Category: San Francisco Giants

Giants Drop First Game In Astro Series 7-3

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Houston Astros starter Luis Garcia exits here after suffering from an elbow injury after throwing eight pitches against the San Francisco Giants at Minute Maid Field in Houston on Mon May 1, 2023. Garcia is the second Astro pitcher to have a arm or elbow issue, pitcher Jose Urquidy was placed on the 15 day IL after suffering a shoulder injury on Sat Apr 29, 2023. (AP News photo)

Giants Drop First Game In Astro Series 7-3

By Barbara Mason

After a quick two game series against the San Diego Padres over the weekend in Mexico City, the San Francisco Giants (11-17) traveled to Houston to take on the Astros (16-13) in a Monday night game. The Giants didn’t fare no better in Houston dropping the first game of the series 7-3 at Minute Maid Field to open the series.

The game got a bit of a late start when Astro pitcher Luis Garcia left the game and Brandon Bielak took the mound in his place. Something was not right with Garcia and so Bielak took over.

Houston took a 1-0 lead in the first inning. A Jose Abreu single drove Mauricio Dubon home for the early lead.

San Francisco would take the lead when Joc Pederson hit a two-run home run for a 2-1 score. After a rough two game series in Mexico there was no apparent fatigue that may have followed them to Houston.

The Astros tied up the game 2-2 when Mauricio Dubon singled and Jake Meyers scored. The Astros would have a huge seventh inning scoring five runs. There would be a flurry of hits from Houston. Dubon had another hit, this one a double driving in Jake Meyers.

Alex Bregman singled Dubon home and Jose Abreu grounded out and Bregman scored. The Giants were sitting on two outs but just could not get that third out to end the inning. Jeremy Pena and Corey Julks both singled driving two runners home now leading 7-2.

Going into the eighth inning, the Giants had a big hole to dig out of. San Francisco got to work as their first at bat in the eighth LaMonte Wade Jr. knocked one out of the park, a solo home run. That would be all there was in the inning for San Francisco but they did get one back now trailing 7-3.

The Giants had one last chance as they went into the ninth. They would have to do it against one of the best closers in the game Ryan Pressly. The five run inning was the difference in this game for San Francisco. This was Giants fourth loss in a row.

Starting pitcher for the Giants, Ross Stripling went five innings. He allowed two runs and had five strikeouts. Relief pitcher Sean Hjelle was pulled after one inning. He allowed the five runs in the seventh inning and Tristin Beck would close out the game giving up one hit, no runs and two strikeouts.

The Giants will continue this three game series tomorrow sending Anthony Desclefani (2-1 ERA 2.70) to the mound. Hunter Brown (3-0 ERA 2.37) will start for Houston. First pitch is scheduled for 5:10 PM.

Giants Swept In Mexico City Series Losing To Padres 6-4

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San Francisco Giants center fielder Mike Yastrzemski, center, walks with a trainer after an injury as manager Gabe Kapler walks alongside, right, during the eighth inning. Yastrzemski is headed to the IL after injuring his left hamstring on Sun Apr 30, 2023 at Estadio Alfredo Harp Helú Stadium in Mexico City. (AP News photo)

Giants Swept In Mexico City Series Losing To Padres 6-4

By Barbara Mason

Sunday afternoon the San Francisco Giants (11-16) finished up their two-game series getting swept against the San Diego Padres (15-14) in Mexico City 6-4. A lot of fans were expecting another slug fest much like the one we saw Saturday. 19,633 fans got to enjoy Sunday’s game, only the second MLB game played in Mexico city ever.

The Giants jumped all over the Padres to start this game. After four innings San Francisco led 4-0. The Giants had three home runs in the first four innings. The first one came off the bat of LaMonte Wade Jr in the first inning. In the second inning another long ball from J.D. Davis and in the fourth inning Mitch Haniger sent one sailing over the wall to take a 3-0 San Francisco lead. They would extend their lead when Mike Yastrzemski singled Michael Conforto home in the fourth.

