Category: San Francisco Giants

Giants Weekend Notes: The Core Four and the Twins Lineup Shuffle

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By Morris Phillips

SAN FRANCISCO–In the voluminous history of Major League Baseball, you don’t wander upon the story of Sergio Romo, Santiago Casilla, Jeremy Affeldt, and Javier Lopez first.

Or second. Or third.

But fourth? Ok, you’re warming up. The Core Four relievers that were readily available to manager Bruce Bochy in the 2014 playoffs and leading to a third World Series title in five years that season have history… together. Real history.

How much history, and how profound is that history?

This from President and CEO of the Giants, Larry Baer, during Saturday’s pre-game ceremony that honored the Core Four:

In the 2010, 2012, and 2014 postseasons, Romo, Casilla, Affeldt, and Lopez combined to allow nine runs in 79 innings pitched for a collective ERA of 1.10.

“We were a band of misfits, and I was just doing my part,” Lopez recalled during the ceremony.

“We’re getting old,” Affeldt said. “But in my mind, we’re always going to be putting on the orange and black.”

For 30 minutes, with Ryan Vogelsong narrating, and Buster Posey providing critical testimony, a ceremony as unlikely as those it honored was all the rage. Why? Because Romo, Affeldt and Lopez are exceptional talkers, all part of NBC Sports Bay Area this season in one capacity or another.

“He came in silky smooth like the night train,” Romo said of Lopez.

Affeldt was asked how he was somehow ready and confident when Bochy summoned him in Game 7 against the Royals… in the second inning with starter Tim Hudson running on empty before his baseball water could even develop a boil.

“‘Tim Hudson is old. He’s going to run out of steam.'” Affeldt said in recalling what Bochy told him prior to that decisive game. Bochy’s words worked; Affeldt recorded seven outs while allowing one hit and one hit batter, and was immediately locked in the second inning. In a decision left to that night’s official scorer, Affeldt was awarded the win in the biggest game of his career. Some dude named Madison Bumgarner would follow Affeldt with a pretty good, five inning stint as well, but Affeldt’s run was the one that caught the attention of the history books.

Posey, armed with numbers he said he culled just minutes before taking the podium, provided the timeline for the Core Four.

Romo arrived first in 2008 and had the longest tenure. His 722 innings pitched for the Giants, included a win in each of the three magical postseasons and microscopic ERA’s in 2012 and 2014. On Saturday, he was in full character, wearing his leather jacket and one of his many t-shirts adorned with his signature phrase, “I just look illegal.”

Casilla, the only one of the four with a profile as a closer, pitched 645 innings for the Giants. He was well-known for his stop-and-go pitch delivery and his meticulous nature on the mound. Posey recalled the occasion on which Casilla shook his catcher seven times before settling for the pitch Posey offered first in the sequence.

Affeldt was the lefty specialist summoned by Boch to get one lefty hitter on numerous occasions. Posey recalled that Affeldt was particularly locked in during an appearance in which his first pitch hit the dirt and then bounced off Posey’s throat.

“He inevitably gets out of the inning, but I had a ruptured Adams Apple,” Posey said, not wanting to be entranced like Affeldt.

Lopez had 451 regular season appearances in his seven seasons with the Giants after he was acquired via trade with the Pirates in 2010. He racked up 533 innings pitched, many of those with Posey catching. Posey said Lopez was always easy and smart with his intellect and wit, a product of his education at the University of Virginia, where he gained a degree in psychology.

“We all competed with each other, we battled with each other, and we also picked each other up. And I think those are the moments that made us great teammates,” Lopez said.

THE TWINS TURN TO VAZQUEZ AND LEE IN AN EMERGENCY INFIELD MAKEOVER

Manager Rocco Baldelli is always pushing. And his team, the Twins, doesn’t mind being pushed.

They finished the first half with a grueling stretch, 16 road contests in a 22-game span. The last two stops–at the White Sox, with four games in three days, then at the Giants for three, after an off-day, but a three-hour plus flight away.

Accordingly, the scheduling gods granted the Twins the longest All-Star break imaginable with five full days off, and a Saturday night resumption to play at home in Minneapolis.

And Baldelli blurted, “We don’t want five days off.”

And Baldelli didn’t want his makeshift infield with catcher Christian Vazquez playing third base for the first time ever, and Brooks Lee in his 10th Major League game at second base, feeling like they were anything less than comfortable.

The manager raved about both saying Vazquez was “not lacking in self-belief to play this game,” and that Brooks was “mesmerzing.” Baldelli didn’t stop there, pointing out that both guys played all nine innings defensively, and Vazquez fielded a bunt.

GM Thad Levine and crew are unlikely to leave the Twins without some options for Sunday’s first half finale, so Vazquez doesn’t have to create magic in back-to-back games. Baldelli hinted at a move, and that turned out to be 26-year old Diego Castillo, who went nine innings in the 3-2 Twins series-defining loss. Castillo played in 96 games for the Pirates in 2022, but only one game for the Diamondbacks in 2023.

Carlos Santana really made Minnesota’s lineup work on Saturday. The 33-year old veteran slugger hit his 314th home run, and completed a nice, tidy set of home runs in all 30 current ballparks. But he wasn’t excited; he’s been doing this stuff for way too long.

“Up and down,” he said. “It’s a long season.”

Carlos Correia–Giants’ fans hyper-focused on high-profile free agent acquisitions remember him–couldn’t go due to a heel contusion. Correia could have signed with the Giants, seemed like he was going to sign, but instead stayed with the Twins, who crafted a massive deal.

Correia wasn’t quite worth the money last season. He hit 18 home runs in 135 games, but struck out 131 times and hit just .230. This season he has been worth the money with a .308 batting average, 13 home runs and just 53 strikeouts in 75 of the Twins 95 games.

NOTES

On April 15, the Giants were 7-10. On May 1, they were 14-17. On May 21, they 23-26, and on June 15, they were 34-37.

And now, with the first half concluded, the Giants are 47-50, and they need a break, and so does everyone else watching this. This team is 40-40 in its last 80 games, and 22-21 in day games after they won on Sunday afternoon.

It’s a lot, and it’s not a lot at all. But the Giants have to figure out what it’s going to be in a really short period of time after the All-Star break. They open with a trip to Colorado for three, to the Los Angeles Dodgers for four, followed by four home games against the Rockies.

