Category: San Francisco Giants

Giants 3 run 8th keys 5-1 win over Cubs at Oracle Park

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San Francisco Giants Matt Chapman (26) takes some warm up swings in the on deck circle the bottom of the fourth inning against the Chicago Cubs at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Tue Jun 25, 2024 (AP News photo)

Chicago (37-43). 001 000 000. 1 4. 0

San Francisco (37-42). 020 000 030. 5 8 0

Time: 2:26

Attendance: 30,368

Tuesday, June 25, 2024

By Lewis Rubman

SAN FRANCISCO–For the second evening in a row, the Giants chose the bullpen route and won. On Monday night an eighth inning outburst gave them a come from behind victory. This Tuesday night an eighth inning three run outburst led the Giants to a 5-1 triumph.

San Francisco opened with Randy Rodríguez (2-1/3 innings, a hit and a run), followed by Sean Hjelle (two innings, two hits, two strikeouts); Taylor Rogers (one inning, one hit, one walk); Ryan Walker (1-1/3 innings, one walk, two strikeouts); Tyler Rogers (who earned the win with one perfect inning); and Camilo Doval (ditto, with a strikeout).

Chicago’s starting pitcher, Kyle Hendrcks had been struggling, as the euphemism has it, this season. His 1-4, 7.66 record at game time was in stark contrast to the 93-69, 3.48 mark he had compiled between 2013 and 2023, but he had performed well in his most recent appearance, a 5-1/3 frame start at Wrigley a week ago in which he held the orange and black to one run, earned, on two hits and a walk.

Tuesday evening, although he was touched for a couple of tallies in the second episode, he was excellent after that until the end of his tenure, when Cotten Brewer started the bottom of the eighth in his stead. The 34 year old righty had gone seven innings and thrown an even 100 pitches, of which only 28 were balls. He allowed two runs, both earned, on five hits and a walk, striking out four. He took the loss and now is 1-4, 6.87 for the year.

As often happens when the Giants go opening pitcher, they executed a pair of matching pregame personnel moves. Tuesday, the optioned Raymond Burgos, who on Monday night had pitched better than his numbers indicated, to Sacramento and recalled Mason Black from the River Cats.

David Villar, the Harvard educated infielder who’s been up and down the interstate between West Sacramento and SOMA, had been promoted last Saturday and was in the lineup this Tuesday evening, batting eighth and playing first. His sacrifice fly to left produced the Giants’ second run in the home second. The first had come on a leadoff single by Jorge Soler, a walk to Matt Chapman, and Michael Conforto’s RBI single to right.

After the Cubs had cut the Giants’ lead in half in the top of the third with a two out walk to Nico Hoerner, who stole second and romped home on Michael Busch’s single to right, Sean Hjelle came in to. relieve Rodríguez. Hjelle allowed a harmless single to Cory Bellinger before ending the inning with a strikeout of Seya Suzuki. Taylor Rogers replaced Hjelle with one on and two out in the fifth and issued a walk and notched a K to end the frame.

San Francisco broke the game open once Colten Brewer replaced Hendricks. Luis Matos led off with a single to left. Brett Wisely smacked a double off the brick wall in right, moving Matos to third. Ramos walked to load the bases, After Patrick Bailey’s grounder to short forced Matos out at the plate. the basepaths still were FOG, full of Giants. Soler’s sac fly to center brought in Wisely, and Chapman’s single to left scored SF’s third run of the inning, their fifth and final tally of the game.

Camilo Doval made mincemeat of the Cubs, setting them down in order on 15 pitches in their futile top of the ninth.

Neither team has announced its starting pitcher for the game scheduled for 6:45pm PT Thursday, evening.

Flores gets literal walk off walk as Giants edge Cubs 5-4 at Oracle

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San Francisco Giants’ Heliot Ramos #17 hits a single off Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Justin Steele #35 in the sixth inning of their MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, June 24, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

Chicago (37-42). 000 130 000. 4 10. 0

San Francisco (37-42). 000 011 003. 5 9. 0

Time: 2:42

Attendance: 30,701

Monday, June 24, 2024

By Lewis Rubman

SAN FRANCISCO–With their amazing 5-4 come from behind walk off (literally a walk off) in this Monday’s series opener against the visiting Chicago Cubs, the San Francisco Giants inched back towards their glass ceiling of .500. The dozen runners the Cubs left stranded gives an idea of what sort of a Perils of Pauline experience Monday night’s game was.

