Category: San Francisco Giants

Bullpen Ruins Bumgarner’s Gem, Blast

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By Matthew T.F. Harrington

AP photo: Less lip more bat flip the Dodgers Yesiel Puig heads to first base on bases on ball walk off San Francisco Giants pitcher Madison Bumgarner in the first inning Saturday at AT&T Park

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. — Madison Bumgarner appeared well on his way to pitching, and hitting, his way to his second win to open the season, but a blown save by Santiago Casilla turned a 2-1 Giants win into a 3-2 Los Angeles Dodgers victory. Bumgarner pitched six innings of one-run ball and homered off Clayton Kershaw, but LA took the game in the 10th inning on an RBI double from Charlie Culberson.

“In a game like that, you’re hoping to have the lead with your closer out there,” said Giants manager Bruce Bochy. “It just didn’t work out today.”

Bumgarner handed the game over to the bullpen in the 7th inning with the Giants ahead 2-1. Sergio Romo, Javier Lopez and Hunter Strickland combined to pitch a scoreless pair of innings to turn the game over to Casilla in the 9th. Casilla, looking for his 2nd save of the season, allowed a one-out walk to Chase Utley to begin a rough frame. The next batter, Yasiel Puig singled, then Justin Turner was hit by a Casilla pitch to load the bases.

“He had good stuff,” said Bochy of his closer. “The walk got him. Then he had two strikes and left a breaking ball up. Hitting turner didn’t help. Now you’re facing there big guy.

Casilla appeared to coax the game-ending double-play ball out of Adrian Gonzalez, but Kelby Tomlinson struggled to field it and settled for the lone out at first base. To this point, the Giants had played stellar defense, with Matt Duffy committing the team’s first error of the season earlier in the game.

“(Casilla) made some good pitchers,” said Bochy. “We just didn’t turn it.”

Casilla would get out of the inning without surrendering another run, but George Kontos (0-1, 3.00 ERA) would cough up back-to-back doubles to put LA ahead. Kenley Jansen pitched a 1-2-3 inning to notch the save.

Saturday’s soggy duel was Bumgarner and Kershaw’s 8th meeting all time, with the Giants south paw leading in wins 4-2. Bumgarner struck out 8 Dodgers, yielded his lone earned run on a hit-by-pitch while stranding 8 Dodgers over his 6 innings of work. Kershaw would pitch 8 innings, allowing the two earned runs on home runs, but reliever Chris Hatcher (1-0, 3.38) would be the beneficiary for the Dodgers rally, picking up the win.

“I feel pretty good with the results on my end,” said Bumgarner. “It would have been nice to pull that one out, but that’s the way it goes.”

Bumgarner became the first pitcher with multiple homers off Kershaw when he opened up the game’s scoring in the 2nd inning. Bumgarner took Kershaw’s 93 mile-per-hour fastball and hit it on a line over the wall in left field to become the only player in the majors with multiple dingers against the Dodgers ace since the start of last season. It was the first run Kershaw allowed after a scoreless opening day start against the San Diego Padres.

“My job is to go out there and pitch,” said Bumgarner. “I’m going to go up there and compete when I’m at the plate but I don’t want to get out of what I’m doing out there.”

The opening day starter now has 12 home runs, tying him with the Baltimore Orioles’ Yovani Gallardo for most amongst active pitchers. With Gallardo limited to only interleague play for at-bats, Bumgarner could hold the active lead by season’s end.

The Dodgers worked Bumgarner for a tie in the top of the 3rd after Kike Hernandez led the frame off with a single. He advance to second on Justin Turners one-out single, then LA loaded the basses on soft single by Adrian Gonzalez. Bumgarner plunked Scott Van Slyke to plate the Dodgers’ first run before punching out Trayce Thompson and A.J. Ellis to end the inning.

“I don’t know that he moved all that much,” said Bumgarner. “You don’t have to. He obviously can’t lean in to it, which he didn’t. It’s unfortunate. A couple inches further away from him and it might have been a different story.”

Bumgarner would not allow a run over his next 3 innings, setting the stage for Adrianza to hit the game-winning homer. Adrianza took Kershaw’s first offering in the bottom of the 5th, a 92 mile-per-hour heater, and hooked it inside the foul pole in left field for his first homer of the season.

The big fly to give the Giants a 2-1 lead was the shortstop’s 2nd career round-tripper, with his first coming during his 9-game rookie campaign in 2013. Since the September 22nd, 2013 at-bat, the utility infielder has had 259 plate appearances between dingers.

