Category: San Francisco Giants

San Francisco Giants podcast with Morris Phillips: McCray does it all in Giants 6-3 win Saturday; Giants-Padres wrap up series Sunday at Petco

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San Francisco Giants Grant McCray celebrates his three run home run in the top of the second inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park in San Diego on Sat Sep 7, 2024 (AP News photo)

On the SF Giants podcast with Morris:

#1 San Francisco Giants rookie Grant McCray hit two homers and had five RBIs in a 6-3 win in San Diego Saturday.

#2 McCray has been a big part of the offense since coming debuting with the Giants August 14.

#3 It was McCray’s rightfield home run that put the Giants ahead in the second inning 3-2 and he proved to be the key player in the line up on Saturday.

#4 Giants starter Logan Webb pitched six innings allowed ten hits, and three runs. Tell us about the kind of job that Webb has done all season as he’s been the key for this rotation.

#5 Spencer Bivens (3-1, 2.86) gets the start for the Giants and for the Padres starter Joe Musgrove (5-4, 4.09) both competitors tell us how you see this match Sunday?

Morris Phillips is podcast contributor at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Grant McCray hits two home runs and knocks in five, and Webb braves through six innings in 6-3 win for Giants at Petco

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San Francisco Giants Grant McCray (right) is congratulated by third base coach Matt Williams (left)after hitting a three run home run in the top of the second inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park in San Diego on Sat Sep 7, 2024 (AP News photo)

Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024

Petco Park 

San Diego, California

San Francisco Giants 6 (70-73)

San Diego Padres 3 (81-63)

Win: Logan Webb (12-9)

Loss: Dylan Cease (12-11)

Save: Ryan Walker (6)

Time: 2:25

Attendance: 43,318

By Stephen Ruderman

Grant McCray knocked in five runs with a pair of home runs to help pick Logan Webb up after an up-and-down start, and the Giants beat the Padres in San Diego 6-3 for their 70th win of the year.

Mason Black impressed in what was an up-and-down start Friday night, but a pair of bombs by Manny Machado helped lead the Padres to a 5-1 win in the series opener Friday night. The Giants were looking to even the series and get their 70th win Saturday night on a rare hot and humid evening in San Diego. 

The Giants went down scoreless against Padres’ starter Dylan Cease in the top of the first inning, though Heliot Ramos fought through a ten pitch at-bat to line a base-hit to left field. He really is a solid major league hitter.

Logan Webb once again took the ball after a Giants’ loss, and just like Black Friday night, he had a rough go of things in the bottom of the first. The scrappy Luis Arraez led off the bottom of the first with a base-hit to left, and Jurickson Profar singled the other way to right to put runners at the corners with nobody out. Bob Melvin challenged, but the call was upheld, and the Giants lost their challenge.

Webb walked Jake Cronenworth to load the bases with nobody out for Machado. Machado lined a base-hit off the end of the bat up the middle and into right-center for a base-hit, and Arraez scored to give the Padres a 1-0 lead. Xander Bogaers then grounded to short for a 6-4-3 double play, and even Profar came in to score, that really helped Webb limit the damage to two runs.

You could say the double play gave the Giants a little bit of momentum going to the top of the second, because they certainly seemed to seize on it. Patrick Bailey and Brett Wisely each singled to put runners at first and second with two outs for Grant McCray, who has been impressive with both the bat and the glove in his three and a half weeks in the big leagues.

McCray took a hanging slider and hit a bomb into the back of the first deck out in right, and the Giants took a 3-2 lead. It was the fourth home run for McCray.

Webb settled down with a one, two, three inning in the bottom of the second, and he pitched a scoreless inning in the bottom of the third. 

The Giants manufactured a run in the top of the fourth when McCray grounded into a double play with the bases loaded, and that made it 4-2. 

Webb pitched another scoreless inning in the bottom of the fourth, but after Cease threw a one, two, three top of the fifth, Webb would run into trouble in the bottom of the fifth. Tyler Wade led off the inning with a ground-rule double to right-center, and then he scored two batters later when Arraez lined a base-hit to right-center.

It was now 4-3, but the Padres would load the bases with two outs. Webb got Bogaerts to ground to third to end the inning, and the Giants kept their lead going to the sixth.

Cease finished his night with a one, two, three top of the sixth, and Webb found himself in more trouble in the bottom of the sixth. The Padres put runners at first and second with one out, but Webb got Mason McCoy to ground into an inning-ending double play.

Webb only had one one, two, three inning and gave up three runs and ten hits on what was an overall up-and-down night. Webb indicated that he was caught a bit off guard by the unusual humidity in San Diego, but he didn’t make any excuses, fought his way through every pitch, just as he always has. Plus, three runs over six innings is still a quality outing.

Wandy Peralta and Bryan Hoeing combined for a scoreless top of the seventh, and submariner Rogers threw a one, two, three inning in the bottom of the seventh. Boeing stayed out to throw a one, two, three inning in the top of the eighth, and Camilo Doval came in to do the same for the Giants in the bottom of the eighth.

The Giants kept their 4-3 lead going to the ninth, but as they tried to get a win against a powerful Padres’ team, they knew they needed to add on. Padres Manager Mike Shildt brought in left-hander Yuki Matsui, and Patrick Bailey walked to lead off the top of the ninth. 

Tyler Fitzgerand and Brett Wisely both struck out swinging, but Grant McCray had a chance to come through with two outs, and indeed he would. First, Bailey moved up to second on a wild pitch, but after that, McCray hit his second home run of the night to right-center, and the Giants expanded their lead to 6-3.