Before the game began, the Giants staged a well earned celebration of the life and achievements of Willie Mays. When the game began, everyone in a Giants uniform wore the number 24, as a tribute to the great ballplayer and person that was Mays. Whatever the motivation of “tributes” like this may be, their main consequence is the difficulty they cause in identifying the players. I consider them another baseball superstition, like avoiding stepping on the foul line when going on and off the field, only wrapped in sanctimony

This evening’s encounter, as probably will be the case for the next three contests, was a bullpen game for San Francisco. Erik Miller was the opener. In his one inning on the mound, Miller walked a batter, Seiya Suzuki, and then picked him off while attempting to steal. That third out ended Miller’s near cameo appearance. His successor, Spencer Bivens, went two frames and allowed two bases on balls, both in his first inning of scoreless work.

Brandon Burgos, promoted today from Sacramento, made his major league debut to open the fourth. Cody Bellinnger welcomed him with a weak grounder down the third base line that just made it into left field for a single. Christopher Morel followed with a solid single to left.

A five pitch walk to Ian Happ loaded the bases with none out. After Danby Swason’s fly out to right provided a brief respite, Michael Busch sent a ground ball behind second base that slick fielding Nck Ahmed had trouble controlling. Busch beat his throw to first for an RBI single. Burgos showed major league poise by getting Pete Crow-Armstrong to ground out to Estrada, closing the inning and preventing further damage. But damage was done, and Chicago was ahead, 1-0.

Luke Jackson was the fourth Giant pitcher, replacing Burgos in the top of the fifth. A leadoff walk to Nico Hoerner and back to back singles to right by Suzuki and Bellinger, and it was 2-0. A wild pitch and a walk to Morel, and the Cubbies had clogged the base paths for the second straight inning.

Ian Happ’s grounder to Estrada forced Morel out a second, but Happ beat Ahmed’s throw to first, Suzuki scored, and there were runners on the corner with only one out. That was it for Jackon. Spencer Howard replaced him with two runners in scoring position and his team trailing 3-0.

Ten pitches later, the score still was 3-0, and the inning was over. Howard struck out Busch and Tomás Nido to keep a bad situation from becoming a total loss. He continued on the mound for the rest of the game allowing a total four hits and a walk but nary a run on the way to his first win of the year against one defeat and lowering his ERA to 3.80.

The Cubs’ starter, Justin Steele, entered the professional ranks in 2014 but didn’t make it to the show until 2021. But when he did, he was quite a success. Last year he was named the NL all-star team and pitched a shutout frame.

In the regular season, he hurled a pair of 10 strikeout games, went seven consecutive undefeated starts. He came to work this Monday bearing an unimpressive 0-3 won-lost mark but sporting a respectable ERA of 3.16. He wasn’t involved in the decision, but he pitched a worthy game, throwing 106 pitches, a noteworthy 81 for strikes and allowing two runs, both earned, on nine hits, two of which were solo home runs. He issued only one free pass and struck out nine Giants in his 7-1/3 innings of work.

Steele cruised through four innings, allowing only a first inning single to Héctor Ramos until Matt Chapman smacked an 82 mph slider 410 feet into the left field bleachers to narrow the gap to 3-1. A gap that shrank to 3-2 on Ahmed’s leadoff homer to left in the home sixth after Jackson had pitched himself into and out of a two on, none down jam in the top of the frame. The blast was Ahmed’s first four bagger in his injury shortened season.

Steele’s labor ceased in the home half of the eighth. With one out and Ahmed, who had drawn a leadoff walk on first, Ramos drove a long drive to the crease where the 365 foot marker meets the State Farm advertisement for a double that put the potential tying and winning runs on base. Tyson Miller relieved him and fanned Flores, bringing up Jorge Soler, who popped out to shallow right

The task of preserving Chicago’s slim lead in the bottom of the ninth fell to Cotten Brewer. Chapman led off with a full count dying quail double that fell just in front of a diving Crow-Armstrong’s glove in center. Estrada beat out a bunt to the mound, sending Chappy to third.

 Chapman made it a one run game by scoring on a sacrifice fly to left by Michael Conforto pinch hitting for Matos. Exit Brewer. Enter Drew Smyly. Patrick Bailey, pinch hitting for Casali singled to center, sending Estrada to second. A walk to Ahmed, and the bases were loaded for Austin Slater, who sent a game tying sacrifice fly to center. Ramos was granted an intentional walk, and Wilmer Flores sent the Giant fans home happy with an anticlimactic but game winning walk.