The Giants look to win the series, sending Johnny Cueto to the mound. The Giants big pitching acquisition in the offseason will face down one of LA’s, with Scott Kazmir on the bump for the rivalry finale.

MLB podcast with Matt Harrington: Nearly no hit on Friday this team always finds a way to get out of a jam

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AP photo: Los Angeles Dodgers starter Ross Stripling delivers during his no hit bid in his Major League debut

On the MLB podcast the Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Friday night Ross Stripling pitched a no hit bid after 7 1/3 innings only to be removed by Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. Stripling who might have been the Dodgers best hope to win a ball game in this series with the Giants saw his no hitter dissipate after being removed and the Giants catcher Trevor Brown hitting one out on the first pitch to tie up the ball game later to see Brandon Crawford go yard for a walk off in the 10th for the gamer.

On Saturday the Giants starter Madison Bumgarner made good work of the Dodgers he helped his own cause as well going deep to left field. Mad Bum struggled a little bit on the mound against the Dodgers.

Plus the Oakland A’s Chris Coghlan went deep for a go ahead home run which led to the A’s first road win of the season 3-2 over the Seattle Mariners. They got the win and it was regarded as a confidence builder too.

Matt Harrington does the MLB podcast each week for http://www.sportsradioservice.com

San Francisco Giants Friday game wrap: Brown, Crawford Go Deep To Down Dodgers In A Wild Comeback Win

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By Shawn Whelchel

AP photo: No hitter going? That’s all for you, as Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts takes Dodger starter Ross Stripling out in the eighth inning despite pitching a no hitter vs. San Francisco Giants

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif.-After nearly being on the receiving end of a historic no-hitter, the San Francisco Giants’ bats came alive late in the game to launch two home runs that would give the home team 2-0 series advantage over their rivals from the south.

After mustering just three baserunners through seven innings-all on walks- Trevor Brown’s homer in the eighth and Brandon Crawford’s long ball in the 10th would send the rain AT&T Park crowd home on a high note after the hometown squad would take both a no-hitter and a win away from the Dodgers on Saturday for a 3-2 victory.

Dodger rookie Ross Stripling put on a dazzling display of offspeed pitches mixed with solid fastball location that looked to put the Giants on the wrong side of a century old record for being no-hit by a debut pitcher.

But after completing 7 1/3 with a no-hitter in tact, a questionable move by manager Dave Roberts to pull the streaking youngster would lead another rookie to the spotlight instead.

The Giants first hit of the game would prove to be a crucial one, as C Trevor Brown’s first career home run would not only break up the Dodgers’ impending no-hitter, but would look to breathe new life into a stagnant Giants offense and send the game into 2-2 tie in the 8th inning.

Crawford would follow up the rookie’s display with an opposite shot of his own to lead off the 10th inning, launching his second career walk-off home run into the left field bleachers to hand his team the win.

The combination of home runs would see a Los Angeles kid in Brown hurt his hometown team, and a Bay Area native deal the finishing blow to his long-standing rival.

Lost in the fray of home runs and near no-hitters was Matt Cain’s impressive return to the mound. After a pair of injury marred seasons that saw the former ace hit the disabled list, the workhorse made a triumphant comeback in his first start of the season, surrendering just six hits over six innings of work while giving up just two runs.

The back of the rotation for both clubs saw strong outings from the returning ace in Cain and the newcomer Stripling. Both pitchers worked through the opposing lineups masterfully, while holding each team to just three runners in scoring position through the first five innings.

The duel was an encouraging sign for both clubs, as the former ace in Cain looked to rebound from injury-marred and ineffective seasons for the Giants, while Stripling looked to add some back-of-the-rotation punch for the Dodgers. But the Dodgers gained the advantage after five innings, as an RBI single from catcher A.J Ellis ended Cain’s scoreless streak after Joc Pederson came around to score following a leadoff double.

The Dodger’s young shortstop Corey Seager would pile on the damage with a two-out RBI single up the gut to make it a 2-0 deficit for Cain before he would escape the inning with a flyout to Justin Turner.

Meanwhile, Stripling continued his strong effort by mixing using an effective mix of offspeed pitches and fastball control to keep Giants runners off the base path, with just  two runners coming on consecutive walks through six innings.

The 26-year old looked to run into trouble heading into the 7th inning after issuing a leadoff walk to Hunter Pence, only to fall behind to Brandon Belt 0-3. But the Texas native rebounded by inducing a double-play ball from Belt, which was followed by a weak grounder from Matt Duffy to keep the no-hitter in tact.

