Tag: Atlanta Braves

San Francisco Giants Matt Chapman runs the bases after hitting a two run home run in the bottom of the tenth inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco Sat Jun 7, 2025 (AP News photo)

Saturday, June 7, 2025

Oracle Park

San Francisco, California

Atlanta Braves 2 (27-36)

San Francisco Giants 3 (37-28)

Win: Tyler Rogers (3-2)

Loss: Pierce Johnson (1-3)

Time: 2:05

Attendance: 35,162

By Stephen Ruderman

The Giants pulled off their fourth win in a row in what was a pitcher’s duel, as they were down to their final out, and Matt Chapman hit a walk-off home run to left field to cap off an epic Giants’ 3-2 win over the Braves Saturday.

After Buster Posey shook things up on Wednesday, the Giants have been undefeated. They blew a lead last night, but they were able to win it on a walk-off wild pitch for their seventh walk-off win of the season.

Saturday, on Pride Day, and another gorgeous day for baseball at Oracle Park. San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie was on hand for pregame ceremonies, as were LGBTQ leaders, including State Senator Scott Weiner.

Iowayna Pena, Director of Government Affairs and Real Estate Development for the Giants, and a prominent leader in the LGBTQ Community, threw out the first pitch with the new Pride Ball. What is the Pride Ball you ask? It is a baseball with rainbow stitching. The Seattle Mariners first came up with the idea this year. To my knowledge, it was not used in Saturday’s game, but it would be pretty cool if they start using it for Pride Day next year.

Logan Webb took the ball. Let’s be honest here: Logan Webb is Matt Cain with a sinker. Webb looks like Cain; has the same build as Cain; and has the same mechanics as Cain. Most importantly and unfortunately, Logan Webb suffers the same level of being screwed by his offense as the great Matt Cain.

Saturday would be the same for the Giants’ ace. Webb started off strong, as he retired the first six men he faced. Webb ran into trouble but escaped a jam in the top of the third, and then he threw another 1-2-3 inning in the top of the fourth.

Braves’ starter Bryce Elder started off almost just as strong. He threw a one, two, three inning in the bottom of the first, followed by a pair of scoreless innings in the second and third.

The Giants struck first in the bottom of the fourth, as Wilmer Flores led off the bottom of the fourth with a home run to left field off a hanging slider by Elder. Elder retired the next three, but Braves Manager Brian Snitker decided to get thrown out of the game by Home Plate Umpire Gabe Morales afterwards.

Good chance Snitker got tossed to motivate his struggling team that has not had the kind of season they expected, and who has lost some tough games as of late. It appeared to work, as Michael Harris led off the top of the fifth with a home run to right-center to tie it. Webb retired the next three, and Elder threw a one, two, three inning in the bottom of the fifth.

The Braves then staged a rally off Webb in the top of the sixth, as they loaded the bases with nobody out on three-straight singles. Matt Olson popped up into an infield fly, and then Marcel Ozuna grounded into a fielder’s choice to put the Braves ahead.

Webb struck out Harris to end the top of the sixth and his day, as his pitch count got to him. Webb was just great over six innings, as he struck out ten, and didn’t walk a single guy.

The only problem? You guessed it: Webb couldn’t get any support. Elder one-upped Webb with 12 strikeouts over eight dominant innings. Elder, too, didn’t walk anybody, and on top of that, he only gave up three hits.

That’s why the Giants must have been ecstatic to see former Giant Pierce Johnson in the bottom of the ninth. Well, that, and the fact that it was a wild pitch by Johnson that won the game for the Giants last night.

Pierce Johnson struck out Daniel Johnson to start the bottom of the ninth, and then Heliot Ramos grounded a base-hit to left-center. Wilmer then popped up, and the Giants were down to their last out.

Matt Chapman came up to the plate as the Giants’ last hope on this beautiful afternoon. The count was 1-1 when Johnson threw Chapman a semi-hanging curveball in the bottom half of the zone. Chapman turned on it, and hit a two-run home run to left to win it for the Giants.

It was the eighth walk-off win for the Giants this season, and their second walk-off home run. Believe it or not, the Giants had nine walk-off wins at this point of the season in 2011.

Tyler Rogers, who pitched a scoreless inning in the top of the ninth, got the win, and Pierce Johnson took the loss for the second day in a row.

The Giants improve to 36-27, and they will go for the sweep Sunday with Landen Roupp (3-4, 3.18 ERA) on the hill. Spencer Strider (0-4, 5.68 ERA) will take the ball for Atlanta.

First pitch will be at 1:05 p.m.

San Francisco Giants podcast Michael Villanueva:

#1 Michael, the San Francisco Giants Matt Chapman hit a two run walk off home run in the bottom of the ninth inning at Oracle Park against the Atlanta Braves 3-2 on Saturday for their fourth win in a row.