Smyly was frowning at this turn of events and was charged with the loss

The game featured some excellent fielding by both teams. Two plays by Chicago’s shortstop, Dansby Swanson come to mind, his leaping catch of Estrada’s scorching line drive in the second and his backhanded grab and throw of Casali’s ground ball in the third. Although Ramos didn’t make any spectacular plays, he covered a lot of ground and did the number 24 proud in center field.

The second of this four game series will take place Tuesday, at 6:45. Chicago’s Kyle Hendricks (1-4, 7.46) will face off against a motley crew from San Francisco’s bullpen.

San Francisco Giants podcast with Marko Ukalovic: Giants not hitting, only 1 hit off Sonny Gray, swept by Cards; Open with Cubs tonight

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St Louis Cardinal starter Sonny Gray pitches to the San Francisco Giants in the top of the first inning at Busch Stadium in St Louis on Sun June 23, 2024 (AP News photo)

On the San Francisco Giants podcast with Marko:

#1 Marko, St Louis starter Sonny Gray goes seven innings against the Giants and pitched a perfect game going into the sixth inning before giving up a hit. Gray just went through the Giants line up like butter.

#2 For Sonny Gray he pitched seven innings, giving up one hit and one run picking up the win. Gray had retired the first 20 hitters he faced.

#3 It was Patrick Bailey’s solo shot over the right field fence that ended Gray’s no hit bid in the sixth. The problem is the Giants struggled to get hits in this contest and it was another case of good pitching beating good hitting.

#4 Cardinal reliever Ryan Helsley who has a Major League leading 26 saves shut the door on the Giants in the top of the ninth pitching one inning and striking out two hitters.

#5 Giants try and regroup Monday night as they face the Chicago Cubs. The Cubs were in last place in the NL Central and have move up from fifth to fourth place after picking up a win over the New York Mets. The Cubs are three games under .500. The Cubs and Giants have not announced a starting pitcher as of Sunday night.

Join Marko for the Giants podcasts each Monday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Sonny Gray stymies Giants, who lose fifth-straight 5-3 and get swept in St. Louis

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St Louis starter Sonny Gray pitches into the seventh inning against the San Francisco Giants at Busch Stadium in St Louis on Sun Jun 26, 2024 (AP News photo)

Sunday, June 22, 2024

Busch Stadium

St. Louis, Missouri

San Francisco Giants 3 (36-42)

St. Louis Cardinals Cubs 5 (39-37)

Win: Sonny Gray (9-4)

Loss: Logan Webb (6-6)

Save: Ryan Helsley (26)

Time: 2:15

Attendance: 37,492

By Stephen Ruderman

Well, the Cardinals have swept the Giants. After the Giants lost despite a strong offensive performance Saturday, the offense went dead again for the most part Sunday, as Sonny Gray took a perfect game into the seventh inning, and the Cardinals finished off the sweep with a 5-3 win to hand the Giants their fifth-straight loss on another hot and muggy Sunday in St. Louis

Just as the Giants’ offensive has finally come back to life, the starting pitching, which has been mostly reliable this season, has now started to struggle. The normally-reliable Jordan Hicks got rocked for five runs over four innings Saturday, and the Giants would need a better outing from their ace, Logan Webb, this afternoon.

Opposing Webb and the Giants for St. Louis was longtime veteran right-hander Sonny Gray. Gray, who is in his 12th season in the big leagues, is having a really good season. Gray came into Sunday 8-4 with a 2.95 ERA, and the Giants would have their hands full against him Sunday.

Gray promptly pitched a 1-2-3 top of the first inning, but Webb would have the opposite luck in the bottom of the first. In fact, it took Webb only three pitches to give up his first run. Masyn Winn doubled to lead off the inning, and on the very next pitch, Alec Burleson, who went 3-for-4 with a pair of home runs Saturday, singled the other way to left field to knock in Winn.

For the Cardinals, they were just getting started. Burelson stole second base, and got to third on a fly out by Nolan Gorman for the second out of the inning. Brendan Donovan, who also homered Saturday, knocked in Burleson with a ground-rule down the left field line, and Matt Carpenter plated Burleson with a base-hit to right.

The Cardinals already had a 3-0 lead as the game went to the second, and Gray was literally unhittable. Gray threw another 1-2-3 inning in the top of the second, and the Cardinals scored another run in the bottom of the second, as Pedro Pages singled, stole second and scored on a base-hit by Burleson.

So, it was now 4-0 Cardinals going to the third, and Gray was in complete control. In fact, he was perfect through six innings. Aa for Webb, he finally settled down somewhat with a 1-2-3 bottom of the third, but he had to wiggle his way out of trouble in the fourth and fifth.