Stripling looked to continue his quest to become the first rookie to throw a no-hitter in over a century during his debut, but after issuing a one-out walk to Angel Pagan, new Dodgers manager showed his short leash by yanking the youngster after an impressive debut.

The questionable move by manager Dave Roberts would come back to haunt the Dodgers, as Brown-who got his first start of the young season- would launch a two run home run off of RP Chris Hatcher to tie the game in the bottom of the 8th just moments after Stripling’s departure.

The Giants would work another runner into scoring position, before Hatcher would end the threat. But not before Brown’s longball would breathe new life into the ballgame.

Just as they had done the day before, the Giants would complete their comeback with a dagger of a homerun, as Crawford would connect with a 1-0 pitch from reliever Joe Blanton to secure the second straight win for the Giants against their NL West rivals.

The Giants look to make it three straight over the Dodgers tomorrow, as aces Madison Bumgarner and Clayton Kershaw square off in an afternoon start.

Dodgers dogged: Giants respond to early deficit with a 12-run outburst, win home opener

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Mays Opening Day
Hall of Famer Willie Mays stands with Pamela Irvin Fields, second from left, and Patricia Irvin Gordon, right, the daughters of Hall of Famer Monte Irvin, before the start of an opening day baseball game between the San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers Thursday, April 7, 2016, in San Francisco. At left is Giants pitcher Sergio Romo. The daughters of Irvin, who died in January, threw out the ceremonial first pitch. (Jason Watson/POOL via AP)

 

By Morris Phillips

Talk about tight scheduling. One inning after the Dodgers’ flirtation with pitching history ended, the Giants’ Opening Day offensive fireworks display commenced.

Alex Wood extended the Dodgers’ season-opening scoreless pitching streak to 31 innings–one inning short of the major-league record established in 1963–then fell into trouble in the fifth inning. The Giants scored three times, the first significant blow in a 17-hit attack that carried them past the Dodgers, 12-6 in the team’s home opener.

Angel Pagan delivered a two-run single in the sixth that gave the Giants their first lead, 5-4. Then in the eighth, Hunter Pence capped the Giants’ scoring with a grand slam off J.P. Howell. In all, 11 Giants came up with at least one hit, led by Joe Panik and Buster Posey with three each.

“It can look awfully dim, like it did there for a while today, and then turn,” starting pitcher Jake Peavy said of the period where the Giants trailed 4-0. “That’s one thing about this team we always talk about: this team plays 27 outs, then let the chips fall where they may.”

The Dodgers came into the first of 19 games between the longtime rivals both limping and thriving, after sweeping the Padres in San Diego without allowing a run, despite opening the season with 10 players on the disabled list. Their surprising start continued with the appearance of Peavy, who didn’t have his best stuff, allowing the Dodgers 10 hits and four runs before he was lifted after five innings.

In contrast, the Giants opened with a 12-run outburst in Milwaukee, but were far off of that offensive output in their following two games, totaling five runs while splitting the final two games against the Brewers. But Thursday was a reminder that the Giants’ lineup—in full health—could be among the best in the major leagues, with their ability to attack both big and small. Included in the Giants’ hit barrage Thursday were bunt singles by Kelby Tomlinson and Denard Span, along with four extra-base hits including Pence’s slam.

Through four games, five Giants’ regulars—Posey, Panik, Pagan, Brandon Belt and Brandon Crawford—are all hitting .333 and above to rank among the NL’s top 30 hitters.

Once Peavy departed, and the Giants struck for their initial three runs, Chris Heston made his season debut, pitching one scoreless inning and picking up the win. Dodgers’ starter Wood was chased in the sixth after allowing the first two hitters to reach. Then Yimi Garcia came on, and gave up the two-run single to Pagan, and RBI hits to Panik and Posey.

In all, the Giants delivered eight hits with runners in scoring position, and like they did in the opener, showed the ability to hit deep in counts, one way to surely frustrate opposing pitchers.

“All the way down the line, and even a lot of our pitchers, we can hit,” Pence said. “It makes everyone better. We’ve got a lot of guys who are going to keep competing with you no matter what you’ve got.”

Former Giant Dave Roberts assumed the managerial position for the Dodgers this winter after Don Mattingly was fired. So far, the former player under Giants’ skipper Bruce Bochy has had a comfortable ride, but things get tougher on Friday night when he turns to 26-year old rookie Ross Stripling making his major league debut on the mound.   The Dodgers currently are without injured starting pitchers Brett Anderson, Brandon McCarthy and Hyun-Jin Ryu.