#2 Heliot Ramos got on board with a single and one out and relief pitcher Pierce Johnson who dropped his record to 1-3 got Wilmer Flores to pop up and then Chapman came up with his 12th homer of the season.

#3 The Braves starter Bryce Elder, allowed a run and three hits and struck out 12 in eight innings of work and the Braves lost another heartbreak losing their sixth straight game.

#4 Giant starter Logan Webb pitched six innings struck out ten and allowed two runs and surrendered six hits. It was the fourth time that Webb had strike outs in double digits this season.

#5 Atlanta and San Francisco match up again on Sunday afternoon at 1:05pm PDT. Starter for the Braves RHP Spencer Strider (0-4 ERA 5.68) for the Giants RHP Landen Roupp (3-4 ERA 3.18) first pitch slated for 1:05pm PDT at Oracle Park.

Michael Villanueva is an MLB analyst for http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

San Francisco Giants Tyler Fitzgerald is mobbed by teammates after scoring the game winning run in the bottom of the tenth inning against the Atlanta Braves Fri Jun 6, 2025 at Oracle Park in San Francisco (AP News photo)

By Michael Villanueva

SAN FRANCISCO–On Friday night at Oracle Park, the San Francisco Giants defeated the Atlanta Braves 5–4 in a thrilling walk-off, extending their winning streak to three games in a row. The Giants handed the Braves their fifth consecutive defeat, improving to 25–15 thanks to early offense, clutch pitching, and an exciting extra-inning finish. Despite a few rocky moments along the way, the Giants’ tenacity was demonstrated in this thrilling victory.

The Giants quickly took the lead, scoring three runs in the first inning as a result of timely hitting and Braves errors. Wilmer Flores and Jung Hoo Lee each contributed run-scoring knocks to take advantage of Atlanta’s defensive errors, while Heliot Ramos continued to be a force at the plate with three hits. The Braves refused to go quietly, even though the Giants appeared to be in control and had a 4-0 lead by the end of the second inning.

Atlanta clawed back in the middle innings, beginning with a run in the fifth before Matt Olson tied the game with a two-run homer in the seventh—his 13th of the season. The Braves’ bullpen held the line from there, including a scoreless ninth by veteran closer Craig Kimbrel, who recently returned to the roster. The Giants had chances but struggled with execution on the basepaths, including a costly pickoff of Tyler Fitzgerald in the ninth that nearly derailed their momentum.

The automatic runner rule gave San Francisco a new opportunity in the 10th inning despite the baserunning problems. On a groundout, Tyler Fitzgerald, who began the inning on second, moved up to third. Fitzgerald then raced home and scored the game-winning run in walk-off fashion after Braves reliever Pierce Johnson uncorked a wild pitch that bounced past catcher Sean Murphy with the game on the line. It was the Giants’ seventh season-long walk-off victory.

The Giants’ defense was crucial in keeping the score tied and facilitating the walk-off. Dominic Smith contributed with strong defense at first base, Mike Yastrzemski displayed good outfield positioning, and Matt Chapman made a crucial throw to cut down a runner. The Giants’ depth and composure under duress were demonstrated by Camilo Doval’s scoreless ninth inning on the mound and Spencer Bivens’ escape from a bases-loaded jam in the top of the tenth to secure the victory.

This game was a gut-punch for the Braves, who dropped to 18–20 amid mounting frustrations. For the Giants, it was another example of a team that continues to find different ways to win, even when the game gets messy. With momentum on their side, San Francisco will look to keep rolling as they head into the weekend, while the Braves are left searching for answers to halt their sudden skid.

Starting pitchers for Saturday for Atlanta RHP Bryce Elder (2-3 ERA 4.56) for San Francisco RHP Logan Webb (5-5 ERA 2.55) first pitch 1:05pm PDT at Oracle Park.

San Francisco Giants starter Logan Webb was dealing against the Atlanta Braves at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Thu Aug 15, 2024 (AP News photo)

Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024

Oracle Park

San Francisco, California

Atlanta Braves 0 (64-57)

San Francisco Giants 6 (62-62)

Win: Logan Webb (11-8)

Loss: Max Fried (7-7)

Time: 2:23

Attendance: 29,319

By Stephen Ruderman

SAN FRANCISCO–Logan Webb gave the Giants seven and two thirds shutout innings, as the Giants were able to score some runs and salvage this series with a desperately-needed 6-0 win on Wednesday.

Following Sunday’s tough loss against the Tigers in which they missed a lot of opportunities and committed a pair of devastating base-running gaffes, the Giants have fallen into a predictable spiral.

On Monday, Blake Snell and Chris Sale squared off in what very well may have been the best-pitched game in Baseball this season only for the Braves to win 1-0 with their automatic runner in the 10th inning. On Tuesday, the Braves won again thanks to the automatic runner in the 10th. Then Wednesday night, Robbie Ray couldn’t even make it out of the first inning, as the Braves slaughtered the Giants 13-2.