Gray retired the first two men he faced in the top of the seventh to make it 20 up 20 down, but Patrick Bailey finally broke up the perfecto with a two-out home run to right. Jorge Soler struck out swinging to end the inning and the day for Gray, but Gray had a remarkable outing.

Seven innings, a hit, a run, just one base-runner and eight strikeouts, even with the Giants’ struggling offense, not bad.

Webb was also done. He gave up four runs and nine hits over six innings, but he did strike out 80, and he really hung in there after he was on the ropes early in the game.

Randy Rodriguez pitched a 1-2-3 bottom of the seventh, and the Giants’ offense would finally wake up against lefty Jojo Romero in the top of the eighth. Matt Chapman and Thairo Estrada both walked, and with one out, Cardinals Manager Oliver Marmol pulled Romero for Andrew Kittredge.

Wilmer Flores hit a ground-rule double down the left field line to make it 4-2, and Austin Slater knocked Estrada in with a sacrifice fly to right. Suddenly, it was a one-run game, and the Giants had the tying run at second. Brett Wisely walked, but Flores was tagged out trying to advance to third on a ground ball to end the inning.

The Giants were unable to tie the game, but their propensity from the end of May to come back late has certainly returned over the last week. All they would need is a quick bottom of the eighth.

At first, it seemed that they would get it. Left-hander Taylor Rogers retired the first two men he faced, but Dylan Carlson doubled to right-center, and Brandon Crawford, the greatest shortstop in Giants History, put the hurt on his lifelong team with a double to right to make it 5-3. Taylor’s brother, Tyler Rogers, then came in to keep the deficit at two.

Cardinals’ closer Ryan Helsley, who came into Sunday with 25 saves in the Cardinals’ first 75 games, was summoned for the top of the ninth. Unfortunately, the comeback energy the Giants had in the top of the eighth was gone, and Helsley pitched a 1-2-3 top of the ninth to end it.

Sonny Gray got the win; Logan Webb took the loss; and Ryan Helsley picked up his 26th save of the season. The Giants have also now lost five in a row, and they have tied their season-high six games under .500, as they fall to 36-42.

The Giants now return to San Francisco for four games against the Cubs, and three over the weekend against the Dodgers. Their four-game series against the Cubs will begin at the Giants’ friendly confines of Oracle Park Monday night, though neither team has announced their pitcher. First pitch will be at 6:45 p.m.

Giants News and Notes:

There is some good news. A trio of Giants will be rehabbing Sunday in the River Cats’ game against the Round Rock Express.

LaMonte Wade Jr. will be playing Sunday; Blake Snell will be making the start; and Robbie will pitch three innings.

Getting those three back healthy as the All-Star Break nears, especially Wade, who was hitting .333 before he went down on Memorial, will provide a tremendous shot in the arm both on the field and in the clubhouse to a Giants team in desperate need of a morale boost.

Final Thoughts:

Giants fans probably disagree with me, but this is a fairly-decent team. However, next week could very well be make or break this season, and time is running out.

The offense has struggled mildly all season, and now the Giants are six games under .500. After the series against the Cubs, the Giants will have three games against the Dodgers, followed by a six-game road trip through Atlanta and Cleveland against two very very strong teams in the Braves and Guardians.

That means the Giants have to win at least three of four from the Cubs. If they don’t, they could easily find themselves anywhere between nine to 13 games under .500 when they leave Cleveland on July 7, and the season will essentially be over.

The one thing that could keep them in contention in the second half is the fact that the National League is absolutely putrid this season, and almost the entire league could be competing for the second and third wild card spots.

They also should be getting Wade, Snell and Ray back soon. They will have some help, but they need to turn things around fast, or else there is a very good chance that their season will be over in the next couple of weeks.

San Francisco Giants podcast with Stephen Ruderman: Giants get roughed up in 3 games with Red Birds

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St Louis Cardinals Brendon Donavon has been part of the wrecking crew against San Francisco Giants pitching. Donavon (right) is congratulated by teammate Matt Carpenter (13) after hitting a solo home run in the bottom of the seventh inning in the second game of their three game meetings this one on Sat June 22, 2024 (AP News photo)

On the SF Giants podcast with Stephen:

#1 The San Francisco Giants started this three game series in Birmingham on Thursday for the Negro League/Willie Mays tribute at Rickwood Field in Birmingham. The St Louis Cardinals got a jump on the Giants with three runs in first inning and another two runs in the bottom of the second and Giants starter Keaton Winn pitched 2.2 innings, giving up five hits and five earned runs. The Giants wound up losing the first of three meetings 6-5.