Twins Santana homers; Larnach scores insurance run in 4-2 win over Giants at Oracle

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Minnesota Twins’ Carlos Santana (30) runs the bases after hitting a solo home run against the San Francisco Giants during the sixth inning of a baseball game Saturday, July 13, 2024, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

By William Espy

SAN FRANCISCO–The San Francisco Giants continued their three-game series against the Minnesota Twins on Saturday evening in front of a crowd of 32,518 fans. The Giants defeated the Twins in the first game of the series on Friday, with a final score of 7-1. Saturday the Giants just couldn’t get enough hitting and lost in a two run game to the Twins 4-2 at Oracle Park.

Entering the night, the Giants found themselves three games out of a wild-card spot, while the Twins were looking to hold onto theirs as the Boston Red Sox and Kansas City Royals looked to chase them down. Byron Buxton, who is in the middle of an eight-game hitting streak, was notably out of the lineup for the Twins.

Carlos Correa was scratched last minute as well, meaning the visitors were without two of their key players to start the night. Ryan Jeffers entered the lineup, and the rest of the infield was shifted around for Minnesota to accommodate the change.

Prior to the game, the Giants had a Wall of Fame ceremony for the “Core Four”: Jeremy Affeldt, Javier Lopez, Santiago Casilla, and Sergio Romo. The four relief pitchers were an important part of the Giants’ bullpen when the team won the World Series in 2010, 2012, and 2014.

It’s rare to see a group of players given an honor like the Wall of Fame at the same time, but under these circumstances, it seemed clear that the organization had an opportunity to do something special this time and they were ultimately rewarded with a plaque on King Street. In a symbolic passing of the torch, the inductees threw out the ceremonial first pitch to current members of the Giants’ bullpen.

With quite a few franchise legends at the ballpark for this game, there was certainly pressure on the Giants to perform at a high level and given the state of the Twins’ lineup, they had no excuses not to. They have historically been successful against the Twins at Oracle Park, as they had won seven of their last nine home games against them.

It was a battle of young pitchers, as both starters had a combined total of 21 career MLB starts. The Giants’ #4 prospect, Hayden Birdsong made his fourth career MLB start for the home team. Meanwhile, the Twins went with Simeon Woods Richardson who was making his 17th career start, and first appearance against the Giants.

Game recap: Things got off to a rough start for Birdsong, as he hit the Twins’ leadoff hitter Willi Castro to start the night. After two fly-outs to Michael Conforto and a weak ground ball which was handled by Patrick Bailey, Birdsong was able to get through the first inning with no further consequences.

Brett Wisely got the first hit of the night in the bottom of the first, and a two-out single by Bailey put runners on the corners. Oracle Park erupted moments later as fans thought Matt Chapman gave the Giants the lead with a three-run home run, but the ball was just outside of the foul pole and it remained a 0-0 ballgame for the time being. After multiple long foul balls, eventually, Chapman flew out to Castro to end the inning.

Both pitchers were struggling early despite not giving up a run in the first inning. Birdsong’s control was leaving much to be desired, which led to him walking Carlos Santana in the second inning. Meanwhile, Woods Richardson had thrown 22 pitches after just a single inning.

A fantastic diving catch by Mike Yastrzemski in the top of the third inning robbed the Twins of their first hit of the night. After three innings, neither team had registered a run but both had stranded a few batters. Birdsong’s control continued to be an issue as the game progressed though, as in the fourth inning he hit his second batter of the night, this time it was Jeffers.

This ultimately led to the Twins getting on the scoreboard, as a one-out double by Matt Wallner drove Jeffers in. There was also an error on the play by Yastrzemski which allowed Wallner to advance to third, keeping the pressure on Birdsong.

He walked Santana for the second time but seemed to be on the right track after striking out Max Kepler. Unfortunately for the Giants though, that wasn’t the case as a passed ball would allow Wallner to score and make it 2-0 in favor of the visitors. A ground ball to Chapman by Manuel Margot would allow the Giants to get out of trouble.

Heading into the bottom of the fourth inning, Woods Richardson’s pitch count was under control and the Giants were struggling to make solid contact against him. The first two batters in the inning struck out before Conforto drew a walk. Then, the Giants got their spark as a ground-rule double from Wilmer Flores put them both in scoring position for Yastrzemski.

He hit a slow dribbler to the shortstop, who was unable to make a play. As a result, Conforto scored and the Giants reduced the lead to a single run with runners on the corners. They’d be left stranded though, as Thairo Estrada would fly out to left field and end the inning.

The Twins tried to get a rally going in the fifth inning, but they ended up leaving two runners stranded. By the midway point of the inning, there was movement in the Giants bullpen, and rightfully so, as it seemed like Birdsong was running on empty.

Moments later, the Twins followed suit and started warming up some relief pitchers of their own. Soler put pressure on Woods Richardson immediately with a lead-off double. That pressure resulted in a wild pitch during the very next at-bat which allowed Soler to easily advance to third base and now the tying run was just 90 feet away.

Wisely struck out after a lengthy at-bat, but Heliot Ramos brought Soler home with a slow groundball single up the middle. With one out and a runner on, Rocco Baldelli made a call to the bullpen. Cole Sands entered the game in the bottom of the fifth, ending Woods Richardson’s night fairly early. Sands would quickly get out of the inning as Bailey grounded into a double play.

Both starters would receive no decision on the night, as Taylor Rogers would come out to start the sixth inning for the Giants. Rogers struck out the first batter he faced, but the veteran Santana restored Minnesota’s lead with a solo shot to make it 3-2.

The play was put under review and after a lengthy second look, the call was confirmed to the dismay of the fans in attendance. Kepler nearly added a tally of his own with a hard-hit ball that ended up bouncing into McCovey Cove, but this one was called a foul ball which was confirmed after review. Kepler did end up getting on base with a single though.

Rogers wouldn’t last a full inning, as he was pulled for Randy Rodriguez after 31 pitches and only one out. Rodriguez gave up a single to the first batter he faced, Margot, but Vazquez grounded into a double play to end the inning.

After a scoreless top of the seventh inning, the Twins made a pitching change once again to start the bottom of the inning as Jorge Alcala entered the game. The Giants started the eighth inning well with Erik Miller taking over on the mound and getting the first two batters out.

Santana continued to be a spark plug for the Twins though, as he got a single to swing momentum in Minnesota’s favor. Kepler followed suit, getting a single into right field which advanced the runner to third. Margot who was 1-for-3 on the night at this point stepped up with a chance to either extend his team’s lead or he could get his opposition out of trouble. He struck out looking, and the Giants kept the deficit at a single run.

Griffin Jax entered the game for the Twins to start the bottom of the eighth. He struck out Wisely to start the inning and Ramos flew out to right field, giving the Giants two outs very quickly. The next batter, Bailey hit a ball hard into into the gap.