Grant McCray had five RBIs, and he technically knocked in every single one of the Giants’ six runs Saturday night. Remember, a run scored when he grounded into a double play in the top of the fourth. If only they would get rid of the dumb rule that you can’t get an RBI on a double play ball, McCray would’ve had six of them Saturday night.

Fernando Tatis Jr. led off the bottom of the ninth with a double to right off Ryan Walker, but Walker retired the side in order immediately afterwards. The Giants held on to win 6-3.

Logan Webb was rewarded for his valiant quality outing with the win; Dylan Cease took the loss; and Ryan Walker picked up his sixth save.

With Rogers—formerly the eighth inning guy—pitching the seventh, and Doval—formerly the closer—pitching the eighth, I can’t help but wonder if Melvin is experimenting with a seventh-eighth-ninth inning trip of Rogers, Doval and Walker. That could be a very lethal back end of the bullpen.

Speaking of experiments and what could be lethal going forward, McCray definitely believes he and a healthy Jung-hoo Lee can be a dangerous combo in the Giants’ outfield. The one positive about the Giants playing for next year is that we are getting a good look at the kids, and they have a golden opportunity to prove themselves and perhaps set themselves up to be part of the Giants’ next winning core. Heliot Ramos has certainly proven himself; now we’ll see if McCray to prove himself too. 

The Giants can win this series Sunday, and Spencer Bivens (3-1, 2.86 ERA) will take the ball in what will most likely be a bullpen game for San Francisco Sunday. The veteran, Joe Musgrove (5-4, 4.09 ERA) will make the start for San Diego. First pitch will be at 1:10 p.m.

Giants News and Notes:

  • Speaking of the future, Bryce Eldridge, the Giants’ first-round draft pick last year, was called up to the Double-A Richmond Flying Squirrels. 

Eldridge is hitting .300 with a home run in his first five games in Richmond. Eldridge, who is only 19 years old, was originally not expected to make it up to the major leagues until 2026. However, there is now speculation that he could find his way up to the Giants at some point next season.

Mason Black has up-and-down outing as Giants drop series opener to Padres in San Diego 5-1

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San Francisco Giants starter Mason Black delivers against the San Diego Padres in the bottom of the first inning at Petco Park in San Diego on Fri Sep 6, 2024 (AP News photo)

Friday, Sept. 6, 2024

Petco Park

San Diego, California

San Francisco Giants 1 (69-73)

San Diego Padres 5 (81-62)

Win: Michael King (12-8)

Loss: Mason Black (0-3)

Time: 2:33

Attendance: 42,595

By Stephen Ruderman

The Padres scored three runs off Mason Black in the bottom of the first inning and beat the Giants 5-1 in the opener of this three-game series at Petco Park on Friday night.

The last time the Giants were in San Diego, they opened the season with a lot of excitement and high expectations. Now, they are in San Diego as they wrap up their third-straight mediocre season, and as the focus turns to next season.

They were also in San Diego as Southern California got clobbered with a heatwave. Thankfully, San Diego is close to the ocean, and this was a night game, so the temperature was a mostly-cool 79 degrees at game time.

As the Giants look toward the future, they turned to Mason Black to make his fifth start of the season. Black was called back up last Saturday and made a solid start against the Marlins, as he gave up two runs over five innings against the Marlins.

Black would face a test against a powerful San Diego Padres’ offense. The Padres came into Friday night’s game in possession of the first wild card spot in the National League, and barring an historic collapse, they are destined for their third trip to the playoffs over the last five years.

The Padres would strike against Black in the bottom of the first inning. Luis Arraez and Fernando Tatis Jr. singled to start the inning, and the Padres had runners at first and second with nobody out.

Jurickson Profar flew out to right-center field for the first out. Arraez, who was at second, tagged and went to third, and when right-fielder Mike Yastrzemski threw to third, Tatis took off for second. Shortstop Tyler Fitzgerald cut off the throw, but when he tried to nap Tatis at second, his throw sailed into right field, and both runners scored to give the Padres a 2-0 lead.

It was a rough start for Black, but then he had to face the always-dangerous Manny Machado. Machado would only add insult to injury, and hit a home run to left-center to make it 3-0. Things appeared to be getting even worse for Black after he walked Jake Cronenworth, but he got the next two guys he faced to fly out.

On the offensive side, the Giants were unable to do much against Padres’ starter Michael King, who retired the first eight men he faced Friday night. The Giants had the bases loaded with two outs against King in the top of the fourth, but they were unable to come through.

Meanwhile, Black settled down to retire nine-straight after walking Cronenworth. Black pitched around a one-out double by Xander Bogaerts in the bottom of the fourth, and he retired the first two men he faced in the bottom of the fifth. He ended up retiring 13 out of 14 after the walk to Cronenworth.

However, the Padres made some two-out noise to end Black’s night. Tatis and Profar singled to put runners at the corners, and Bob Melvin brought in Sean Hjelle. Machado then singled the other way to right to knock in Machado, and it was now 4-0 San Diego.

Black gave up four runs and six hits. He also walked just one and struck out six. It obviously wasn’t the greatest outing, but he did impress with his stretch in which he retired 13 out of 14 Padres’ hitters.

Michael Conforto finally got the Giants on the board when he led off the top of the sixth with a home run to right-center. Matt Chapman singled the other way to right, but King then retired the side in order. That would do it for King, who gave up just one run; walked just one; and struck out eight over six innings.

Hjelle came back out to pitch a scoreless bottom of the sixth, and Bryan Hoeing threw a one, two, three top of the seventh for San Diego. Austin Warren, who the Giants called back up prior the game, was brought in for the bottom of the seventh, and he threw a one, two, three inning. Hoeing and Adrian Morejon then combined to throw a one, two, three inning in the top of the eighth.