The Giants held the lead into the fifth inning and then that is when the tide turned.. San Francisco did not have another hit after the sixth inning single from Yastrzemski.

In the bottom of the fifth the Padres scored three runs starting off with an Austin Nola two-run home run followed by a Juan Soto single driving in Fernando Tatis Jr. After seven innings the Giants were hanging onto a 4-3 lead.

San Diego had another three-run inning in the bottom of the eighth. Jake Cronenworth singled driving Juan Soto home to tie the game 4-4. Matt Carpenter would double bringing Xander Bogaerts and Cronenworth home taking a 6-4 lead. That would be the final in this game with the Padres sweeping the series.

The losses were bad enough but there were some costly injuries in this series. Brandon Crawford missed todays game after right calf tightness suffered yesterday in the fourth inning and Mike Yastrzemski attempted a diving catch on a shallow fly ball in center field that resulted in a possible hamstring issue and was forced to leave todays game. He was hurt in the eighth inning.

Giants starting pitcher Alex Cobb had a great game under the tough conditions despite the loss. He went five innings and gave up seven hits and three runs with seven strikeouts. He struggled a bit in the fifth with the altitude and Scott Alexander relieved him in the sixth inning. In this game Cobb got his 1000th strikeout mixing up his pitches but the bullpen struggled for the rest of the game.

San Francisco will now travel to Houston taking on the Astros Monday night. Ross Stripling (0-1 ERA 6.89) will take the mound for the Giants and for the Astros Luis Garcia (4-4 ERA 4.00) will start. It will be a tough game for the Giants after dealing with the altitude in Mexico City with little to no rest before Monday night’s game. First pitch is scheduled for 5:10 PM.

MLB podcast with Charlie O: Will A’s move to Vegas minor league park in 24 season?; What’s way up in Mexico City with Pads and Gigantes

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Fans in the stands on Fri Apr 28, 2023 game protested the A’s owners moving to Las Vegas proposal. Banners were hanging once again from the right field stands encouraging Oakland A’s owner John Fisher to sell the team at the Oakland Coliseum as the A’s maybe playing their final season in Oakland (AP News photo)

On the MLB podcast with Charlie O:

#1 Charlie, you’ve spent many a decade cover the Oakland A’s going through the stands and pressbox speaking with the fans and reporters you can see it on their faces during this current homestand with the Cincinnati Reds ironically another team you covered back in your days in Ohio. Fans at the Oakland Coliseum are pushing for A’s owner John Fisher to sell the team.

#2 Charlie, how possible is it that the A’s will move into their minor league affiliate the Las Vegas Aviators park in 2024?

#3 The Aviators are fairly new tenants in that ballpark coming from old Cashman Field how excited or not excited do they have to be sharing a ballpark that most likely will have to change from grass to turf for some 150 plus games?

#4 Charlie, San Francisco Giants and San Diego Padres play game two in Mexico City today. The response to this series has been by the local fans. Do you see Mexico City having a shot at getting an expansion team?

#5 If you missed it on Friday San Francisco Giants manager Gabe Kapler took the subway to get to Afredo Harp Helu Stadium for practice and ended up getting off one stop before the ballpark station because the station was under construction as passengers needed to use the bus to get to the next station. Kapler knew just enough Spanish to ask the driver to let him off at the freeway near the stadium and Kapler had to cross three lanes of highway to get to the ballpark saying he’ll take the team bus for the two game series.

Join Charlie O for the MLB podcasts each Sunday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Giants Lose Slugfest In Mexico City to San Diego 16-11

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San Diego Padres’ Manny Machado celebrates a two-run home run against the San Francisco Giants during the seventh inning of a baseball game at Alfredo Harp Helu Stadium in Mexico City, Saturday, April 29, 2023. (AP News photo)

Giants Lose Slug Fest In Mexico City to San Diego 16-11

By Barbara Mason

Saturday afternoon the San Diego Padres (14-14) hosted the San Francisco Giants (11-15) in a two game series. The two teams are squaring up in the first regular season game ever in Mexico City. A ton of offense was a big part of this hitter-friendly environment that had runs galore.