It was nearly a home run but was just short. It ended up being the next best thing though, as his triple put the tying run 90 feet away once again. They’d be unable to capitalize though, as Chapman flew out to right field.

Sean Hjelle entered the game in the top of the ninth to try to keep the Giants deficit at one before their final chance to tie things up. Vazquez got his first hit of the night to start the inning, and Castro followed it up with a single of his own.

Larnach stepped up to the plate with no outs and runners on first and second and got his first hit of the night as well. As fans started prematurely heading for the exit, things had the ability to get disastrous for the home team.

The Twins scored a run on Jeffers’ groundball, but the Giants got a double play as well, which was likely the best-case scenario for them. Brooks Lee walked then leisurely jogged to second base with no opposition. Ultimately, the Giants escaped with minimal damage though as Wallner would strike out to leave two runners stranded in scoring position.

As the Giants looked to pull off a comeback at the 11th hour, the Twins had Jhoan Duran take over on the mound for the bottom of the ninth. Conforto struck out to begin the inning, then LaMonte Wade Jr stepped up to the plate as a pinch hitter for Wilmer Flores. He grounded out to second base, and Yastrzemski stepped up to the plate as the Giants’ final hope. He’d ground out as well, and the Giants would fall 4-2. Cole Sands would be credited with the win, while Taylor Rogers got the loss.

Twins and Giants duel once again Sunday at Oracle Park in the rubber game match starting pitcher for Minnesota RHP Chris Paddock (5-3, ERA 5.18) for San Francisco Blake Snell (0-3, ERA 7.85) first pitch 1:05pm

San Francisco Giants podcast with Morris Phillips: Birdsong starts for Giants tonight against Twins at Oracle

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San Francisco Giants Sat Jul 13, 2024 starting pitcher Hayden Birdsong will duel against Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Simeon Woods Richardson at Oracle Park in San Francisco (Getty file photo)

On the SF Giants podcast with Morris:

#1 Morris, the San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Kyle Harrison pitched into the sixth inning on Friday night against one of the toughest line ups in baseball the Minnesota Twins pitching shutout ball talk about a quality start.

#2 Brett Wisely was key with three hits and two RBIs in the Giants 7-1 win. Run production and good pitching won this series opener for San Francisco.

#3 With the Giants having lost four of their last five games Friday’s win was crucial and Harrison delivered with a quality start.

#4 Harrison also got defensive support from Wisely and Heliot Ramos behind him on the diamond to stop some balls from getting through.

#5 Tonight (Saturday) a game that your covering the Twins will start RHP Simeon Woods Richardson (3-1, ERA 3.48) and for the Giants RHP Hayden Birdsong (1-0, ERA 4.40) first pitch slated at 4:05pm PT

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

Giants Harrison pitches 5 strong innings, Wisely 3 hits key in Giants 7-1 win over Twins

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San Francisco Giants pitcher Kyle Harrison (right) hands over the ball to manager Bob Melvin in the sixth inning sixth inning against the Minnesota Twins at Oracle Park in San Francisco (AP News photo)

Minnesota (53-41). 000 001 000. 1. 10. 0

San Francisco (46-49). 120 011 20x. 7. 9. 0

Time: 2:24

Attendance: 34,106

Friday, July 12, 2024

By Lewis Rubman

SAN FRANCISCO–Friday night the Giants bounced back from the defeat they had suffered at the hands of Toronto Wednesday afternoon, a defeat that could have demoralized them. The team they beat Friday night was far superior to the one that beat them Thursday, but the Giants scored a resounding 7-1 triumph over the Minneapolis Twins.

The enigmatic Kyle Harrison, who started for the home town nine, had lost his previous start six days ago in Cleveland, going 3-1/3 innings and surrendering five runs, four earned, in a 5-4 defeat. That was his first start since sitting out 20 games with a sprained right ankle.

His most effective pitch is the four seam fastball, a delivery that the Twins thrive upon. His record entering the fray was 4-4, 4.24 (hence the adjective “enigmatic”). He held the visitors scoreless for the 5-1/3 innings he was on the mound, but one posthumous run, earned, was charged against him when Rylan Walker, who relieved Harrison after he had allowed a leadoff single to Carlos Correa and a double to Carlos Santana, retired Will Castro on a grounder to first that drove in the former from third, ending the shutout but leaving the orange and black ahead, 3-1.

Harrison allowed five hits and a base on balls during his tenure, striking out three to earn the win that made him 5-4, 4.08 for the season. He threw 83 pitches, 50 qualifying as strikes. Melvin and Co. used three relievers, Ryan Walker (1-2/3 IP, two hits); Tyler Rogers (an inning, a hit, a strikeout); and Camilo Duval (one inning, two hits, and a strikeout).

Harrison’s opposite number was Joe Ryan, born San Francisco and residing in San Anselmo. The Giants made him their 39th round draft choice in 2014, out of Sir Francis Drake High, but he chose to attend Cal State Stanislaus, from which Tampa Bay selected him in the seventh round of the 2018 draft.

The Twin Cities acquired his services in ’21, when he was the centerpiece of the trade that sent Nelson Cruz to St. Pete. He went 11-10, 4.51 for the Twinkies last year and had a record of 6-5, 3.29 when he threw his first pitch of the evening.

He, too, lasted 5-1/3 frames, but there the similarity ends. Ryan allowed five runs all of them earned, on six hits. He walked three and struck out six and had a pitch count of 98 (62 strikes). He took the loss and now has a record of 6-6, 3.53.

The team from Minneapolis-St. Paul, like SF, sent three other pitchers to the mound. Caleb Thhielbar worked two thirds of an inning; Josh Staumont and Kody Funderburk toiled an inning apiece. Staumont was charged with two runs. on two hits and a walk; Funderburk, with a walk. Staumont logged a K.

San Francisco took an early lead with a run in the first inning on a lead off triple to right by Jorge Soler followed by LaMonte Wade, Jr.’s, sacrifice fly to left. They tacked on an additional two tallies in the second on Mike Yastrzemski’s double to left that plated Thairo Estrada, who had reached base after forcing Conforto out at second, and Brett Wisely’s RBI pop fly single to center.

Wisely’s made more resounding contact in his next at bat, in the sixth. He smacked a one out triple off the Visa advertisement on the right center field fence. He trotted home with the Giants’. third run when Soler followed up with a single to left.

Wisely continued his offensive rampage with another shot to right center. This one bounced over the same Visa ad for an automatic double that brought Chapman home from third with Giants’ fourth run. The blow came off Caleb Thielbar, who had relieved Ryan with runners on first and second and one down.