When Warren came back out for the bottom of the eighth, Machado led off the inning with his second home run of the night, an absolute bomb to the second deck in left to make it 5-1. Warren retired the side and retired five of the six men he faced Friday night. Jeremiah Estrada was then brought in for the top of the ninth, and he threw a one, two, three inning to end it.

Michael King got the win, and Mason Black took the loss. The Giants fall to 69-73.

Logan Webb (11-9. 3.43 ERA) for San Francisco will once again have to be the stopper, as he will make the start in the second game of this series Saturday evening. Right-hander Dylan Cease (12-10, 3.62 ERA) will take the ball for San Diego. First pitch will be at 5:40 p.m PT.

Giants News and Notes:

Kyle Harrison was placed on the 15-Day Injured List due to left shoulder inflammation. While there is no timetable for his return, it does appear that Harrison is done for the year.

Harrison, who had gone 7-7 with a 4.56 ERA in a rocky first full season in the big leagues, had been dealing with the shoulder for a while and pitching through it. However, with the Giants now out of contention, they appear content with most likely shutting him down for the season.

Snell lasts only one inning, but Patrick Bailey carries Giants to 3-2 win to snap four-game skid

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San Francisco Giants starter Blake Snell leaves for the dugout after being removed in the first inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Thu Sep 5, 2024 (AP News photo)

Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024

Oracle Park

San Francisco, California

Arizona Diamondbacks 2 (79-62)

San Francisco Giants 3 (69-72)

Win: Ryan Walker (9-3)

Loss: Kevin Ginkel (7-3)

Time: 2:35

Attendance: 27,871

By Stephen Ruderman

SAN FRANCISCO–Blake Snell only lasted one inning, but the Giants snapped their four-game skid with a 3-2 win over the Diamondbacks on a walk-off double by Patrick Bailey, who knocked in all three runs for the Giants Thursday.

The Diamondbacks beat the Giants again tonight, 6-4, to take the first two games of this series, as Hayden Birdsong had another outing cut short due to his command, and Zac Gallen threw six no-hit innings to hand the Giants their fourth-straight loss.

Prior to the game, the Giants announced the six-year extension of Matt Chapman through 2030. It is a $151-million deal, in which Chapman will make $25 million a year, as well as a $1-million signing bonus. Chapman sang the praises of the Giants’ organization and the City of San Francisco. He also said that players have called him expressing a desire to come to the Giants.

With Chapman’s extension official, the focus turned to the team on the field. The Giants came into Thursday losers of four-straight games after dropping the first two games of this series. Thursday, they looked to avoid the sweep, and they had the right man on the mound for it in Blake Snell.

However, Snell would have to labor through a long top of the first inning. Geraldo Perdomo lined a base-hit to left field to lead off the game, and Corbin Carroll walked to put runners at first and second with nobody out.

Josh Bell then hit a ground ball to Tyler Fitzgerald, who fielded it while going to his right. Fitzgerald’s momentum was taking him towards third base, where he had a sure out, but he instead threw against his momentum to second. The throw sailed past the second-baseman Brett Wisely, which allowed everyone to move up an extra base, and Perdomo scored.

Snell finally got the first two outs, though he got some help from the boys in the Replay Center in New York on the first one. However, he then walked Eugenio Suarez to load the bases for Jake McCarthy.

Snell fell behind McCarthy 3-0, and then Snell came back to make it 3-2. McCarthy swung and missed at the payoff pitch for strike three, a fastball just off the outside corner, but it was dropped by catcher Patrick Bailey. Bailey couldn’t throw it to first in time; everyone was safe; and the Diamondbacks now led it 2-0.

Merrill Kelly, who had missed four months due to a strained right shoulder, took the ball for Arizona, and he threw a scoreless inning in the bottom of the first.

Bob Melvin decided to lift Snell after just one inning, as the latter had thrown 42 pitches. Landen Roupp was brought in, and he threw a pair of one, two, three innings in the second and third, as well as a scoreless inning in the top of the fourth.

Kelly threw two scoreless innings in the second and third, and then the Giants would mount a rally against him in the bottom of the fourth.

Michael Conforto lined a base-hit to right to start the bottom of the fourth, and Chapman doubled to left to put runners at second at third with no one out. However, LaMonte Wade and Tyler Fitzgerald both struck out swinging, and it looked like the Giants were going to waste another golden opportunity.

Patrick Bailey then came up, and he floated a Texas Leaguer to shallow left to knock in a pair and tie the game.

Arizona then rallied against Roupp in the top of the fifth and put runners at second and third with one out, as they looked to get their lead back. Roupp retired the next two men he faced, and he got out of it without any damage.

Roupp saved the Giants’ bullpen just as Spencer Bivens did last night. Roupp gave up just one hit over four shutout innings. He walked two and struck out five.

Kelly threw a four-pitch one, two, three inning in the bottom of the fifth, and the Giants wasted a leadoff double from Conforto in the top of the sixth. Kelly then threw another one, two, three inning in the bottom of the seventh to cap off a strong start. He gave up six hits, but he didn’t walk anybody, and he struck out eight.

Erik Miller threw a one, two, three inning in the top of the sixth for the Giants, and Tyler Rogers followed that up with a scoreless top of the seventh. Camilo Doval then ran into eighth-inning trouble for the second day in a row.

Christian Walker doubled to right-center to start the inning, as center-fielder Grant McCray was unable to come up with a great catch. Jorge Barrosa bunted Walker over to third, and Doval fell behind Eugenio Suarez 3-1. Doval then came back to strike Suarez out looking, and then Melvin went to his closer, Ryan Walker, who struck out Jake McCarthy to end the inning.