Matt Cain will make the start for the Giants with game time set for 7:15pm.

San Francisco Giants Wednesday game wrap: Giants can’t complete sweep, get ready for home opener

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By Jeremy Harness

AP photo: The Milwaukee Brewers Chris Carter tags one to put the Brew Crew in front of the San Francisco Giants in the seventh inning of Wednesday’s game at Miller Park

Chris Carter broke a 3-3 tie in the bottom of the seventh inning to point the way to the Milwaukee Brewers’ first win of the season Wednesday afternoon, 4-3, at Milwaukee’s Miller Park. In the process, he denied the Giants a sweep of the three-game series to start the season.

The Giants have nonetheless gotten off to a nice start to the year, winning two of these three games, which will undoubtedly give Giants fans a little juice for the home opener Thursday afternoon against the rival Los Angeles Dodgers.

Carter, a former A’s farmhand, was the one who did the most damage to the Giants on Wednesday, as he also hit a solo home run to break yet another tie.

This ruined the Giants debut of starter Jeff Samardzija, another former Athletic who went 5 1/3 innings and gave up three runs on eight hits, walking three and striking out six and left the game with the score tied at 3-3.

Angel Pagan and Hunter Pence each had a pair of hits for the Giants while Matt Duffy drove in a run. Although he is only batting .222 thus far, Duffy now has five RBI through the first three games, which is certainly an encouraging sign.

Unlike the Giants, however, the Dodgers swept their opening series of the year, against the San Diego Padres, and they punctuated that series with the resounding 7-0 win at Petco Park on Wednesday.

Jake Peavy will take the hill against Dodgers lefty Alex Wood, as both starters will be making their regular-season debuts.

San Francisco Giants podcast with Michael Duca: Dodgers and Giants expected to be the two teams fighting for top spot in NL West

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On the San Francisco Giants podcast with Michael Duca the Giants so far are getting their return on their $130 million investment for their starter Johnny Cueto who got his first win of the season against the Brewers on Tuesday night 2-1. Although it’s too early to make that prediction and with making predictions too early and making projections on what you’ve seen so far it just doesn’t work out that way.

The Giants are currently on pace to go 162-0 this season which would be really exciting but the Los Angeles Dodgers are also on pace to go 162 this season and they also play each other 19 times. Meeting number one is at AT&T Park in San Francisco on Thursday afternoon. So it’s not likely that both of those things are going to happen.

Michael Duca does the Giants podcast each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com click below to listen for the latest

 

 

San Francisco Giants Tuesday game wrap: Cueto wins debut

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By Jeremy Kahn

AP photo: San Francisco Giants starter Johnny Cueto brought it against the Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday night for Cueto’s first season victory

Making his San Francisco Giants debut, Johnny Cueto did not disappoint his teammates, the manager, the coaching staff, the front office and the fans.

Cueto pitched seven strong innings, as the Giants hung on to defeat the Milwaukee Brewers 2-1 at Miller Park.

The right-hander, who signed a six-year $130 contract with the Giants after helping the Kansas City Royals to their first World Championship in 30 years. Cueto gave up six hits and struck out four in his first start of the season.

Brandon Crawford came up big at the plate, and in the field, as he hit his first home run of the season to tie up the game in the top of the third inning and made a huge play in the field to save a run in the bottom of the third inning.

Joe Panik went 2-for-4, while Crawford also went 2-for-4.

Sergio Romo pitched a perfect eighth inning, before giving way to Santiago Casilla, who struck out two and picked up his first save of the season.

Giants open 2016 season with a power display in Milwaukee

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Buster bust out

By Morris Phillips

Giants’ hitters spent the afternoon trying to top each other’s feats in an Opening Day offensive explosion for the record books in Milwaukee.

Denard Span knocked in five runs in his first game as a Giant, and Matt Duffy plated four in a 12-3 rout that was capped by three consecutive home runs in the eighth inning by Span, Joe Panik and Buster Posey. The back-to-back-to-back homers in the opener had only been accomplished twice in major league history, most recently by the 1997 Padres.

Madison Bumgarner started on Opening Day for the third straight year despite experiencing fever and chills starting on Sunday. The former World Series MVP lasted just five innings, allowing three runs on five hits and five walks, but departed with a 7-3 lead.

Bumgarner pulled his big escape act in the first inning after walking three batters and allowing a run. With the bases loaded, he induced Aaron Hill to hit into an inning-ending double play.

“We’ve all seen what he’s done in the postseason multiple times, so I wouldn’t expect the flu to hold down a guy like that,” Milwaukee’s Ryan Braun said.