When it rains, it pours, and San Francisco poured it on in the home seventh against Josh Staumont, the Twin Cities’ third pitcher. Michael Concerto’s two bagger with Ramos, who had singled, and Chapman, who had walked, on base increased the Giants’ advantage to 7-1.

All star Héliot Ramos, who went two for four, made a beautiful diving catch of Carlos Santana’s dying quail in the top of the fourth. Jorge Soler also went two for four with an RBI . But it was Wisely whose star shone the brightest.

He made a nifty leaping grab at short of Byron Buxton’s soft liner with two on and no outs that for the moment prevented a run from scoring. More noteworthy was his work at the plate. He went three for three with a single, a double, and triple, driving in a pair of runs.

The Giants may yet be contender. They’ll face the Twins again Saturday, in the second of this three game series. Righty Hayden Birdsong (1-0, 4.40) will face the Twins’ Simeon Woods Richardson (3-1, 3.48) at 4:15 in the afternoon.

San Francisco Giants podcast with Michael Duca: Tough luck Giants lose grip to Jays in six run sixth; SF looking for a bounce back today at Oracle

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San Francisco Giants shortstop Brett Wisely (left) can’t hang onto the baseball as the Toronto Blue Jays Ernie Clement (28) makes into second base safely at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Wed Jul 10, 2024 (AP News photo)

On the San Francisco Giants podcast with Michael Duca:

#1 All Star selected Giants pitcher Logan Webb got lit up in the top of the sixth inning by the Toronto Blue Jays at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Wednesday night was it a matter of losing command or the Jays had a good read on his pitches.

#2 Webb had a line of eight hits, seven runs all earned and four strikeouts. It’s line you don’t see too often from one of his performances.

#3 Blue Jays lead off hitter George Springer was seeing the ball well going two for five, two hits and three RBIs. The Blue Jays say his value in the lead off spot has paid off a game or two.

#4 One hitter that Blue Jays starting pitcher Chris Bassitt had keyed in on was Heliot Ramos one of the Giants most dangerous hitter. Bassitt was able to silence him most of the way as Ramos was one for four with one RBI.

#5 Giants go back to the drawing board as they host the Jays in game three of the series for today’s matinee. Starters for the Blue Jays former Giant RHP Kevin Gausman (6-8, ERA 4.64) and for the Giants RHP Jordan Hicks (4-5, 3.47) first pitch 12:45pm PT at Oracle Park.

Join Michael Duca for the SF Giants podcasts Thursdays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

SF Giants Thursday game wrap: Early offense for Blue Jays spells series loss for Giants 5-3

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Photo courtesy of Toronto Blue Jays.

By Titus Wilkinson (@TitusWisme)

SAN FRANCISCO- The Giants closed out their three-game series against the Toronto Blue Jays on Thursday.

So far, this series had gone both ways with the Giants winning the first game in walk-off fashion while losing the second game 10-6, meaning today’s game decided who would win the series.

Getting the start on the mound for the Giants was right-hander and former Blue Jay Jordan Hicks. Heading into this game Hicks had a 4-5 record with a 3.79 ERA.

For the Blue Jays it was former Giant Kevin Gausman starting who had a 6-8 record and 4.60 ERA before playing in today’s game.

Hicks found himself in some trouble right off the hop in this one when after giving up two hits Vlad Guerrero Jr. grounded out bringing home a run getting the Blue Jays an early lead. Then Giants villain Justin Turner got an RBI on a sac fly, followed up by a homer from Danny Jansen who snuck one over the left field wall putting Toronto up 3-0 in the first inning.

The Giants did quickly respond in the bottom of the first when all-star Heliot Ramos smoked a two-run homer over the center field wall getting his 14th HR of the season making it a 3-2 ballgame.

Problems wouldn’t arise again for Hicks until the fourth inning when Leo Jiménez smacked an RBI single to center field. Then in the fifth Spencer Horwitz lead off the inning with a bomb to right field as the solo shot was his fourth of the season. After hitting Justin Turner, the Giants would make a pitching change bringing in right-hander Randy Rodríguez.

The Giants relief pitching did their job in this one as they gave up no runs and only one walk.

Hicks finished his day pitching 4.1 innings giving up five earned runs, eight hits, and only managing to strike out one batter.

While Hicks had a rough day Gausman had a great outing pithing a solid seven innings only giving up two earned runs and striking out three.

Toronto would turn to Chad Green to close this game out who has been fantastic so far this season sporting a 1.57 ERA and 2-1 record.

That terrific play from Green continued in the ninth as he retired the Giants first two batters easily.

Down to their final out Mike Yastrzemski made things interesting with a solo home run over the right field wall making it a 5-3 game.

That’s as close as the Giants got as Wilmer Flores struck out swinging securing Toronto’s 43rd win of the season.

For the Blue Jays they had a combined 10 hits and got them from all over their lineup with Horwitz, Jansen, and Kevin Kiermaier tying for the lead with two hits each.

The only real standout batter in the Giants lineup was unsurprisingly Heliot Ramos with his two-run homer with Yaz picking up the other lone RBI on his solo shot in the ninth.

With the loss the Giants fall to 45-49 but will look to bounce back when they open up a three-game homestand against the tough Minnesota Twins tomorrow at 7:15 p.m.

Jays Clement hits for 4 RBIs, Springer gets 3 RBIs defeat Giants 10-6 in SF

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Toronto Blue Jays Vladimir Guerrero Jr scores as San Francisco Giants catcher Chris Casali stands at home plate with plate umpire Chad Whitson at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Wed Jul 10, 2024 (AP News photo)

Toronto ((42-50). 000 036 010. 10 14. 0

San Francisco (45-48). 200 011 002. 6. 9. 1

Time: 2:41

Attendance: 32,014

Wednesday, July 10, 2024

By Lewis Rubman

SAN FRANCISCO–Wednesday night’s ignominious 10-6 defeat of the Giants at the hands of the Toronto Blue Jays came as quite a contrast to Tuesday’s hard fought walk off pitchers’ duel of a win. The drubbing the orange and black received was only barely masked by the two runs they managed to tack on as a fig leaf in the bottom of the ninth.

The starting pitchers for both teams were work horses. San Francisco’s Logan Webb began the evening at 7-6, 3.09 and leading the National League in innings pitched with 119-1/3. Toronto’s Chris Bassitt (7-7, 3,43 at game time) had 200 last season.

The one time Oakland A has had an injury plagued career . While a minor leaguer in the White Sox organization he suffered a broken finger on his right, pitching, hand. While with the A’s, he missed almost a month in 2015 because of a strained right shoulder and almost all of the 2016 and part of the 2017 seasons for Tommy John surgery. Then he lost almost a month in ’21 after a line drive fractured one of his cheekbones in late August.