#2 The Giants were playing the Rickwood game on the heels of the passing of legend and all time baseball great Willie Mays who had passed away two days before the Tribute game in Birmingham.

#3 The Giants and Cardinals continued this series this time after a day off on Friday at Busch Stadium on Saturday. The Giants got off to a great start scoring three runs in the top of the first innings off Cardinals starter Mile Mikolas. The Giants offensively wouldn’t make much noise for the rest of the game as the Cards would score runs two in the first, three in the fourth, two in each of the sixth and seventh innings resulting in a 9-4 loss.

#4 Jordan Hicks who started Saturday’s game is familiar with the Cardinals line up having played in St Louis previously just couldn’t figure them out going four innings, six hits, five runs, three walks and one strike out. Tough loss for Hicks who had some pretty good outings this season.

#5 If have to look back on this series with the Cardinals despite the tough loses the Giants took the most memorable thing was the Rickwood game where the discussion of the history of the Negro Leagues and the memories of Willie Mays was the main topic.

Stephen Ruderman is a podcast contributor and is a MLB beat writer for http://www.sportsradioservice.com

#1

Cardinals and heat too much for Hicks, Giants drop fourth-straight in 9-4 loss in St. Louis

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San Francisco Giants starter Jordan Hicks delivers against the St Louis Cardinals in the bottom of the first inning at Busch Stadium in St Louis on Sat Jun 22, 2024 (AP News photo)

Saturday, June 22, 2024

Busch Stadium

St. Louis, Missouri

San Francisco Giants 4 (36-41)

St. Louis Cardinals Cubs 9 (38-37)

Win: Mike Mikolas (6-6)

Loss: Jordan Hicks (4-4)

Time: 2:28

Attendance: 41,815

By Stephen Ruderman

The Giants scored three runs in the top of the first inning, but the heat got to Jordan Hicks and the Giants, as the Cardinals clubbed four home runs en route to a 9-4 win on a hot and muggy Saturday afternoon at Busch Stadium to hand the Giants their fourth-straight loss..

The Giants had a big comeback win Monday night against the Cubs at Wrigley Field, but they have since lost three in a row, including a hard-fought 6-5 loss to the Cardinals Thursday night at Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Alabama. Saturday, the teams came over to St. Louis to continue this three-game series on a hot and muggy afternoon at Busch Stadium.

Despite the losing streak, the Giants’ offense has come to life over the last three games, and with the heat in St. Louis, they looked to keep that going against Cardinals’ starter Miles Mikolas. Brett Wisely led off the ballgame, and singled the other way to left field to get things started.

Heliot Ramos bounced out on a chopper to short, which moved Wisely to second base, and Patrick Bailey struck out looking on a sinker right on the inside corner. That left things up to Jorge Soler, who is finally swinging the bat with runners in scoring position after brutally struggling in these situations until a week and a half ago.

Soler worked a six-pitch at-bat, and shot a base-hit out to left-center to knock in Wisely and put the Giants on the board. Matt Chapman followed that up with a base-hit to right-center to move Soler over to third.

The batter was now Michael Conforto, and after Chapman stole second, Conforto flipped a base-hit out to right-center to knock in a pair and make it 3-0.

The Giants were in a good position. Their offense manufactured three runs in the top of the first inning, and they had the reliable Jordan Hicks going for them on the mound. Hicks, a crafty Farhan Zaidi signing over the off-season, came into Saturday’s game 3-2 with a 2.82 ERA in his first year as a starter.

However, there would be the question of how Hicks would deal with the head and humidity of St. Louis. Hicks got off to a good start, and he got Masyn Winn to fly out to center to start the bottom of the first, but Alec Burleson reached on an infield hit, and longtime Giants killer Paul Goldschmidt golfed out a sinker at the knees and hit a two-run home run that carried out to straightaway center to make it 3-2.

Nolan Gorman then walked, stole second and got to third on a wild pitch, but Hicks was able to settle down and get out of the inning with the Giants still ahead.

Both teams went down scoreless in the second inning, and after a two-out walk to Chapman in the top of the third, Conforto, who had already knocked in a pair with a base-hit in the first, hit a double that hit off the bottom of the wall in right-center to score Chapman and make it 4-2. For Conforto, he had knocked in three runs in the first three innings of this one.

Wynn grounded out to third to start the bottom of the third, but Burelson walked and stole second, and Hicks would be in trouble again.