The one thing that was consistent over the first three games of this series—well, other than the losing—was the Giants’ inability to get the big hit with runners in scoring position. The Giants went 3-for-24 with runners in scoring position in the first three games of this series.

Thursday, Logan Webb would once again have to be the stopper—seems like he’s had to be the stopper a lot this season—as the Giants looked to avert the sweep. The Giants came into today’s game four and a half games back of the Braves for the third wild card spot in the National League, so today was really a must-win game.

To further complicate things, the Braves won the season series against the Giants with their win Wednesday night, so they hold any potential tiebreaker. If the Braves were to win Thursday, the Giants would be five and a half games back and would have to gain six and a half games in their final 38 games. Simply put, the Giants really needed to win Thursday.

Webb got off to a nice start with a one, two three, inning in the top of the first, and the Giants would threaten against Braves’ starter Max Fried in the bottom of the first. Tyler Fitzgerald singled and stole second, but Fried retired the side, and it was another wasted opportunity for the Giants.

Webb threw another one, two, three, inning in the top of the second, and the Giants would mount a rally in the bottom of the second. Jerar Encarnacion, Mike Yastrzemski and Casey Schmitt all singled to load the bases with nobody out, so the question was how they would waste this opportunity.

Catcher Curt Casali struck out swinging for the first out, so yup, here we go again. Grant McCray—the son of former major leaguer Rodney McCray—who was called up to make his major league debut Wednesday night was now up.

Bob Melvin, who likes to bunt from time to time, put on the safety squeeze. McCray tried laying down a bunt at the first pitch from Fried, but he missed. Two pitches later, he got the bunt down right in front of the plate, but when Fried got it and flipped it to catcher Travis d’Arnaud, d’Arnaud juggled it and did not have full control of the ball. Encarnacion scored, and the Giants finally had their first lead of the series.

It wasn’t a base-hit to the outfield, but it was an RBI hit with runners in scoring position, and it was a tremendous shot in the arm, so hey, the Giants will take it! Plus, it was an interesting and cool way for McCray to get his first big league hit and RBI. Fitzgerald then got Yaz in with a sacrifice fly to center to make it 2-0.

Both teams went scoreless in the third, and then the Braves had their first real rally of the day in the top of the fourth. Michael Harris II led off the top of the fourth with a base-hit to left.

Austin Riley then hit a ground ball to short that Tyler Fitzgerald flipped to Casey Schmitt at second to try and get Harris. Schmitt had the ball and grazed the bag at second with his foot, but he dropped it on the transfer, which prompted Second Base Umpire Jeremy Riggs to call Harris safe. The play went to replay, but the call was upheld.

The Braves had runners at first and second with nobody out following a tough break for Webb and the Giants. With everything that has gone on in this four-game losing streak, it could have spelled disaster.

However, with how tough Webb is, it was no problem. Marcel Ozuna worked an 0-2 count into a full count, but Webb got Ozuna looking on a sinker at the knees for a much-need first out. Webb then caught a massive break when Matt Olson lined a bullet to Mark Canha at first, and Canha stepped on the bag to double off Riley for an unassisted double play to end the inning.

Webb escaped the jam without any damage, which was another shot in the arm for the Giants. He then settled down to throw a one, two, three, innings in the fifth and sixth.

Yastrzemski walked with one out in the bottom of the sixth, and that ended the day for Fried. Jesse Chavez then came in for Atlanta, and Casey Schmitt hit a line drive home run to left field to make it 4-0. Two batters later, Grant McCray, who had gotten his first big league hit and RBI with his bunt single in the second, hit his first big league home run to right-center.

Webb hasn’t had the greatest run support this season, but now, he had a 5-0 lead heading to the seventh. Webb pitched another scoreless inning in the top of the seventh, and back-to-back doubles by Heliot Ramos and Matt Chapman off Chavez in the bottom of the seventh plated another run for the Giants to make it 6-0.

Bob Melvin let Webb go back out for the eighth, and Webb retired the first two hitters he faced. With two outs, Ramon Laureano was up with a 2-2 count. Webb threw a pair of pitches that were very close, but were called balls by Home Plate Umpire Dan Iassogna, and Laureano drew the walk.

Webb was a strike away from throwing eight shutout innings, but after Laureano walked, Whit Merrifield singled to right-center to put runners at the corners with two outs. That ended Webb’s day, and he exited to a standing ovation from this grateful crowd of 29,319.

Melvin wasted no time bringing in Tyler Rogers in a 6-0 game. It was definitely a move that would be made in a must-win game, especially with a powerful Braves’ offense very much capable of coming back. The move paid off, as Harris flew out to left to end the inning.

