year.

With Crawford at the helm, expect nothing less than a deep run in the playoffs this season. He’s calm about it, he’s cool about it, but you know it: the fire to win a World Series is still there. It’s early, but watch out: Crawford and the Giants might just take another trophy from right under your nose.

Cover Image: San Francisco Giants’ Brandon Crawford hits a double against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the seventh inning of a baseball game, Friday, July 8, 2016, in San Francisco. The Giants defeated the Diamondbacks 6-2. (AP Photo/George Nikitin)

 

 

 

By Jeremy Kahn

AP photo: San Francisco Giants outfielders left to right Angel Pagan, Denard Span, and Mac Williamson get the jump on the Arizona Diamondbacks winning the first game of the series Friday night at AT&T Park on Friday night

SAN FRANCISCO-After allowing a first pitch home run to Juan Segura and then another run, but then Jeff Samardzjia settled down.

Samardzija refused to let the two runs he allowed in the first inning get to him, and the San Francisco Giants came back from a 2-0 deficit to defeat the Arizona Diamondbacks 6-2 before a crowd of 41,476, the 452nd consecutive regular season sellout at AT&T Park.

The right-handed throwing Samardzija went 6.1 innings, two runs on five hits, walking three and striking out six and scored the eventual game-winning run in the bottom of the third inning.

Segura scorched Samardzija’s first pitch of the game off the left-field foul pole to give the Diamondbacks a quick 1-0 lead. It was the 3rd career leadoff home run for Segura and his second during the 2016 season.

This was the second time this season that Samardzija allowed a home run on the first pitch of the game. He gave up one to John Jaso of the Pittsburgh Pirates on June 22 at PNC Park.

After striking out Michael Bourn for the first out of the inning, Paul Goldschmidt singled then Jake Lamb walked, and after a Wellington Castillo fly out to right field, Yasmani Tomas singled in Goldschmidt.

Things got a little dicey in the second inning, as Samardzija hit Segura with a pitch and then the fireworks got going in the bottom of the inning.

Diamondbacks starting pitcher Patrick Corbin threw consecutive pitches behind Buster Posey, and after the second pitch, both benches were warned by home plate umpire Quinn Wolcott.

Bruce Bochy came out of the dugout to discuss the situation with Wolcott, and after an exchange between the two, Bochy was ejected for the first time in 2016 and received his 69th career ejection.

Posey eventually walked, and then Brandon Crawford tied up the game on one swing, as he hit his ninth home run of the season.

The Giants took the lead for good in the bottom of the third inning, as Samardzija doubled down the left field line, then scored on a Jake Lamb throwing error with Posey at the plate. Just prior to Posey reaching on the Lamb throwing error, Brandon Belt walked and then scored on a Crawford single.

Grant Green drove in the Giants fifth run of the game in the bottom of the fifth inning, as he walked to score Posey, who singled with one out. That was end of the night for Corbin and after replacing Corbin, Diamondbacks manager Chip Hale was ejected by Wolcott.

Corbin went 4.2 innings, allowing five runs (three of them earned) on five hits, walking five and striking out just one, as his record fell to 4-7 on the season.

It was a special day for Belt, as he learned earlier in the day that he would be heading to San Diego on Tuesday for his first ever appearance in the All-Star game.

Belt joins Posey, Madison Bumgarner and Johnny Cueto as members of the Giants heading to the Midsummer Classic at Petco Park.

The first baseman set a career high with four walks on the night against Diamondbacks pitching

Crawford ended his night by going 3-for-3 at the plate with a walk, a run scored and three runs batted in.

Sergio Romo came on in the top of the eighth inning, and after allowing a leadoff single to Goldschmidt, he regrouped to strikeout the side.

Gregor Blanco replaced Romo in the bottom of the eighth inning, as he pinch hit for Romo and all he did was hit his first home run of the season and it was the first pitch hit home run of Blanco’s career.

Sent from my iPad

By Morris Phillips

AP photo: San Francisco Giant pitcher Cody Gearrin who was acquired by the Giants from the Atlanta Braves

The Giants’ bullpen has had its moments in 2016, and now one of those moments has a backstory.

Cody Gearrin, who suffered his first loss of the season on Tuesday, allowing Nolan Arenado’s go-ahead, three-run homer in the seventh inning, has landed on the 15-day disabled list with shoulder discomfort.

Gearrin, who made his first 40 appearances this season without being saddled with a loss, entered Tuesday’s game with a pair of runners aboard and the Giants clinging to a 2-0 lead. But Gearrin allowed an infield base hit to D.J. LeMahieu, making it 2-1, then Arenado’s homer, putting the Rockies up 4-2.

Colorado would go on to win 7-3, and Gearrin suffered the loss. It was only the fourth time all season that the reliever allowed multiple runs, and marked a stretch of five appearances in which Gearrin allowed five earned runs, causing his ERA to jump a full point. The 30-year old who began his career with Atlanta, and underwent Tommy John surgery in 2014, had been one of the National League’s best relievers this season, with his 41 appearances ranking 4^th in the NL.

Catch Morris Phillips’ podcast each Monday on all the latest on Giants baseball at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

sportal.co.nz file photo: San Francisco Giant pitcher Johnny Cueto channeling his inner President Vladimir Putin on horse

On the Giants podcast with Michael Duca, the Giants pitcher Johnny Cueto is headed to the All-Star game in San Diego and rightfully so after accomplishing 16 wins out of 18 games. Cueto was in full command on Wednesday night against the Colorado Rockies with a 5-1 victory. Cueto is noted for throwing in so many different ways to keep hitters off balance that would amount to 20 different varieties of pitches.

The Giants Brandon Crawford leads National League shortstops in hitting and is not an All-Star that problem could be alleviated if someone on the NL roster can’t make it it would sure create an opportunity for Crawford who was definitely overlooked for All Star selection.

Michael talks about it all on the Giants podcast take a listen below at http://www.sportsradioservice.com