The Giants put runners on first and second with one out against Joe Mantiply in the bottom of the eighth. Heliot Ramos doubled, and then he committed a base-running gaffe, which thanks to a bad throw by Mantiply on a comebacker to the mound, allowed Conforto to reach first. Torey Lovullo brought in Kevin Ginkel, and Ginkel got out of the inning without any damage.

The game was still tied 2-2 going to the ninth. Melvin sent Walker back out for the top of the ninth, and Luis Guillorme drew a leadoff walk, the worst possible thing that could happen for Walker and the Giants. However, Walker then retired the side in order to give the Giants a chance to win it in the bottom of the ninth.

Ginkel was back out for Arizona in the bottom of the ninth. Tyler Fizgerald led off the inning with a base-hit to center, and he stole second with Bailey at the plate.

Bailey, who knocked in the first two runs for the Giants with a Texas Leaguer in the bottom of the fourth, came through again, as he hit a ground-rule double to left-center to win it for the Giants. It was the Giants’ league-leading 11th walk-off win of the year.

Ryan Walker was rewarded with the win for his clutch late-inning performance. Kevin Ginkel took the loss for the Diamondbacks.

On Aug. 31, 2018, the Giants shut out the Mets 7-0 to improve to 68-68. The Giants then lost 11-straight games before finally winning their 69th game. It was the beginning of a brutal 5-21 finish to the 2018 Season for the Giants that cost then-General Manager Bobby Evans his job.

Fast forward six years later with Farhan Zaidi facing uncertainty over his future. The Giants beat the Miami Marlins 3-1 on Aug. 30 to improve to 68-68. The Giants then only lost four-straight to get that elusive 69th win.

During Matt Chapman’s press conference, Giants President of Baseball Operations Farhan Zaidi was asked about his future with the team. Zaidi declined to answer the question, and he deferred the topic of conversation back to that of Chapman’s extension.

Despite being signed to a contract extension through 2026, there has been speculation that Zaidi’s job could be in danger. Alex Pavlovic, the Giants Beat Writer for NBC Sports Bay Area, hinted on July 25 that people in the Giants’ front office needed them to make the playoffs this season.

With the fact that this season has not panned out like everyone had hoped, and that the Giants are wrapping up their third-straight season of mediocracy, Zaidi’s fate could come into the spotlight over the final three and a half weeks of the season.

The Giants improve to 69-72, and they will head down the coast to San Diego Friday for a three-game series against another powerful team in the Padres. The pitching matchup has yet to be decided. First pitch will be at 6:40 p.m PT.

San Francisco Giants podcast with Michael Duca: Diamondbacks Gallen throws six innings of no hit ball against Giants line up

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Arizona Diamondbacks starter Zac Gallen was dealing against the San Francisco Giants here he is pitching to Michael Conforto in the bottom of the sixth inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Wed Sep 4, 2024 (AP News photo)

On the San Francisco Giants podcast with Michael Duca:

#1 Zac Gallen led the way for the Arizona Diamondbacks bringing a no hitter into the seventh inning against the San Francisco Giants and after Gallen was lifted the Giants finally were able to get a hit.

#2 Gallen improved his record to 11-6 after pitching six innings, walking four and striking out eight batters. Michael no doubt about it he had a good mix of pitches working for him?

#3 The Diamondbacks got home run help from Eugenio Suárez and Pavin Smith and cut the lead on the NL West first place Los Angeles Dodgers trailing the Dodgers by five games.

#4 LeMonte Wade carried the load for San Francisco on Wednesday night with a home run and four RBIs but the Giants fell two runs short.

#5 The Giants are dueling with the Diamondbacks as we speak right now Arizona starter RHP Merrill Kelly (4-0, ERA 4.30) is matched up against Giants LHP Blake Snell (2-3, 3.56) first pitch at 12:45pm PT at Oracle Park.

Michael Duca does the San Francisco Giants podcasts each Thursday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Birdsong’s command burns him again, and Gallen shuts Giants down with six no-hit innings in 6-4 win for Arizona

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Arizona Diamondbacks starter Zac Gallen shown throwing against the San Francisco Giants in the bottom of the third inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Wed Sep 4, 2024 (AP News photo)

Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024

Oracle Park

San Francisco, California

Arizona Diamondbacks 6 (79-61)

San Francisco Giants 4 (68-72)

Win: Zac Gallen (11-6)

Loss: Hayden Birdsong (3-5)

Time: 2:42

Attendance: 22,855

By Stephen Ruderman

The Diamondbacks beat the San Francisco Giants again Wednesday night, 6-4, to take the first two games of this series, as Hayden Birdsong had another outing cut short due to his command, and Zac Gallen threw six no-hit innings to hand the Giants their fourth-straight loss.

After losing two of three to the Marlins of all teams at home, the Giants dropped their third-straight game in a wild and somewhat-emotional 8-7 loss to the Diamondbacks in the series opener Tuesday night. The Giants would look for Hayden Birdsong to turn the page on a brutal August.

Birdsong got off to a great start for the Giants after getting called up at the end of June, and his strong July earned him a spot on MLB.com’s top 100 prospect list. However, things were completely different for the young right-hander August.

Birdsong was lit up by the Washington Nationals for seven runs over just two innings in our nation’s capital on Aug. 6, and he got hammered for five more runs by the Detroit Tigers in his next start on Aug. 11. Birdsong went 0-4 with an 8.68 ERA in his five starts in August. What magnified his problems was that he struggled with his control as well.

Unfortunately, Birdsong’s control problems followed him into his first inning of September, as he walked the first two hitters of this game. Former Giant and D-Backs outfielder Joc Pederson struck out swinging for the first out, but Josh Bell grounded a base-hit into right-center field to knock in Geraldo Perdomo for the first run of the game.