The Giants jumped out to an early lead on first inning singles by LaMonte Wade, Jr., back in lineup, Michael Conforto, and Thairo Estrada with a walk to Patrick Bailey thrown into the mix. That’s where things stood until the Jays erupted for three runs in the top of the fifth on Ernie Clment’s 385 foot blast into the left field bleachers with Vladimir Guerrero, Jr., and Alejandro Kirk on board.

The Giants got one of those runs back in their half of the frame on an infield hit by Bailey and Conforto’s double to right center, and a wild pitch. That was the last inning Bassitt would pitch Wednesday night. He finished his work after throwing 99 pitches, 60 for strikes. The three runs he surrendered were earned and came on five hits and a walk. He struck out a half a dozen Giants and gained his eighth win of the year even though it raised his ERA to 3.52,

Toronto erupted for three runs against the heretofore hermetic Webb, in the top of the fifth on singles by Davis Schneider and Alejandro Kirk followed by Ernie Clement’s 385 foot homer to left center. Those three RBI were 75% of his career high four in the game.

Webb became completely undone. in the sixth, when the Blue Jays crossed the plate a half a dozen times, in ways too numerous and painful to mention. Four of the runs were charged to him, giving him a total of seven, all. earned.

The Giants’ ace, who will, along with Héliot Ramos, represent the team in the All-Star Game was the losing pitcher, leaving his record at 7-7, 3.47. He surrendered eight hits and a walk to the 24 batters he faced. His successor, Sean Hjelle, was charged with two runs, both earned, on three hits in the one inning he pitched, while Luke Jackson coughed up another run in his three innings of relief.

The Blue Jays sent a total of five hurlers to the mound. Following Bassitt were Brendon LIttle (2/3 of an inning, a run, earned, on two hits and an equal number of walks; Zach Pop (one batter); Ryan Burr (two perfect innings); and Bowdin Francis, who gave up back to back consolation prize solo round trippers to Bailey and Chapman in the final, futile ninth.

Wade, Bailey, and Conforto, with two each, had multi hit games for SF.George Springer, Leo Jiménez, who replaced Bo Bichette, who left the game with muscle soreness in the bottom of the fourth, and David Schneider got two hits apiece for the visitors, and Clement got three.

Who knows what surprises are in store for us when these two struggling teams play the rubber game of the series Thursday, at 12:45 San Francisco’s Jordan Hicks (4-5, 3.47) is slated to start against Toronto’s Kevin Gausman (6-8, 4.64).

Wisely’s base hit ties it, Fitzgerald scores on walk off wild pitch Giants edge Jays 4-3 at Oracle

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Heliot Ramos is greeted by San Francisco Giants third base coach Matt Williams after hitting a bottom of the fourth inning home run against the Toronto Blue Jays at Oracle Park in San Francisco (AP News photo)

Toronto (41-50). 000 000 300. 3. 3. 0

San Francisco (45-47). 000 000 013. 4. 9 1

Time: 2:27

Attendance: 32,924

Tuesday, July 2, 2024

By Lewis Rubman

SAN FRANCISCO–Before defeating the Toronto Blue Jays in a thrilling come from behind walk off pitchers’ duel this pleasant July evening, the San Francisco Giants announced a series of transactions that complimented the recent trade of Austin Slater to the Cincinnati Reds.

Last year’s Cy Young trophy winner, Blake Snell, returned from his rehab assignment in Sacramento . Southpaw hurler Alex Young came to the Giants as part of the Slater deal and was optioned to the River Cats. Thairo Estrada and Wilmer Flores came off the IL, and Nick Ahmed was designated for assignment.

The first of these movements was the most critical. The Giants have been moving towards playoff contention at a Snell’s pace; his return to the 26 player roster gave San Francisco reason to hope that the team could play the second half of the season without a rotation of Webb and three days of bullpen.

Snell pitched only five innings this evening, but what a five innings those were! If you looked at the Giants’ pitching numbers, you’d think it had been a bullpen game. If you watched the game, you knew it was old fashioned strong pitching, cut short only by the desire to stretch Snell out gradually he allowed only one hit, a second inning single to Davis Schneider, and three walks while throwing 73 pitches, 45 for strikes on his way to a no decision that brought his atrocious pregame ERA of 9.51 down to an ugly 7.85, but the numbers were incidental. Snell was in charge from the first of his first out until his last. Randy Ramírez replaced him and hurled a perfect sixth.

Flores started at first base, batting fifth, and went one for four.

Jorge Soler originally was slated to lead off as the designated hitter, but an unspecified viral infection made him a last minute scratch, so Thairo Estrada, originally batting seventh and playing second was inserted in his place.

Brett Wisely batted ninth and played second. His two out single with runners on first and second in the bottom of the ninth tied the score of this nail biter. Fitzgerald, who had occupied Wisely’s places in the original lineup card, was moved up a notch in the batting order and a few feet over on the field to play short. He hit a home run in the eighth and scored the winning run on a wild pitch to Estrada to nail down San Francisco’s walk. off wind.

The Blue Jays, whose season thus far has been about as disappointing as the Giants’, chose 菊池 雄星 (Kikuchi, Yūsei) to start this three game penultimate first half series. Kikuchi, who had established himself during his eight years with Tokyo’s Seibu Lions, where he went 69-45, 2.69.

He spent a mediocre three years, 2019-23 with the Seattle Mariners and two more after that with Toronto.. He was 4-8, 4.12, going into the game this evening. But he did a beautiful job, allowing only two runs, both of which came on leadoff home runs, one by Héctor Ramos in the fourth and the other Fitzgerald’s in the eighth. Kikuchi was his old self Tuesday night.

He threw 7-1/3 strong frames, facing 27 batters and striking out 13 of them while holding them to six hits without issuing a single base on balls. He, too, had to be satisfied with a no decision although he shaved 0.12 runs off his ERA.

San Francisco’s all star right fielder Héliot Ramos broke a scoreless tie in the bottom of the fourth, a 418 foot blast into right center off a 95mph four seamer. It was his 13th round tripper and part of his 15th multi hit game in Oracle Park this season.

Disaster struck the Giants after Ryan Walker took over on the mound for the top of the seventh. With one down, he walked Danny Jensen gave up a double off the Bank of America advertisement to the left of the 399 foot marker in center field to the pinch hitting Spencer Horwitz.

Kevin Kiermaier pinch rancor it Horowitz, but that proved unnecessary because Ernie Clement smacked an 85mph slider over the Hanwha Life advertisement in right center, landing 385 feet from the plate and putting the Jays up, 3-1.