Alfredo Harp Helu Stadium sits at 7,350 elevation which is 2,000 feet higher than Coors Field . The air is much thinner in Mexico City but along with that the stadium walls are much shorter. The game showcased a whole lot of hits and runs in the Padres 16-11 win.

Game recap: Fan were not disappointed with the deluge of offense that the two teams provided. The Padres scored in the first five innings to lead the game 10-8 which included five home runs. Nelson Cruz, Juan Soto, Xander Bogarerts, Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado all hit long balls in this slug fest.

The Giants had a couple of home runs in the third inning and a huge fourth inning scoring six runs. Brandon Crawford and LaMonte Wade Jr. both hit home runs in the third inning. In the fourth inning, Mitch Haniger hit a three-run home run to tie up the game 5-5. The Giants took the lead 8-5 in the fourth. Thairo Estrada doubled in three runs and LaMonte Wade Jr, Mike Yastrzemski and Blake Sabol all scored.

In the fourth and fifth innings the Padres had the four home runs for the 10-8 lead.

In the seventh inning, Blake Sabol hit a two run home run to tie up the game 10-10. The Giants took the lead on a David Villar solo home run 11-10.

That lead was short-lived when Manny Machado hit his second home run of the game, this one a two-run home run to take back the lead 12-11. The Padres extended their lead in the eighth inning 14-11. Trent Grisham doubled driving in Ha- Seong Kim and Austin Nola. The Padres loaded the bases in the eighth inning scoring two more runs now leading 16-11.

The game went into the ninth inning and the Giants had one last chance to make a difference in this game. Trailing by five runs, they had a lot of work to do. The first MLB game played in Mexico City was in the books.

When all was said and done fans watched 11 home runs sailed out of the park. The Giants had five of those home runs and San Diego came in with six. This game was an absolute nightmare for both teams pitchers. While this was not the ideal for either team’s bullpen, it sure gave the fans in attendance a lot of high offense baseball.

Sean Manaea started for San Francisco but lasted only two innings. He allowed five hits and four earned runs.

Sunday game two of this series will start at 1:05 Alex Cobb (1-1 ERA 1.91) will be on the mound for the Giants and Yu Darvish (1-2 ERA 3.00) will get the nod for San Diego.

San Francisco Giants off day report: Giants prepare for mile high 2 game series with Padres in Mexico City

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San Francisco Giants left hand pitcher Sean Manaea will start to open a two game series in Mexico City against the San Diego Padres on Sat Apr 29, 2023 (San Francisco Chronicle file photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The San Francisco Giants are in Mexico City to play two games against the San Diego Padres this weekend. The Giants traveled to Mexico City Thursday night. The team spent the day getting acclimated to the altitude. The elevation of Mexico City is 7,349 feet, 2000 feet higher than Denver’s.

The game will be played at Estadio Alfredo Harp Helu. It should be interesting to see if the thin affects the flight of the baseballs. Let’s hope a humidor is there to keep the baseball from entering the stratosphere.

The Giants, who had a five-game streak snapped on Thursday, want to return to winning. The Giants are in fourth place in the NL West with a record of 11-14. Their opponent, the San Diego Padres, is in third place in the NL West, with a record of 13-14.

Many baseball pundits have picked the Padres to win the NL West. The Padres have yet to play up to the level that they wanted. Former A’s manager Bob Melvin, in his second year as the Padres’ skipper, wants his team to start playing better. The Padres have spent much money acquiring players over the past several years.

Third baseman Manny Machado was recently signed to a long-term contract. Former Red Sox star shortstop Xander Bogaerts also signed a long-term deal. The Padres traded for Juan Soto. Soto was an All-Star with the Washington Nationals but has not played as well with the Padres.

The Padres know his potential and hope he can return to where he was. Outfielder Fernando Tatis, Jr. is back on the field after serving an 80-game suspension for using a performance-enhancing drug. Tatis was the shortstop, but with Bogaerts in the lineup, the Padres have moved him to the outfield.