Birdsong struggled again in the top of the second. Eugenio Suarez led off the inning with a home run to left field to make it 2-0. Birdsong then walked two more as the inning progressed, but he was able to escape without any further damage.

Diamondbacks’ starter Zac Gallen started his night with a one, two, three inning in the bottom of the first, but he ran into some trouble after he issued three-straight two-out walks to load the bases in the bottom of the second. However, with the Giants being the Giants, Curt Casali struck out after a lengthy eight-pitch at-bat to end the inning.

Birdsong pitched his first and only scoreless inning of the night in the top of the third, but it didn’t come without its drama. He was done after just three innings, as he walked five and threw 77 pitches.

Spencer Bivens picked up the fort and gave the Giants four innings. Pavin Smith hit a home run in the top of the fifth to make it, and The Diamondbacks manufactured a run in the top of the seventh to make it 4-0.

Meanwhile, Gallen retired ten straight, starting with his strikeout of Casali to end the bottom of the second. Mike Yastrzemski drew a leadoff walk in the bottom of the sixth to snap that streak, but Heliot Ramos grounded into a double play, and Michael Conforto struck out to end the inning.

Gallen also had a no-hitter going through six innings, and he had struck out eight. However, he threw 100 pitches, so Diamondbacks Manager Torey Lovullo opted to bring in Kevin Ginkel in the bottom of the seventh.

Earlier Wednesday night, Shota Imanaga, Nate Pearson and Porter Hodge combined to no-hit the Pittsburgh Pirates for the Cubs at Wrigley Field. The Diamondbacks were now nine outs away from throwing the second combined no-hitter of the night as this game went to the bottom of the seventh.

However, it would not come to be, as Tyler Fitzgerald grounded a base-hit up the middle for the Giants’ first hit to lead off the bottom of the seventh. LaMonte Wade then hit a home run to the water in right for splash hit number 104, and it was now 4-2.

The Giants were making a late comeback just as they did Tuesday night. The only question was whether they could complete it this time.

Unfortunately, the Diamondbacks got both runs back against Camilo Doval in the top of the eighth, and it was now 6-2. A.J. Puk then came in and threw a one, two three shutout inning in the bottom of the eighth.

Taylor Rogers, who finished the top of the eighth, came out to throw a scoreless inning in the top of the ninth. Luvollo then brought in Justin Martinez, who converted a four-out save Tuesday night, in a non-save situation in the bottom of the ninth.

Like Tuesday night, the Giants made a charge in the bottom of the ninth. Michael Conforto walked to lead off the inning, and Fitzgerald doubled to put runners at second and third with nobody out. Wade then grounded a base-hit to knock in a pair, and it was now 6-4. The tying run was now coming up to the plate in Luis Matos, but Martinez retired the side in order to close it out.

Zac Gallen got the win after his six no-hit innings, and Kyle Harrison took his fifth loss in his last six starts. Harrison’s last five decisions have all been loses.

The Giants fall to 68-72, and if anyone still cares, they are now eight and a half games back of the Braves for the third wild card with 22 games to go. Their tragic number is now 14.

The Giants can salvage a game in this series with a win on getaway day Thursday. The National League Pitcher of the Month for August, Blake Snell (2-3, 3.56 ERA), will make the start for the Giants. Merrill Kelly (4-0, 4.30 ERA), who recently came back after being out for four months, will take the ball for Arizona. First pitch will be at 12:45 p.m. PT.

After the game ended, the Giants and Matt Chapman agreed to a six-year $151-million extension. Chapman was scratched from the lineup Wednesday night, but his leadership and defense have been a big boost for the Giants this season.

Harrison struggles, as Giants’ comeback falls short in wild series opener 8-7 loss to Diamondbacks at Oracle

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San Francisco Giants starter Kyle Harrison leaves for the dugout after being lifted by Giants manager Bob Melvin in the top of the third inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Tue Sep 3, 2024 (AP News photo)

Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2024

Oracle Park

San Francisco, California

Arizona Diamondbacks 8 (78-61)

San Francisco Giants 7 (68-71)

Win: Ryne Nelson (10-6)

Loss: Kyle Harrison (7-7)

Save: Justin Martinez (8)

Time: 2:47

Attendance: 23,545

By Stephen Ruderman

The Diamondbacks torched Kyle Harrison for six runs in just two and two thirds innings and jumped out to a 7-1 lead, and even though the Giants made a late spirited comeback, Arizona ultimately held on to win a wild 8-7 series opener at Oracle Park on Tuesday night.

President of Baseball Operations Farhan Zaidi had himself a solid off-season in which he signed Jung-hoo Lee, Matt Chapman, Jorge Soler and Blake Snell. As a result, there was a lot of excitement surrounding the Giants at the beginning of the season. Expectations were high, and fans were showing up.

The Giants went through the usual ups and downs of the long 162-game grind. At three separate times this season, they looked like they were done only to get hot and play the kind of winning baseball we all have known they’re capable of.

However, things were never able to truly materialize. Now with the Giants now wrapping up their third-straight season of mediocrity, there was a very different vibe on the shores of McCovey Cove Tuesday night.

23,545 fans, the lowest crowd of the season, filled into Oracle Park to watch a Giants’ team six and a half games out of the third wild card spot with 24 games to go. There was a real sense that the patience of this fanbase had run out with the meritocracy of the last three years, and that feeling carried right into the game.

While the Giants were still barely hanging by a thread onto contention, everyone knew the reality that with the Diamondbacks in town, the Giants were really playing spoilers. They called up Marco Luciano and Luis Matos prior to the game, and it appears that the Giants have begun their transition to play-for-next-year mode.

Luciano would be at second base tonight. It was a new position for the Giants’ young phenom, who committed five errors in five games in his brief stint with the team in late May.