Hicks was also sweating buckets in his jersey in what was our first real look at how the cheap jerseys that Nike and Major League Baseball introduced this season would hold off in the heat. Players were sweating buckets in these jerseys with temperatures in the 60s, and with the temperature at Busch Stadium at 93 degrees, it had an obvious impact on Hicks.

Goldschmidt flew out to left, but Hicks’ control was going on him, and he hit Gorman with a pitch with two outs. Nolan Arenado walked to load the bases, but Hicks got Brennan Donovan to fly out to center to end the inning with the Giants’ lead still at 4-2.

Mikolas pitched the first 1-2-3 inning for either team in the top of the fourth, and Hicks, who came back out to the mound with a new jersey in the bottom of the fourth, set down the first two men he faced. However, just as it seemed that Hicks was finally going to have an easy inning, things went south.

Dylan Carlson, who was in the game for the injured center-fielder, Michael Siani, singled with two outs, and Winn doubled Siani over to third. That brought up Burelson, who hit a three-run home run out to the Cardinals’ bullpen in right-center to give St. Louis their first lead of the afternoon.

Hicks was done after four, and he really did the best he could considering the climate and the cheap jerseys he had to wear out there. The Cardinals led 5-4 going to the fifth, and Mikolas, who appeared on the ropes earlier, settled down in the middle innings, and threw a 1-2-3 shutdown inning in the top of the fifth.

Sean Hjelle came in for San Francisco in the bottom of the fifth and pitched through some trouble, and Mikolas finished his afternoon with a 1-2-3 top of the sixth, as he set down the final 10 Giants he faced.

Winn singled with one out in the bottom of the sixth, and then Burelson made it 7-4 with his second home run of the game, another ball that was golfed out and carried to straightaway center.

For the Giants, this was not the end of the world. With their offense somewhat awake again and showing their propensity to come back like they did when they won 10 of 12 in mid-to-late May, there was no reason why they couldn’t pull off a comeback Saturday.

However, left-hander Jojo Romero and right-hander Ryan Fernandez combined to throw a scoreless top of the seventh. Brennan Donovan then got in on the home run action with a solo shot to right off Luke Jackson in the bottom of the seventh, which was the fourth of the day for St. Louis.

The Cardinals now led it 8-4, and they were still looking to add on further in the bottom of the seventh. Catcher Pedro Pages—pronounced (pah-HEZZ)—and Dylan Carlson both singled to put runners at first and second with two outs for the top of the order.

Winn then lined a base-hit to right, and Pages chugged around third to score and make it 9-4, but the one piece of good news was that Winn was tagged out in a rundown trying to stretch it into a double.

Soler and Chapman both singled off Fernandez with one out in the top of the eighth to spark some comeback hopes for the Giants, but that was quickly snuffed out when Fernandez retired the next two he faced.

Spencer Bivens came in for his third-career big league outing in the bottom of the eighth. After struggling against the Cubs at Wrigley on Wednesday, he returned to the form he had in his debut, and pitched a 1-2-3 inning.

Kyle Leahy came in for St. Louis and pitched a scoreless top of the ninth to end it, as the Cardinals won it 9-4.

Miles Mikolas got the win; Jordan Hicks got the tough loss; and for the first time in his major league career, Spencer Bivens did not get a decision.

The Giants have now lost four in a row and fall to 36-41. Saturday, they will try to avoid tying a season-high six-games under .500, as they will try to snap their losing streak and salvage a game in this series.

Sunday’s thriller: Logan Webb (6-5, 2.99 ERA) will be on the mound, and he will be opposed by veteran Sonny Gray (8-4, 2.95 ERA). First pitch will be at 1:15 p.m. in St. Louis, and 11:15 a.m. back home in San Francisco.

The Stars hold on for a 6-5 win over the Sea Lions at Rickwood Field on Thursday

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St Louis Cardinals Brendan Donovan rounds the bases after his two-run homer off the San Francisco Giants’ Keaton Winn in the first inning at Rickwood Field in Birmingham during the Negro League Tribute game on Thursday, June 20, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Morris Phillips

BIRMINGHAM—Flashy, throwback television tricks and a whole bunch of baseball history highlighted the St. Louis Cardinals 6-5 win over the San Francisco Giants on Thursday night at Rickwood Field.

Yeah, that part. The Stars beat the Sea Lions. Amongst the extremely-crowded group of nine NL contenders who have losing records, St. Louis got the leg up. The Giants dropped their third straight, and second consecutive game by an identical 6-5 score. The Giants have a rare Friday evening off before finishing their disjointed three-game set with the Cardinals in St. Louis.