Other players to watch this weekend are centerfielder Trent Grisham, first baseman Jake Cronenworth, second baseman Ha-Seong Kim, and designated hitters Matt Carpenter and Nelson Cruz.

The Padres use lefty Josh Hader as their closer. Nick Martinez is the setup guy. The Padres have five relievers on the IL. Two pitchers, Jose Castillo and Drew Pomeranz, will return this weekend. Other relievers are Luis Garcia, Steve Wilson, Tim Hill, Brent Honeywell, and Raymond Kerr.

The Giants have announced Sean Manaea will be their starting pitcher on Saturday. Manaea was with the Padres last year, and he would love nothing better than to beat his former team. Manaea is 0-1 and has 6.61 ERA. The Padres will counter with Joe Musgrove. Musgrove is 1-0, and his era is 5.40. The Sunday game will feature the Giants’ Alex Cobb (1-1, 1.91 ERA) going against Yu Darvish (1-2, 3.00 ERA).

The Giants welcomed back Mitch Hanger and Austin Slater from the IL. Slater may see some action as Mike Yastrzemski may not be available. DH Joc Pederson is back after a short stay on the IL. The Giants will have La Monte Wade, Thairo Estrada, Brandon Crawford, J.D. Davis, Michael Conforto, Haniger, and Joey Bart in the starting lineup this weekend. David Villar and Wilmer Flores can fill in if needed.

The Giants would love to sweep the Padres this weekend. The Giants finished a successful homestand and want to continue their winning ways. After the two-game set with the Padres, the Giants travel to Houston to play the World-Champion Astros.

Cards Mikolas deals 4 hit shutout in 6-0 win over Giants at Oracle; SF win streak stopped at five

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St. Louis Cardinals catcher Andrew Knizner, right, tags out San Francisco Giants’ David Villar at home during the fifth inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Thu Apr 27, 2023 (AP News photo)

St. Louis. 000 000 231. – 6. 12. 0

San Francisco. 000 000 000. – 0 6. 0

Time: 2:44

Attendance: 23,397

Thursday, April 27, 2023

By Lewis Rubman

SAN FRANCISCO–I’ve seen a few different versions of this remark, sometimes attributed to Bill McCullough of the defunct Brooklyn Eagle, but I’ve never been able to confirm it. Still, the assertion , “Overconfidence may cost the Dodgers sixth place” kept coming to my mind as I settled into my seat to watch this afternoon’s concluding episode of the four game series between the reawakening San Francisco Giants (11-13 at game time) and the visiting St. Louis Cardinals (9-16). My skepticism was justified; the Cards shut the Giants out, 6-0.

Logan Webb, whose recently signed five year, $90,000,000 1-1contract stands in stark contrast to his game time record of 1-1-4.40, had only one outing to his credit in the still young season, but that was his most recent one. It came five ago, here at Oracle Park on the 22nd,a 7-4 win over the Mets. In it he held them Mets to a pair of runs, both earned, over seven innings, in which he allowed five hits and threw 98 pitches.

Webb’s opposite number for St. Louis, Miles Mikolas, was an All Star last season but had been a disappointment – to say the least – so far in 2023. When he took the mound, he was leading the National League in hits allowed, was tied for first in runs allowed, had the second highest ERA among qualifying (if that’s the word) pitchers, and was tied for fourth place in home runs surrendered. That explains his game time mark of 0-1, 7.46.

Webb pitched himself out of a bases loaded jam in the top of the third, and Mikolas extricated himself from the same situation in the bottom of the fifth. Indeed, both starters had reason to endorse Lefty Gomez’s formula for success, clean living and a fast outfield.

That wasn’t enough to keep St. Louis off the board in the top of the seventh Wuth one one, Alec Burleson jumped on a two and two four seamer and drove it over the right field wall, 385 feet deep. The pitch came in at 92.9 mph and left Burleson’s bat at 102.3 mph. It was his third round tripper of the year. Webb never recovered from the blast. Paul DeJong and Tyler singled to right and both moved up a base on AndrewKnzner’s fly to left.