The Diamondbacks got to work right away against Giants’ starter Kyle Harrison in the top of the first inning. Geraldo Perdomo singled on a ground ball up the middle to start the game, and Corbin Carroll roped a double down the left field line.

I told ya the lack of vibes had carried over into the game. The Diamondbacks had runners at second and third with nobody out and had a chance for a crooked number right off the bat.

Josh Bell grounded out to short, which knocked in Perdomo to put Arizona on the board, but it was a big first out for Harrison. Harrison struck Christian Walker out for the second out, and he had a chance to limit the damage to just a run.

Harrison then got ahead of Randal Grichuk 1-2, but Grichuk fouled off four pitches with two strikes to work the count to 2-2. He then hit a home run to right-center field to give the Diamondbacks their crooked number.

Ryne Nelson took the ball for Arizona in the bottom of the first with an early 3-0 lead, but the Giants would have a response. Mike Yastrzemski drew a leadoff walk, and Tyler Fitzerald slashed a double off the end of his bat down the right field line to put runners at second and third with no one out. Sound familiar?

Like the Diamondbacks, the Giants got on the board via an out, as Heliot Ramos knocked in Yaz with a sacrifice fly to right. However, the Giants would not be able to add on.

Harrison hoped to settle down after his offense got him a run, but the Diamondbacks got that run right back in the top of the second. Nelson then threw a one, two, three inning in the bottom of the second, but Harrison wouldn’t be able to stay out of trouble.

Harrison set down the first men he faced, but the Diamondbacks were relentless, and they loaded the bases with two outs. That ended Harrison’s night after just two and two thirds innings.

Bob Melvin brought in Tristan Beck, and I’ll get the bad news out of the way. Kevin Newman came up, and he lined a base-hit up the middle to knick in a pair. The Diamondbacks had a 6-1 lead, and this was turning into an ugly night for the Giants.

The one shiny spot on the ugly start Tuesday night was the appearance of Beck. Beck was pitching just six months after having an aneurysm in his right arm that required surgery.

Beck was acquired from the Braves in the Mark Melancon Trade in 2019, and he had a solid rookie season when he finally made it to the big leagues last year. Beck was unable to pitch for most of this season, but he put in the hard work to find his way back to the Giants.

Beck threw three and a third innings, and he gave up a run in the top of the fifth. It was a big day for him, and he made clear after the game how thankful he was for the support following everything he went through this year.

Matt Chapman hit a line drive home run to left-center in the bottom of sixth to make it 7-2, but Nelson was dominant Tuesday night over six and two thirds. He gave up just two runs and four hits, and he struck out nine.

Despite the lows the Giants have suffered this season, they have never phoned it in. They have been a group of true fighters who have grinded out every out all season. Even at their lowest points, they never gave up. Tuesday night was no different.

Diamondbacks Manager Torrey Lovullo brought in Ryan Thompson for what was expected to be a quiet bottom of the eighth inning. However, the Giants had other plans with the top of the order up.

Yastrzemski led off the inning with a home run to left-center to make it 7-3, and the Giants put runners at first and second with two outs. Jerar Encarnacion and Patrick Bailey then knocked in runs with base-hits to cut the deficit to 7-5.

Lovullo brought in Justin Martinez to face Luciano. Luciano committed another error in his return to the big leagues tonight, but he had a chance for a big hit in the bottom of the eighth. On the first pitch, he took a slider right on the inside corner and fisted it the other way to right for a base-hit, and it was now 7-6 with the tying run just 90 feet away at third.

The Giants and the 23,545 fans at the ballpark tonight were making noise. Luis Matos came up, but he struck out on three pitches, and the Diamondbacks kept their lead going to the ninth.

Arizona would get a run back against Erik Miller in the top of the ninth to make it 8-6, but the Giants still kept it going against Martinez in the bottom of the ninth. Yastrzemski lined a base-hit to right to start the inning, and after Fitzgerald struck out for the first out, Heliot Ramos lined a double down the line in left to make it 8-7.

It was a one-run game again, and the Giants had the tying run in scoring position with one out. The Giants had a chance to once again pull off a big win and give themselves and their fans a faint glimmer of hope with their season all but done.

However, it was not meant to be. Chapman grounded out back to the mound, and after Lovullo elected to walk LaMonte Wade, Encarnacion struck out swinging to end the game.

Ryne Nelson picked up the win; Kyle Harrison took the loss; and Justin Martinez got his eighth save of the year. The Giants have now lost three-straight and fall to 68-71. They are now seven and a half games back of the Braves with 23 games to go, and their tragic number to be eliminated is 16.

Hayden Birdsong (3-4, 5.14 ERA) will try and bounce back after a rough August, and he will take the ball for the Giants in the second game of this series Wednesday night. Zac Gallen (10-6, 3.87 ERA) will make the start for the Diamondbacks. First pitch will be at 6:45 p.m PT.

He was a Giant? Chad Santos 1B-2006- #14

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2006 Topps San Francisco Giants Chad Santos card (By Topps Chewing Gum Company)

CHAD SANTOS – 1B – 2006 – # 14

He Was a Giant?

By Tony the Tiger Hayes

No one no one can accuse Santos of not taking advantage of an opportunity.

In three games with the Giants in 2006, the burly Hawaiian played against three different teams, faced three different pitchers and ripped three different hits.

Actually, it was two different types of hits. Santos slashed two singles… and slugged a HOME RUN for pete’s sake in a thimble full of action.

After that, Santos never played for the Giants or for any other big league team.

Why Was He A Giant?

After eight years of spectacular play from First Base Gold Glove God J.T. Snow, the Giants went in a different direction at the position in 2006.

That direction was South.