Walker retired his next two opponents, one by one on a called third strike. Luke Jackson pitched a perfect eighth, and Erik Miller allowed naught but a walk while fanning one Blue Jay to earn the win, giving hi a record of 3-2, 3.43.

The series will continue Wednesday, evening at 6:45. Logan Webb (7-6, 3.09) will start for the orange and black. Chris Bassitt (7-7, 3.43) will be on the hump for the squad from the Rogers Centre.

He Was A Giant? J.R. Phillips 1B 1993-98 #31 By Tony the Tiger Hayes

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JR Phillips San Francisco Giants Topps 1995 #590

J.R. Phillips -1B – 1993-96 – # 31

By Tony the Tiger Hayes

Tall and handsome, with a tattoo of a large American Eagle perched on his rippling left bicep and a Patrick Swayze- worthy mullet – the swashbuckling J.R. Phillips would have made a great fictional character in a Hollywood sports film or even a baseball themed romance novel.

The problem for the Giants – who foolhardily floated the idea of Phillips as a replacement for franchise icon Will Clark – was that the strapping lad was not the creation of a screen writer or some drug store fiction scribbler.

The 6-foot-2, 205 pound Southern Californian was very much a real dude and in turn, not a particularly good real- life major league ballplayer.

An all or nothing slugger with gigantic, upper-cut stroke, Phillips once fanned 165 times in a baseball professional season.

That portion of his game was prominently on display as a Giant.

In fact, San Francisco had not seen a swinger as brazen as J.R. Phillips since leisure-suited lotharios populated Union Street fern bars in the 1970s.

But initially there was hope for Phillips. After Clark left the Giants via free agency after the 1993 season, the Orange & Black had their fingers crossed that they had some how struck gold with Phillips.

The 22-year-old had led the Pacific Coast League in home runs in 1993 and dazzled in a late-season cameo for San Francisco.

But it was a major ask for Phillips whose baseball pedigree was about as impressive as a junk yard dog applying for a runway slot at Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.

Phillips ultimately flopped. But then again, so did every other dud first base candidate who tried to follow in Clark’s footsteps for several years after his decampment.

Why Was He a Giant?

Not only was the intense Clark one the most popular Giants of the Candlestick Park era, Clark was one of the most successful Giants in terms of both personal production and his prominence in transforming the Giants into a winning organization after many dormant seasons.

A charismatic 1984 baseball Olympian, Will also served as a major marketing tool for the Candlestick Park-addressed franchise.

Clark’s eight year tenure with San Francisco encompassed three of the team’s most successful seasons of the ‘Stick era: the team’s first division title in 16 seasons (1987), first pennant in 27 years (1989) and most regular season wins at that juncture (103) in 1993.

Moreover, Clark was also MVP of the 1989 NL Championship Series, a five time All-Star, Gold Glove winner (1991), and Silver Slugger winner 1989. He batted .299 in his eight-year Giants career.

In ‘89 he famously drove in the winning run vs. the Cubs to send San Francisco to the World Series vs. Oakland.

With liberally smeared lamp black under his eyes and an always turned-on intensity, the member of the College Baseball Hall of Fame was the living and dying face of Giants baseball.

To this day, Giants fans rhapsodize about Will’s first career at-bat home run off Nolan Ryan and a wild fight with Ozzie Smith and multiple Cardinals after a hard slide into second base.

But despite batting .387 in the final month of the ‘93 campaign – and a solid .283, 16, 73 for the season -Giants officials believed Clark – who would be 30 at the start of the 1994 season – was on a downward trajectory.

Club officials secretly fretted Clark was not committed to physical conditioning and his usefulness would peter out before he reached the end of his next contract period.

The club refused to budge from a three-year $15 million offer, with a club option for a fourth season.

So, disheartened Giants fans helplessly watched Clark walk away to Texas where Rangers principal owner George W. Bush was pleased to hand “The Thrill” a cartoon sized check for $30 million over five seasons.

Bay City ticket buyers weren’t the only one’s frustrated. In 1993, Giants rookie manager Dusty Baker had watched Barry Bonds, Robby Thompson, Matt Williams and Clark lead the Giants to a then club record 103 victories.

Why mess with the recipe for a delicious and deeply satisfying meal, Baker wondered.

“My first reaction is I would have loved to have kept Will,” said Giants manager Dusty Baker, after Clark’s departure became official. “But If Willie Mays and Hank Aaron can be traded, anything can happen in baseball.”

Saying he was “very disappointed” that the Giants could not come to terms on a new contract with Clark, San Francisco general manager Bob Quinn announced the club would find it’s 1994 first baseman from a hodgepodge fronted by the uninspiring Todd Benzinger with fellow journeymen Mark Carreon and Dave Martinez also thrown into the mix.

Lastly, he mentioned Phillips.

Though the marketable rookie was the most intriguing candidate, initially Giants bigwigs played down the phenom.

“We don’t want to place too much pressure on (Phillips),” said Quinn of the MLB novice, who had bopped a combined 39 professional homers during the ‘93 season. (11 to top the Arizona Fall League; 27 to lead the PCL and one with San Francisco.)

Baker also pumped the brakes on the kid.

“I’m not ready to put the “Next Will Clark” label on J.R.,” said Baker. “Todd Benzinger is my first baseman for now.”

And with that comment, absolutely zero fans went out and bought season ticket plans.

Though a decent hitter for average and an excellent defender, the mundane Benzinger possessed limited run producing power and even less pizazz.

Benzinger, a Cincinnati- area native and member of the Reds 1990 World Championship club, was steady, but hardly a highlight reel machine.

Plus, he didn’t exactly present as an bankable figure. While Phillips resembled a square-jawed professional wrestler or muscular Oklahoma oilfield roughneck in appearance -the buttoned-down Benzinger looked more like the guy you would pay to do your taxes or possibly someone who collected Osmond Brothers records for fun.

Everyone, including, apparently, Phillips, knew, the Giants were really itching for the next sellable “Will the Thrill” or at least “J.R. the Star.”

“(I know) they’re not going to hand me the job,” Phillips said after Clark’s departure became official. “But I think they want me to play first. I will be disappointed if I don’t win the position. I know what I can do.”

Why Was He a Giant?

With a young J.T. Snow entrenched at first base in the majors, California left Phillips exposed to the 1992 minor league draft. The Giants – who risked losing Clark after the upcoming 1993 season- were all too happy to take Phillips off the Halos hands for $25,000.

Phillips, an Angels fifth round draft pick out of his La Puente, CA high school had bashed 55 career home runs over his first five minor league seasons. But he was a strikeout machine, hit for a low average and was a shoddy defender.