Loogan and the Giants might have avoided further damage when umpire and crew chief Paul Emmel called Tommy Edman out at first after he’d hit a grounder to Estrada at second to end the inning. But the Cards appealed the decision, and the review crew in New York correctly overturned it. John Brebbia left the bullpen and climbed the mound to get the final out.

Webb had done a credible job. He threw 102 pitches, 70 for strikes, over 6-2/3 innings and allowed two runs, both earned, on seven hits, one of them Burleson’s fatidic blast, and a walk. He struck out seven Redbirds. John Brebbia, who closed out the seventh and, in conjunction with Tristan Beck, let the game get out of hand in the eighth.

With Norman Gorman on first and one out, Dylan Carlson hit an RBI double to left that sent Brebbia to the showers. His replacement, Tristan Beck, promptly surrendered a four bagger to left by Paul DeJong, his second of the year. It now was St. Louis on top, 5-0.

Meanwhile, Mikolas, after fanning Villar to open the home seventh, was replace by Génesis Cabrera. The Cards’ starter had thrown 6-1/3 frames of shutout ball and allowed four hits, surrendered two free passes, and hit a batter. He threw 95 pitches, 65 for strikes.

When it rains, it pours, or at least drizzles, even on a sunny day on the shores of McCovey Cove. With Beck still on the mound,, Edman led off the visitors’ ninth with a double to right, went to third on Nootbaars’s infield hit, and scored on Goldschmidt’s 5-4 RBI force out.

Drew Ver Hagen set San Francisco down in order in the bottom of the ninth to preserve preserve the Redbird win.

Mikolas, now 1-1, 5.97; Webb, now 1-5, 4.1o, the loss.

The Giants’ next game will be Saturday, the 29th, in Mexico City , where they’ll play a two game series with the San Diego Padres, starting at 3:05 PDT. The pitchers for the first game will be Sean Manaea (0-1,6.61) for the Giants and Joe Musgrove (1-0, 5.40) for the Friars.

Giants Win 7-3 secure 5th Win In A Row Against Cardinals at Oracle Park

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San Francisco Giants’ Blake Sabol strikes out against the St. Louis Cardinals during the third inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Wed Apr 26, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Troy Ewers

SAN FRANCISCO–As the sunset in San Francisco on Wednesday night, it was the Giants against the Cardinals in Oracle Park and Tuesday night’s heroics from Blake Sabol were fresh in fans’ minds as they walked in the ballpark. As the Giants picked up their fifth straight win over the Cards 7-3 on Wednesday night.

The starters were Anthony DeSclafani and Steven Matz and this game started with a bang and Giants fans thought maybe the clock had struck midnight on their luck as Paul Goldschmidt made a big statement with his first two at bats as he had two big solo home runs which put the Cards up 2-0 to early in the night, but the very next inning for San Francisco was where we would see a spark of light as Austin Slater’s RBI single made it 2-1 Cards.

That spark of light was all the Giants needed to get back to how they looked the first two games this series. A home run that same inning from Lamonte Wade Jr. would be the mighty equalizer and the G-Men wouldn’t look back the whole game.

A wild pitch in the fifth would bring in Haniger for the go ahead run, two run home run by Wilmer Flores electrified Oracle Park in the seventh, and finally the Giants would put the nail in the coffin as Conforto and Wade Jr. would secure huge RBIs that sealed the deal in front of 21,748 Oracle fans.

There were some scary moments as a run from the Cardinals in the ninth had the fans holding their breath, but once Camillo Doval saw the mound, SF could exhale as they walked away with a big win. Making it five in a row for SF.

The Giants look to close out the series against St, Louis tomorrow and then it’s off to Mexico City for a two game series against the Padres. Starting pitchers for Thursday afternoon St Louis Miles Mikolas (0-1 ERA 7.46) and for San Francisco Logan Webb (1-4, ERA 4.40) first pitch at Oracle Park in San Francisco 12:45pm PDT.