The healthy Giants’ lineup with capable hitters one through nine impressed Brewers’ manager Craig Counsell with their ability to hit deep in counts, moving the line early against starter Wily Peralta, who lasted just four innings after coughing up four runs on five hits. The Milwaukee bullpen didn’t fare well either, allowing all four the Giants’ homers including Matt Duffy’s blast off Carlos Torres in the fifth.

Duffy knocked in all four of his runs in the first five innings, but Span topped that with total with his three-run shot in the eighth.

“What they’re good at is putting the ball in play on tough pitches with two strikes,” Counsell said.

“That’s a good team. They’re great hitters,” Peralta said. “That’s a tough game for me and for the team today, but we have to move forward.”

Ariel Pena was on the hill for the home run explosion in the eighth, capped by Posey’s blast over the centerfield wall. The Giants last hit four home runs on Opening day in 1983, also the last time they scored as many as 12 runs.

The game was played as light snow flurries descended on the Wisconsin lakefront, but didn’t interrupt the proceedings with the retractable roof at Miller Park closed.   The Giants opened a season in Milwaukee for the first time ever.

While the Giants were as advertised after a trio of splashy free agent signings in the off-season, the Brewers rebuild got off to a rocky start. The news off the field wasn’t much better for Milwaukee, as veteran Matt Garza was scratched from his scheduled start on Wednesday in the series finale due to shoulder issues.

On Tuesday, Johnny Cueto makes his Giants’ debut against the Brewers’ Jimmy Nelson.

 

 

San Francisco Giants podcast with Morris Phillips: Opening day in Milwaukee turns into a home run derby

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On the Morris Phillips San Francisco Giants podcast opening day in Milwaukee good things happen when you build a retractable roof and such is the case at Miller Park where the Milwaukee Brewers and the Giants opened the campaign in 28 degree weather outside and a snow blizzard going and a comfy 68 inside the yard. Good enough for the Giants to tee off for four homers from the Giants Denard Span, Joe Panik, Buster Posey, and Matt Duffy.

Pitcher Madison Bumgarner gets the win but didn’t feel good during spring training with soreness in his foot and ribs. Bumgarner left early he went five innings giving up five hits and three runs with six strike outs. The cold bug has hit the team and going from 80-90 degree heat from the desert of Arizona and then flying to Milwaukee in 28 degree outside temps the team persevered through the coughs and sneezes and are seeing some fat pitches.

Morris Phillips does the Giants podcast each Monday right here at http://www.sportsradioservice.com click below to listen

 

San Francisco Giants day off report with Jeremy Kahn: Where is Lincecum?

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By Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO–Who would have ever thought that the San Francisco Giants would open another season this week, and one of their key components over the last nine years is gone.

Tim Lincecum, who made his major league debut on May 6, 2007 at AT&T Park against the Philadelphia Phillies is not even on a major league roster as the season begins tonight.

Lincecum, who won back-to-back National League Cy Young Awards in 2008 and 2009, was not re-signed by the Giants after the 2015 season and is now a free agent.

The 31-year old right hander put on a show in his first three full seasons, as helped lead the Giants to their first World Series championship since moving to San Francisco in 1958, when the Giants defeated the Texas Rangers in the 2010 World Series. It was Lincecum who was the winning pitcher in that Game Five victory over Cliff Lee at The Ballpark in Arlington.

During the 2011 season, Lincecum went 14-15, despite an earned run average of 2.74, finishing fourth in the NL with that ERA.

Lincecum came back to the Giants in 2012 after signing a two-year $40.5 million dollar contract, and he rejected their five-year $100 million dollar offer that would make him a free agent after the 2013 season.

It was during the 2012 NLDS that Lincecum would move to the bullpen, and it was in Game a Four that his experience came in huge. Lincecum pitched 4.1 innings, leading the Giants to a victory.

Lincecum returned to form in 2013, as he pitched his first ever no-hitter, a 9-0 shutout over the San Diego Padres at Petco Park and struck out 13 in the process.

After the season, the Giants and Lincecum agreed to another two-year contract extension worth $35 million dollars.

On June 25, 2014 against the Padres at AT&T Park, Lincecum pitched his second career no-hitter against the Padres. It would have a perfect game, but Chase Headley reached on a walk in the top of the second inning.

Lincecum pitched only 15 times in the 2015 season, and ended his season with a 7-4 record with a 4.13 earned run average.

It will be very strange to the Giants lineup on the third base on Monday at Miller Park, and Lincecum will not be there to be introduced.