But the Giants swiftly loaded J.R. onto the back of truck with the words “Reclamation Projects” stenciled on the side.

(Ironically, San Francisco would not solve their post-Will Clark woes until Snow – who eventually flamed out in Anaheim – was acquired from the Angels to play first in 1997.)

The club added the fledgling Phillips to the 40-man roster and invited him to 1993 spring training.

Phillips did not cause much Cactus League commotion, but once the ‘93 Pacific Coast League season began, he commenced hammering balls into the Sonoran Desert night sky like shooting stars with purple- hued afterburners.

It seems Giants veteran minor league batting coach Duane Espy had noticed some fixable flaws in Phillips’ swing. After 31 games, Phillips was batting .286, with 8 home runs and 23 RBI.

Six weeks into the PCL season, reports began filtering back to Fog City about a potential future replacement for Will Clark.

“(Espy’s) changed my whole approach to battling. He took me into this little room and showed me video tapes and told me ‘this is what we’re going to do with you,” Phillips told the San Francisco Examiner in May of ‘93. “I never realized my swing was so bad until he showed me.”

Phillips moved up onto the plate, shortened his swing and began pulling the inside pitch.

When major league rosters expanded in September, J.R. – after topping the PCL in both home runs (27) and RBI (94) – was recalled to San Francisco to help in the quest to keep the seemingly unstoppable Atlanta Braves at bay.

He Never Had a Giants Bobblehead Day. But…

In his first big league start, Phillips, subbing for Clark, teamed up with 21-year-old rookie RHP Salomon Torres – a Giants prospect even more hyped than J.R. – to upend the Cardinals, 3-1, at St. Louis (9/4/93).

Phillips barreled- up a triple that caromed off the center field fence in his first at-bat, then in his next plate appearance bombed a two-run home run to right, scoring Bonds, off future Forever Giant Rene Arocha.

“It’s a great feeling. I’ll take it anytime,” said Phillips, of his first two big league hits. “Really, on the home run, I was just trying to move Barry up.”

“We didn’t bring these guys up just to look at them,” Baker said, of the fresh reinforcements.

(The victory kept the Giants incredibly shrinking lead in the NL West at 3.5 games ahead of the rampaging Braves. Atlanta would eventually capture the NL West in the waning hours of the ‘93 regular season.)

Before & After

When spring training rolled around in 1994, Phillips appeared more than ready to take command of Clark’s vacancy.

The confident rookie started the exhibition season batting 4-for-5, including a mammoth 450-foot homer.

“We’ll go in with our eyes open,” Baker said regarding roster competition. “There’s nothing I would love more than for someone to make my decision hard.”

In the final week of Cactus League friendlies, Phillips continued his hot spring: tripling and whacking a two-run jack, to up his exhibition average to an impressive .333. J.R.’s 17 RBI topped the squad.

He was named winner of the Harry S. Jordan Award, denoting the Giants top rookie in spring camp.

The same Giants press release that publicized Phillips spring achievements, also listed Benzinger’s stats as .256, 1, 4.

Despite the wide discrepancy in spring numbers, the Giants chose to send Phillips back to Triple-A Phoenix to open the ‘94 season.

Benzinger was an eight-year veteran and top notch glove man. He also played quite well in 1993, batting .288 hitter in 86 games off the bench for San Francisco. Todd got the nod as opening day first baseman in 1994.

“Benzinger deserves the chance based on what he did last year,” Baker said. “He fits well into the lineup. We like what J.R.’s shown, we like his attitude. He’ll be back, and when he’s back, he’ll be here for a long time. People want to rush these kids too soon. If they fail, then what? It’s also important to have a person in between J.R. and Will (Clark). It’s tremendous pressure to follow. His future is ahead of him. We feel he can still get better before he’s ready to come to the big leagues.”

The second-year skipper told the stout rookie to work on raising his batting average, cut down on his strikeouts, and improve on defense after committing an alarming 28 minor league errors in 1993.

Phillips seemed to understand Dusty’s dugout perspective.

“I’m disappointed, but Todd deserves it. He’s been up there,” the husky batsman commented. “He did a hell of a job last year. I wish him all the luck in the world. What they’re doing is trying not to rush me. They told me I’m the first baseman of the future. They said when it’s my time, I’ll be there.”

But it wasn’t his time in 1994. The ‘94 season, with it’s infamous labor conflict, was a lost year for Phillips.

After beginning the season with Phoenix of the PCL, Phillips received a call-up in June, but batted a miserable .132 in 15 games.

The ball player, partially blamed the pressure of replacing a crowd favorite for his poor showing.

“I haven’t been swinging at strikes. I’m swinging at balls,” Phillips lamented.

The extended stay in the minors allowed Phillips to iron out some of his issues. Once again he proved PCL pitching was not a mystery – hitting .300, 27, 96, before breaking his forearm late in the season.

The labor issues spilled into 1995, but when spring training finally opened, the Giants, this time, proffered a full vote of confidence to the procrastinating prospect.

The hard swinger was named the Giants regular first baseman. On opening day at Atlanta (4/26/95), Phillips creamed a Greg Maddux pitch for a long home run, in an otherwise dismal 12-5 lop-sided loss.

J.R. however, soon fell into a deep slump, collecting just ten hits in his first 99 at-bats. After batting 0-for-2 in an 11-6 win at Montreal (5/29/95), the lethargic contestant was batting an icy .101.

The Giants could no longer justify playing Phillips every day and he was returned temporarily to Phoenix. Carreon was named starting first baseman by default.

Later in the ‘95 season the light seemed to come back on for Phillips.

A day after depositing a gigantic homer into the right field football bleachers at Candlestick off the Pirates RHP Paul Wagner, J.R. clocked a pair of round trippers against Pirates RHP Steve Parris for a career topping 5 RBI game in a wild 8-7 home win (8/10/95).

By September 15, the wayward phenom was batting over .300 in his previous 31 games.

At the time, Phillips took a moment to reflect on his roller coaster big league odyssey.

“It’s been very frustrating,” the weary Californian acknowledged. “Stupidity is more like it. I look at the things I could have done.”

Phillips ended up the ‘95 season appearing in a career high 92 games with San Francisco. On the positive side he achieved career bests in homers (9) and RBI (28). But he also batted an inexcusable .195 and struck out 69 times – or nearly 30 percent of the time.

It was back to the drawing board for Phillips, which in his case was located south of the border.

Phillips logged time in the Mexican Winter League after his disastrous ‘95 Giants campaign. Upon reporting to spring training in 1996, J.R. declared to anyone with a pen and pad that he was back on track.