San Francisco Giants podcast with Troy Ewers and Vince Cestone: Sabol adds to offensive punch during Giants win streak; SF starting DeSclafani tonight

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San Francisco Giants right hander Anthony DeSclafani shown here delivering in 2022 will get the start for Wed Apr 26, 2023 at Oracle Park against the St Louis Cardinals in game 3 of the four game series. (AP file photo)

On the Giants podcast with Troy Ewers and Vince Cestone:

#1 There was some worry that the Giants might falter, have a rough season, but they split with the New York Mets winning the last two games of that four game series and and winning the first two of this three game series against the St Louis Cardinals it seems the hitting has caught some fire.

#2 Wanted to ask you about catcher Blake Sabol who some had doubts about considering this is his rookie season Sabol had been making great contact of late and hit the game winning two run walk off home run on Tuesday night to defeat the St Louis Cardinals 5-4.

#3 Also Sabol can secure the back up position to Joey Bart if he keeps swinging the bat the way he has, Giants manager Gabe Kapler knows that Sacramento Rivercats catcher Gary Sanchez is chomping at the bit to get back up here too.

#4 Alex Cobb got some run support on Monday night and threw his second complete career shutout in a 4-0 six hit win against the St Louis Cardinals striking out four and walking one batter. Talk about Cobb’s command and keeping runners either in check or off the bases.

#5 Game three of this four game series tonight at Oracle Park in San Francisco. The Cards will be going with Steven Matz (0-3 ERA 6.55) he’ll be opposed by the Giants Anthony DeSclafani (1-1 ERA 2.63). The Cardinals are off to their worst 24 game start in 50 years with a 9-14 record. That goes back to the 1973 St Louis Cardinals.

Troy Ewers and Vince Cestone filled in for Michael Duca. Join Michael for the Giants podcasts heard Thursdays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Giants Sabol belts 2 run walk off HR to edge Cards 5-4 at Oracle Park

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San Francisco Giants’ Blake Sabol celebrates after hitting a game-winning, two-run home run against the St. Louis Cardinals during the ninth inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Tue Apr 25, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Tony the Tiger Hayes

SAN FRANCISCO- San Francisco Giants (10-13) catcher Blake Sabol belted a two run walk off homer in the bottom of the ninth inning to help defat the St Louis Cardinals 5-4 to give the Giants a 2-0 lead in the three game series at Oracle Park in San Francisco.

Sabol said after the game that was one of the best moments of his life. Sabol said as soon as he hit the ball by the sound he knew and he bat flipped the bat. Sabol said he just remember screaming and rounding the bases and was jumping up and down with his teammates at home plate.

The Giants in the bottom of the ninth inning had a runner at second and the Cardinals had pitcher Ryan Helsley (0-2) in relief who gave up the home run ball to Sabol who hit it over the center field fence. Sabol said he didn’t come up there to hit a home run but to see what Helsley was offering and if he could see some of the ball out of Helsley’s hand.

Giants manager Gabe Kapler said that was a fight for your life situation for Sabol and he was down two strikes and for Sabol to connect on a pitch like that for a two run home run “it was pretty remarkable. Really cool moment, one of the cooler moments I’ve been part of since I’ve been here.” said Kapler.

The Giants were down 4-2 going into the ninth inning, Joc Pederson reached first on a fielding error by the Cards second baseman Tommy Edman. Then Mike Yastrzemski swung for an RBI double cutting the Cardinals lead to one run 4-3. So with Yastrzemski at second Sabol took Helsley to deep center for the two run walk off homer and one run win.

The Cardinals fell to 9-15 marking the Cards worst 24 game start in 50 years which had St Louis manager Oliver Marmol saying that this group has not given up yet, “This group’s not going to cave,” Marmol said. “I don’t care what people think. This will serve us extremely well when we get into September. I’ll tell you that.”

Kapler used an opener and the Giants ended up using eight pitchers, the Giants ended up surrendering three runs in the top of the eighth inning. The Giants sixth pitcher Scott Alexander gave up the three Cardinal runs, pitching 0.1 innings, three hits and three earned runs but the Giants persevered with Sabol’s two run homer to win it.