“You look around and kind of can feel what transpired here a long time ago and the players that played on the field,” manager Bob Melvin said. “It’d be nice to win the game, but it was a pretty cool experience.”

The Stars built a 3-0 lead with Nolan Gorman’s run scoring sacrifice fly in the first inning and Brendan Donovan’s two-run home run in the second. Both surges were off starter Keaton Winn, who was lifted in the third inning, the conclusion of an outing in which he allowed five runs on five hits with only two strikeouts.

Randy Rodriguez relieved Winn and his wild pitch while facing Matt Carpenter gave the Cardinals an early 5-3 lead.

The Giants were able to get even briefly when Heliot Ramos connected for a three-run shot off Andre Pallante in the third. Pallante steadied and picked up the win. He allowed three runs on seven hits while striking out five.

Matt Chapman was 1 for 5, and Michael Conforto 0 for 4 in the middle of the Sea Lions lineup constructed by Melvin. Along with Winn’s poor outing, Rodriguez’ wild pitch and the inability to grab a lead at any point, the Giants weren’t all-around good enough to break their losing ways at 114-year old Rickwood. The TV lights, the tiny crowd, and even the fear that there could be a security breach didn’t change the visitor’s poor habits. Wearing snazzy home throwback uniforms didn’t help either.

LaMonte Wade and Cardinal legend Willie McGee weren’t honorary captains, but the pair did escort 99-year old Negro League legend Bill Greason on to the field before the game. Wade’s attempt to play in the game was aborted. His rehab from a hamstring injury continues. Melvin wanted Wade to at least have an opportunity to pinch hit in the game but that fell short when the recovery process didn’t progress quickly enough.

The Giants conclude their road trip over the weekend before a quick turnaround at Oracle Park for games against the Cubs on Monday through Wednesday.

Rickwood Field is on the air….

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The San Francisco Sea Lions’ Heliot Ramos watches the flight of his three-run homer against the St. Louis Stars in the third inning at Rickwood Field in Birmingham the Negro Leagues and Willie Mays Tribute on Thursday June 20, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Morris Phillips

BIRMINGHAM–Nobody got a day off. And nobody got to see all the different bounces in the outfield area either. Well, third base coach Matt Williams did try to show his outfielders what to expect by peppering batting practice balls in off the showy, TV friendly fences. He did that.

Rickwood Field is television. And television is Rickwood Field.

And baseball, for one day, is only slightly more important than spectacle. Forget for a minute that the Giants as well as the Cardinals are fighting for their lives in a crowded, flailing group of National League underachievers.

“Today it feels like it’s a little bit more than baseball,” said Masyn Winn of the Cardinals.

The Giants needed a win, but the Giants organization needed to grieve. Willie Mays has died. It makes for a tough balance, even with a dream-like setting, a national audience, and more in-house historians than you can shake a stick at. Juneteenth, summer solstice and locals beaming with pride round out a very dense mix.

The baseball history in Birmingham begins with Rickwood Field in 1910. The players came soon after. They were black ballplayers with skill and showmanship. Black Birmingham adored those players. Blacks had to envelop those players because white Birmingham wanted to harm them and get them to disappear.

Reggie Jackson came the year after Bull Connor left. He hated the attitudes in the Magic City. He admitted with brutal honesty on FOX’s pre-game show that his temper could have gotten him strung up.

“The nigger can’t stay here. The nigger can’t eat here,” an angry Jackson said of the typical reception he would receive. At the end of his rant about the blatant racism in 1964, Jackson had hto be consoled by Alex Rodriguez on air.

An hour later, Jackson was good again, talking to FOX’s John Smoltz and Joe Davis, and remembering Mays.

“I was honored that he wanted to know who I was.”

Yes, Birmingham is uplifting. It’s also frustrating. And at night, Birmingham is dangerous. Young people here don’t necessarily fall into savory occupations and lifestyles. This keeps things on the edge in 2024.

“Our people are apathetic,” Jeff Drew said.

No Fortune 500 businesses, the prevalence of drugs, a below average school district, and the percentage of single parent homes are all problems for Birmingham.

Businessman Jeff Drew is trying to maintain hope for the future of his town. His family maintained a storefront office in the downtown district beginning in 1950. They had as many as six employees there. But Drew went years without interviewing any black men for a job. And when a particularly callous couple used colorful language around Drew he was disturbed. Soon after, he closed his office and began working from home.