Seemingly, Snow dumped a load of quick sand around first base before he was jettisoned out of town.

Every player the Giants gave a legitimate shot to replace the multiple Gold Glover sank ignominiously.

That list included the moribund Lance Niekro, retread Mark Sweeney and the deflating Shea Hillenbrand.

Santos meanwhile did his best to pummel opposing pitchers fruit juicy red during the snippet of a chance he was given.

Before & After

Originally, a late round draft pick by the Royals out of his Honolulu high school in 1999, Santos produced decent power numbers as he advanced though the Kansas City farm system – but never got a call-up to the parent club. Signed by San Francisco as a minor league free agent in ‘06, Santos got his only shot at big league play when opening day first base starter Neikro and the others floundered.

He Never Had a Bobblehead Day. But…

Santos entered his first big league game as a defensive replacement in a home game vs. the Phillies (7/16/06). In his first MLB at-bat he ripped a single to center field to lead off the sixth inning off of veteran lefty Rheal Cormier.

After collecting another hit the next day in a start vs. the visiting Brewers, Santos sat for a couple of days.

Chad was back in the lineup vs. Chan Ho Park and the visiting Padres (7/20/06). In the second inning With a runner on and two out, Santos walloped a towering drive to straight away left field and over the outfield barrier for a two-run roundtripper. The Giant went on to a 9-3 victory before a packed house of more than 42,000 fans.

Giants Footprint

Granted, Santos’ Giants experience was a sliver of a sample size but projected over a full major league, Santos would have batted a lusty .429, with 54 HR and 108 RBI.

Giants fans and Santos will be forever left wondering “what if”… talk about leaving a Chad hanging.

San Francisco Giants podcast with Marko Ukalovic: Giants chances at a Wild Card stick a fork in it

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San Francisco Giants shortstop Tyler Fitzgerald throws out the Miami Marlins Otto Lopez at first base at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Sun Sep 1, 2024 (AP News photo)

On the SF Giants podcast with Marko:

#1 The Giants just lost two out of three at home to one of the worst teams in Baseball in the Miami Marlins, who fought through a wild game to win 7-5 in what very well may have been the final dagger in the Giants’ playoff hopes here in 2024 on Sunday.

#2 The Giants Mike Yastrzemski led off, and he took the second pitch of the inning from McCaughan and hit it out to the arcade in right field to give the Giants a 1-0 lead. For Yastrzemski, it was his 100th-career home run.

#3 The Giants LaMonte Wade then beat out the back end of a potential double play, and the throw sailed past first, which allowed Fitzgerald to come in to score and make it 2-0.

#4 The Marlins Kyle Stowers, who hit a home run to the 415 foot marker out in right-center, and the Marlins suddenly took a 4-2 lead. Giant starter Logan Webb was dealing through four innings, but the Marlins scored four runs out of nowhere in the top of the fifth to make it a new ballgame.

#5 The Marlins Nick Fortes singled into the hole at short to lead off the inning, and Kyle Stowers walked. Derek Hill bunted the runners over to second and third, and Jesus Sanchez got Fortes home with a sacrifice fly to center to make it 7-5.

Marko Ukalovic does San Francisco Giants podcasts Mondays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Marlins deal final blow to Giants’ playoff hopes and take series with wild 7-5 win

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Miami Marlins Nick Fortes (right) is congratulated by teammate Jonah Bride (41) after scoring from third base on a Jesus Sanchez sacrifice fly in the top of the seventh inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco (AP News photo)

Sunday, Sept. 1, 2024

Oracle Park

San Francisco, California

Miami Marlins 7 (51-86)

San Francisco Giants 5 (68-70)

Win: Xzavion Curry (1-2)

Loss: Logan Webb (11-9)

Save: Calvin Faucher (6)

Time: 2:38

Attendance: 41,187

By Stephen Ruderman

SAN FRANCISCO–The Giants just lost two out of three at home to one of the worst teams in Baseball in the Miami Marlins, who fought through a wild game to win 7-5 in what very well may have been the final dagger in the Giants’ playoff hopes here in 2024 on Sunday.

The dim orange sun shined on this beautiful first day of September at Oracle Park to signify the beginning of the meteorological fall, as well as the final month of the baseball season. With the Giants six and a half games back of the Braves for the third wild card in the National League, this unfortunately signified the beginning of the end of the Giants’ season.

Sunday was also Pediatric Cancer Awareness Day at the ballpark, and kids fighting cancer got to take part in a pregame ceremony on the field. Just before the Giants took the field, Rhydian Daniels, who had been diagnosed with muscle cancer at the age of nine, got to ring the bell signifying that he beat cancer in front of this sold-out crowd.

After a rough 4-3 loss Saturday night, the Giants looked to take the series against the Marlins. The Giants once again turned to Logan Webb to be the stopper. Webb got off to a great start with a one, two, three inning in the top of the first.

The Giants would be up against the young Miami right-hander, Darren McCaughan. Mike Yastrzemski led off, and he took the second pitch of the inning from McCaughan and hit it out to the arcade in right field to give the Giants a 1-0 lead. For Yastrzemski, it was his 100th-career home run.

After Yastrzemski’s home run McCaughan was all over the place. Tyler Fitzgerald was hit by a pitch, but he was caught trying to steal second base. Matt Chapman was also hit with two outs, and he was crouching in pain, but he stayed in the game.

Webb threw another one, two, three inning in the top of the second, and Curt Casali became the third Giant hit in just the first two innings of this game with one out in the bottom of the second. There was understandable frustration from the Giants’ bench when Casali was hurt, but since it was not intentional and had to do with McCaughan’s lack of control, no warnings were issued.