He offered a new batting stance as evidence. Phillips would now be holding the bat very low, with his wrists about parallel to his waist before swinging.

After going 6-for-10 with a pair of homers to start the Cactus League, it looked as if he actually knew what he was talking about.

“I’m very comfortable that way,” he said.

Phillips indicated he was close to reclaiming a spot in the Giants lineup. If not at first base, then possibly the outfield. He even brought a catcher’s mitt to camp.

Phillips was also beginning to sound like someone who had brought a few extra bottles of tequila back from Jalisco.

Besides anything short of getting run over by a turnip truck, Carreon – who had reached career highs in hits, home runs and RBI in 1995 – was now San Francisco’s clear cut starter at first. The outfield was booked too. As far as catching – well – was he legitimately nuts?

Dusty Baker said it was time for some introspection on Phillips’ part.

“It’s not like I took J.R.’s job from him. Carreon did that,” Baker said. “If J.R. had been doing relatively well in the first half of the season, he might have gotten more of a chance. I was told a long time ago the best way to keep your job is to keep your competition on the bench.”

Phillips kept the spring training pressure on. After an impressive three- homer weekend in the final portion of the ‘96 exhibition schedule, he was batting a lusty .388 for the spring. The Giants had no choice but to include him on their 1996 opening day roster.

J.R. said he learned a lot by his ‘95 failures.

“I tried to keep up with the great Matt Williams and Barry Bonds, and I didn’t play my game,” he said. “The turning point was when they sent me down and Carreon started getting hot. Coming up as a pinch hitter off the bench was difficult. I’d never had to do that.”

Well, he didn’t have to do it for much longer- at least not for San Francisco.

After starting the 1996 season a squalid 5-for-25 – albeit with a pair of home runs – the Giants decided to finally cut ties with the once promising player – trading Phillips to Philadelphia for “future considerations.”

“He has tremendous power potential,” said Giants GM Quinn. “It didn’t happen in this uniform, maybe it will happen elsewhere.”

Phillips looked forward to the new horizons.

“I thought something was going to happen,” Phillips confessed before departing the Giants clubhouse. “I feel good about it.”

Phillips played in Philadelphia about as well as he did with the Giants, before moving on to fruitless stops in Houston and Colorado. He played his final pro season in 2005.

Giant Footprint

The decision to let Clark walk to the Rangers detrimentally set the Giants franchise back for years. Who knows what the team could have accomplished if Bonds, Williams, Thompson and Clark would have had more than one season together joining forces in their prime.

After going 103-56 in 1993, the Giants would not produce another winning season until 1997, with the arrival of Snow, Jeff Kent and others.

Will Clark meanwhile batted over .300 in six of his remaining seven seasons in the majors, ending his career with a .303 batting average.

Thirty years after he left the Giants as a player, San Francisco retired Clark’s familiar uniform no. 22.

In 242 career big league games, Phillips batted .188, with 23 home runs and 87 RBI.

Giants Drop Series to Cleveland in a 5-4 loss; Naylor nails 3 run homer to pace Cleveland in win

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Cleveland Guardians Bo Naylor watches the flight of his three run homer in the bottom of the sixth inning as San Francisco Giants catcher Patrick Bailey looks on at Progressive Field in Cleveland on Sun Jul 7, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

The San Francisco Giants were looking for a series win as they took on the Cleveland Guardians (56-32) Sunday afternoon but had to settle for a 5-4 loss only winning game two in the series. The Giants have dropped to 44-47, three games below five hundred. San Francisco rallied in the ninth inning pulling to within one run but fell short in this game.

Game recap: The Giants got a great start in the game taking a 2-0 lead in the second inning. It was a quick strike, a Michael Conforto home run, with Patrick Bailey aboard taking the 2-0 lead into the third inning. San Francisco scored another run in the third inning extending their lead. Heliot Ramos singled and Nick Ahmed scored from third after leading off the inning with a double for a Giants 3-0 lead.

The Guardians began to make some noise scoring 2 runs in the fourth inning. Cleveland pulled to within one run with a couple of Guardian hits that brought two runners home. Bo Naylor hit a single that drove Angel Martinez home for their first run of the game. Daniel Schneeman came to the plate and doubled allowing another Cleveland runner Jose Ramirez to score ending the inning with the Giants still leading 3-2.

It was a quiet fifth inning for both teams. In the sixth inning Cleveland took their first lead of the game scoring three runs. Bo Naylor had his second hit of the game, a home run, driving in two runners, Andres Gimenez who was on second and Tyler Freeman on third for a 5-3 Cleveland lead.

This game went into the ninth inning with the Guardians hanging onto the 5-3 lead. San Francisco had one inning left to try and turn this game around. Patrick Bailey flied out but Matt Chapman doubled to keep this game alive for the Giants. Michael Conforto grounded out bringing Chapman home and San Francisco had pulled too within one run with two outs on the board. Luis Matos who hit for Slater and was called safe on a Cleveland throwing error and the Giants were still alive. It all came to an end when Brett Wisely grounded out and the Guardians had won the game 5-4 as well as the series.

Cleveland had 10 hits in this game and San Francisco finished with 7 hits. Giants starting pitcher Hayden Birdsong went 4.2 innings allowing 5 hits, 2 runs, 2 walks with 5 strikeouts. The Guardians starter Carlos Cerrasco threw for 5 innings with 6 hits, 3 runs, 1 walk and 4 strikeouts. It all came down to the Bo Naylor 3-run home run in the sixth inning to push Cleveland over the top.

Game notes: Sunday afternoon in Cleveland, the San Francisco Giants (44-47) played the Guardians (56-32) in the rubber match of their three-game series. Cleveland evened up the series in Saturday’s game with a 5-4 win keeping them atop the American League Central. Sunday the Giants sent Hayden Birdsong to the mound. Birdsong pitched for 4.2 innings, allowed five hits and two earned runs.

Carlos Carrasco started for the Guardians went five innings, six hits and three earned runs with four strikeouts. San Francisco wrapped up the series with a win on Friday night but losing two out of three to the Guardians. The Giants are heading home to San Francisco for a series with the Blue Jays which will get underway Tuesday night at 6:45pm PT.

Blake Snell (0-3, ERA 9.51) will take the mound for the Giants in this game returning from IL. This will be his first start since June and his second IL this season. It was not be an easy return for the pitcher in his first return from IL but he was solid on Wednesday in Sacramento looking sharp with five no-hit , shutout innings striking out nine batters. The Blue Jays will start Yusei Kikuchi who come in with a 4-8 win/loss record and a 4.12 ERA.