Drew already had issues. Martin Luther King picked Birmingham to give his movement its biggest showdown. Essentially, Martin against Bull Connor and his boys. There were water hoses, embarrassment and pain. Black people suffered and they learned. Drew learned. Martin learned too when he was thrown in jail for “parading without a permit.”

What Drew learned was Martin’s non-peaceful, peaceful ways. When Martin told the Kennedy brothers, “We think you support Bull Connor and segregation,” a line was drawn across the South. Martin would then hang up the phone on the Kennedys. President Kennedy changed his tune after Martin hung up, and provided his full support to the movement.

“He couldn’t beat us,” Drew said of JFK. “He had to join us.”

Great baseball teams did the same in Birmingham. They joined, and people, fans, joined too to support these teams and players. Willie Mays joined the Barons as a teenager. He wasn’t the only name on the marquee. Mays was just getting started, but he already knew who he was.

Tuesday’s minor league game and Thursday’s big league game between the St. Louis Stars and the San Francisco Sea Lions were reminders. They also brought hope that MLB will return soon. Maybe next year.

“I think there should be a three-game series with an off-day,” said Sea Lion Mike Yastrzemski, a visionary for future events at Rickwood Field.

And third base coach Williams just wanted his Sea Lions outfielders prepared. Hitting baseballs pre-game off the colorful, outfield panels displayed the bounces, the nuances.

“I was prepared,” Yastrzemski said.

Donovon leads Cards with home run edge Giants 6-5 in tribute game for Willie Mays, Negro Leagues at Rickwood Field

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By Morris Phillips

BIRMINGHAM–St Louis Cardinals Brandon Donovon’s two run home run and double made a huge difference in a one run game defeating the San Francisco Giants 6-5 at Rickwood Field in Birmingham in a game that honored the late Giants great outfielder Willie Mays and the Negro Leagues.

Mays formerly played at Rickwood Field with the Birmingham Black Barons and did not feel good enough to fly to Birmingham for the game died at 93 years old on Tuesday just two days before the tribute game at the oldest professional baseball park. Rickwood is 115 years old this year.

Former Black Barons player Bill Greason was on hand to throw out the first ball and the game had it’s first all black umpire crew combined from the American and National Leagues . San Francisco pitcher Keaton Winn was going for San Francisco and Donovon hit his seventh homer of the season off Winn.

Donovon was swinging a hot bat who was 3-3 which included a third inning double and a sixth inning RBI. “What a special night,” Donovan said. “I mean, this is something that we should celebrate. This right here is pretty amazing. And to do it in Alabama, I’ve got some friends and family in the stands, it’s like playing summer ball again.”

Earlier in the game the Giants Heliot Ramos hit a three run home run off Cards pitcher Andre Pallante to tie it up in the top of the third inning for his tenth home run. The Cardinals got the lead back in the bottom of the third when Nolan Gorman hit a sacrifice fly to bring in a run.

Same clubs on Saturday as both the Giants and Cardinals have Friday off and will meet again at Busch Stadium in St Louis for a Saturday and Sunday series. The Giants will start RHP Jordan Hicks (4-3, ERA 2.82) for the Cards Miles Mikolas (5-6, ERA 4.59) first pitch 11:15pm PT.

San Francisco Giants podcast with Michael Duca: Giants pay watch party tribute to Willie Mays at Oracle Park

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Rickwood Field in Birmingham the site of the Negro Leagues Tribute game on Thu Jun 20, 2024 featuring the St Louis Cardinals and San Francisco Giants (AP News photo)

San Francisco Giants podcast with Michael Duca:

#1 The San Francisco Giants paid tribute to the late great Willie Mays showing the St Louis Cardinals and San Francisco Giants at the Rickwood game in Birmingham on the Oracle Park scoreboard at a live Watch Party what was that like?

#2 Michael, this was not any ordinary watch party, this game was originally was to pay tribute to not only the Negro League players but by very sad coincidence Willie Mays passed away two days before this tribute game on Tuesday.

#3 Willie’s career was something everybody had gone over this week, the 660 career home runs, 3293 hits, 1909 RBIs, a 23 years career, and a lifetime batting average of .301. Talk about those numbers and what stands out for you.

#4 Michael just wanted to ask you something that Bob Costas said after learning about Willie’s passing Costas said that if they shrunk the Hall of Fame down to ten people Willie Mays would there amongst the ten.

#5 Lastly, your best Willie Mays experience, you had a chance to rub elbows with him many times of those times what most stands out of those times that you got to talk to him.

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

#5