Nick Fortes singled on a ground ball up the middle and into center field for the first hit and base-runner for the Marlins with two outs in the top of the third. Webb ultimately threw a scoreless inning, and the Giants had a rally going against McCaughan in the bottom of the third.

Fitzgerald hit a ground ball the other way into right field for a base-hit to lead off the bottom of the third. That brought up Michael Conforto, who grounded into a weird play. Not a double play, a weird play.

Conforto hit a chopper up the middle that was fielded by Marlins’ shortstop Otto Lopez, who hesitated and then stumbled to the bag at second. Fitzgerald was called safe by Second Base Umpire Jim Wolf, but the Marlins challenged the play.

The boys in New York found an angle that that could say for sure indicated that Otto beat Fitzgerald to the bag, and the call was overturned. Bob Melvin and the Giants’ dugout were not happy about the overturned call, and they let Third Base Umpire and Crew Chief Alan Porter know. Porter then warned them and returned to his position at third.

Not to worry though. Chapman lined a base-hit to left to put runners at first and second with one out. LaMonte Wade then beat out the back end of a potential double play, and the throw sailed past first, which allowed Fitzgerald to come in to score and make it 2-0.

Both pitchers threw one, two, three innings in the fourth, and Webb was on a roll. Webb had set down 11 of the first 12 men he faced today, and he appeared well on his way to another dominant outing.

However, everything changed for Webb and the Giants in the top of the fifth. Jeff Conine’s son Griffin led off the inning with an opposite-field base-hit to left. Lopez lined out to second for the first out, and Jose Devers, the younger cousin of Rafael Devers, grounded into a fielder’s choice.

David Hensley then singled the other way to put runners at first and second with two outs. Nick Fortes followed that up by lining a base-hit to left-center to knock in Devers and put the Marlins on the board. The ball was over run by left-fielder Michael Conforto, and the runners ended up at second and third.

That brought up Kyle Stowers, who hit a home run to the 415 out in right-center, and the Marlins suddenly took a 4-2 lead. Webb was dealing through four innings, but the Marlins scored four runs out of nowhere in the top of the fifth to make it a new ballgame.

The Giants bounced back in the bottom of the fifth. Yastrzemski walked to lead off the inning, and Fitzgerald singled him over to second. That brought out Marlins Manager Skip Schumaker, who pulled McCaughan for the left-hander, Kent Emmanuel.

Michael Conforto walked to load the bases, and Matt Chapman knocked Yastrzemski in with a fielder’s choice to make it 4-3. Melvin sent Mark Canha to pinch-hit for Wade, and the move paid off, as Canha singled the other way to right to knock in Fitzgerald and tie the game.

Schumaker then brought in Xzavion Curry to face Jerar Encarnacion. After a seven-pitch at-bat, Encarnacion knocked in Conforto with a sacrifice fly to left-center, and the Giants retook the lead.

It was quite a wild fifth inning. The game appeared to be a pitcher’s duel through four, but the Marlins scored four runs in the top of the fifth, and the Giants bounced back with three in the bottom of the fifth.

Webb was back out for the top of the sixth, and he was right back in trouble. Jesus Sanchez singled to right and stole second, and then Jonah Bride tied the game with a double to center. Conine singled Bride over to third, and Lopez got Bride in on a ground out to third.

The Marlins had the lead again, and this game suddenly turned from a pitcher’s duel into a wild seesaw game.

Webb was done after six innings. He gave up six runs and eight hits, and he struck out four.

Curry stayed out to throw a one, two, three shutdown inning in the bottom of the sixth for Miami, and the Marlins looked to add on against Camilo Doval in the top of the seventh. Fortes singled into the hole at short to lead off the inning, and Stowers walked. Derek Hill bunted the runners over to second and third, and Sanchez got Fortes home with a sacrifice fly to center to make it 7-5.

From there, the game sailed the rest of the way. The Giants would not get another base-runner the rest of the game. Mike Baumann, John McMillon and Calvin Faucher did the honors of setting down the Giants one, two, three in the seventh, eighth and ninth.

As for Giants’ pitchers, left-hander Erik Miller threw a scoreless top of the eighth, and Landen Roupp had a one, two, three top of the ninth.

Xzavion Curry got the win; Logan Webb took a really tough loss; and Calvin Faucher got the save, his sixth of the year.

The Giants fall to 68-70, and after a day off Monday, they will welcome the powerful Arizona Diamondbacks into Oracle Park for a three-game series starting Tuesday night.

The Giants remain six and a half games back of the Braves, who lost their game in Philadelphia in 11 innings, but make no mistake, the Giants will be playing the role of spoilers in their series against the Diamondbacks this week.

The pitching matchup is still to be determined. First pitch will be at 6:45 p.m.

Giants News and Notes:

With today being Sept. 1, that also meant that rosters expanded from 26 to 28. Prior to the game, the Giants called up catcher Blake Sabol and right-handed pitcher Tristan Beck to fill the two extra spots on the roster.

The Giants drew a sold-out crowd of 41,187 at Oracle Park Sunday. It was the largest crowd for a Giants’ game at Oracle Park since 41,189 fans came to see Wilmer Flores walk off the Philadelphia Phillies on Sept. 4, 2022.

Major League Baseball News and Notes:

Darren Baker, the son of Dusty Baker who until today was most known for nearly getting trampled by David Bell before J.T. Snow saved him in Game 5, made his major league debut for the Washington Nationals today.

Baker was sent to pinch-hit with the Nationals trailing the Chicago Cubs 14-1 in the bottom of ninth inning at Nationals Park. Baker took the first big league pitch he saw from Cubs’ right-hander Ethan Roberts and grounded it over the mound and into center field for a base-hit.

Dusty, who had managed both the Cubs and Nationals, was on hand to see his son get his first big league hit.