Starting pitchers for Wednesday night’s 6:45 pm tilt at Oracle Park for the Cardinals Miles Mikolas (0-1 ERA 7.46) for the Giants Logan Webb (1-4 ERA 4.40) for game 3 of the four game series.

Giants Cobb goes the distance for 4-0 six hit shutout over Cards

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San Francisco starter Alex Cobb goes the distance against the St Louis Cardinals at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Mon Apr 24, 2023 (@SFGiants photo)

St. Louis. 000 000 000 – 0. 6. 1

San Francisco. 000 000 40x – 4. 8 0

Time: 2:20

Attendance: 22,2203

Monday, April 24, 2023

By Lewis Rubman

SAN FRANCISCO–It was the Gateway City against the team from the Golden Gate tonight at Oracle park when your San Francisco Giants (9-13) duked it out with the (9-14) St. Louis Cardinals in the first of a four game match up.

Before the teams took the field, the Giants announced that Mitch Haniger and Austin Slater had been restored to the active roster after having competed their rehab assignments. Darin Ruf, newly returned from the Mets, was placed on the 10 day injured list with an inflamed wrist, and Brett Wisely was optioned to the River Cats. I assume he took the news philosophically.

The home team went with Alex Cobb and his 0-1,2.79 record to face the Cards. The Giants’ 35 year old righty began his stint on the mound needing only 11 strikeouts to notch his 1,000th K.

Southpaw Jordan Montgomery brought his 2-2, 4.84 mark to the mound for the Redbirds. According to Statcast, he has a repertory of five deliveries, none of which he throws more than 38% of the time. They are, in descending order of frequency, the slider, the curve, the four seamer, the change of pace, and the cutter.

It was was a magnificent pitchers’ duel that the Giants won, 4-0, scoring all of their runs – every single one of them unearned – on a four run outburst in the lucky seventh.

The home team blew a wonderful opportunity to grab an early lead, loading the bases with but one out in the first. But Montgomery rose to the occasion, getting Michael Conforto to pop out to the catcher, Wilson Contreras, and fanning Wilmer Flores.

Cobb didn’t allow a baserunner until Paul Goldschmidt sent a double into the right field corner with one out in the fourth. He died on third, the two batters who followed him grounding out to preserve the scoreless tie.

It took a beautiful grab and throw from the knees by St. Louis third saccker Brandan Donovan to rob Slater of hit on a smash down the line with David Villar and Mike Yastremski on base with two away in the bottom of the fourth to keep the Giants from breaking that impasse.

The Redbirds almost broke through in theier half of the fifth they loaded the bases on an infield single by Tyler O’Neill, Donovan’s clean single to left, and a walk to Tommy Edman. But a beautiful play by Villar on Lars Noobaar’s weak grounder to third put the fifth consecutive goose egg on the St. L. line.

After the Cards’ second baseman Edman bobbled Yastremski’s seventh inning lead off grounder, allowing him to reach first safely, manager Tony LaRussa yanked Montgomery and sent Drew ver Hagen into the fray. The resurgent Joey Bart sent a resounding double into left, sending Yaz to third.

The logical move was for the Cards waa to declare an intentional pass to Joc Peterson, pinch hitting for Slater, which is what they did. With the bases now loaded and nobody out, ver Hagen whiffed Estrada. Haniger broke the tie with a sacrifice fly to right. But you ain’t heard nothin’ yet! With the count 0-2 on him, JD Davis took a 90 mph cut fast ball 380 feet into the left field night, and San Francisco was ahead 4-0.

Montgomery was charged with one run, and it was unearned, in his six inning appearance. He allowed five hits, a walk, and a hit batter. He struck out six batter and threw 107 pitches, 65 for strikes. He deserved a better fate. Ver Hagen wasn’t around for the eighth. Jordan Hicks took care of the Giants that frame.

Cobb set the Cardinals down in order in the ninth, winning the second shut out of his career.

The two teams will meet again at 6:45 tomorrow, Tuesday, evening. St. Louis will send right hander Jake Woodford (1-2 ,6.05) to the hill. The Giants haven’t yet name who will toe the rubber for them.