Webb didn’t get eight shutout innings, but seven and two thirds shutdown innings isn’t bad. He gave the Giants an outing they really needed, as he gave up just four hits and a walk, and he struck out seven.

Aaron Bummer, who finished the bottom of the seventh for Atlanta, pitched a scoreless bottom of the eighth. Melvin then brought in Spencer Bivens, who was called back up this morning, for the ninth, and Bivens pitched a one, two, three, top of the ninth to end it.

Logan Webb got the win, and Max Fried took the loss.

The Giants were able to score six runs, and they did a bit better with runners in scoring position, going 3-for-11. However, they are still going to need to consistently get those key RBI hits with runners in scoring position if they want to make a run at the Playoffs.

The Giants get back up to .500, as they improve to 62-62. Funny thing: The Giants were 2-11 when having a chance to get back up to .500 prior to last week, but they have now won three-straight games in that situation.

The Giants also gained a game on the Braves and are three and a half back of the third wild card spot. The Giants will still have to gain four and a half games in their final 38 games, but it’s still a lot better than having to gain six and a half games in that span, which they would have had to do had they lost Thursday. The bottom line is that this was a desperately needed win.

The Giants will have their lone Friday off-day of the season Fri Aug 16th, and then they will begin a short two-game set in Oakland against the A’s on Saturday. It will most likely will be the Giants’ final series at the Oakland Coliseum, and most likely the final Bay Bridge Series ever.

Hayden Birdsong (3-2, 5.40 ERA), who is coming off a pair of rough starts, will look to bounce back as he takes the ball in the series opener at the Coliseum on Saturday. Right-hander Osvaldo Bido (3-3, 3.92 ERA), meanwhile, will make the start for Oakland. First pitch will be at 4:07 p.m.

National League Wild Card Standings:

*1. Diamondbacks 69-53 +4.5

*2. Padres 69-53 +4.5

3. Braves 64-57 —

Mets 62-59 2.0

GIANTS 62-62 3.5

*Reds 60-61 4.0

*Cardinals 60-61 4.0

Cubs 59-63 5.5

*Tiebreaking procedures taken into account.

Giants News and Notes:

Randy Rodriguez was placed on the 15-Day Injured List prior to the game Thursday due to inflammation in his right elbow. Rodriguez has pitched in 33 games this season, and is 3-2 with a 3.93 ERA. He has also proven to be quite valuable in late-inning situations. It is unknown how long he will be out.

Major League Baseball News and Notes:

Rob Manfred is at it again. As if the atrocious rule changes he has implemented aren’t bad enough, he is now suggesting a rule in which starting pitchers would have to complete six innings with some possible exceptions. Those exceptions could include reaching the 100-pitch mark and giving up four or more runs.

As much as it would be good for the game to see starting pitchers go deeper into games, this is a move that is guaranteed to lead to more injuries.

Speaking of Manfred’s rule changes, the A’s beat the Mets 7-6 at Citi Field in what was the longest nine-inning game since the implementation of the pitch clock last season at three hours and 45 minutes.

The previous longest nine-inning game with the pitch clock was the first of the two games between the Giants and Padres in Mexico City on April 29, 2023. The Padres beat the Giants 16-11 7,350 feet above sea level. That game lasted three hours and 44 minutes.

San Francisco Giants starter Robbie Ray hit two batters, walked a batter with the bases loaded and gave up a grand slam home run to the Atlanta Braves Michael Harris in the top of the first inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Wed Aug 14, 2024 (AP News photo)

Atlanta (64-56) 501 012 022.   13 11 0

San Francisco (61-62).   100 000 100     2. 9 0

Time: 2:26

Attendance: 27,460

Wednesday, August 14, 2024

By Lewis Rubman

SAN FRANCISCO–Before Wednesday night’s 13-2 devastating loss to the recovering Atlanta Braves, the vacillating San Francisco Giants promoted Grant McCray from Sacramento. He had played in 47 games for the River Cats and produced a batting average of  only .270 in the hitter friendly triple A Pacific Coast League but his OPS was an encouraging .819. Earlier in the season, McCray’s numbers in those categories were .210 and .732 over 50 games for the Richmond Flying Squirrels of the  double A  Eastern League.

The 23 year old left handed batter started Wednesday evening in center field , occupying the ninth spot in the batting order.  The flip side of McCray’s unprepossessing  offensive record is that he’s considered outstanding in the field.

Anyone who was expecting a pitcher’s duel, or even a close game, after Monday and Tuesday’s ten inning thrillers would have been disappointed. Robbie Ray, only recently recovered from Tommy John surgery, made a cameo appearance as San Francisco’s starter – that’s “starter,”  not “opener” – in which he faced eight batters and hit the first two he pitched to, followed that with a strikeout and then two consecutive walks capped off by a grand slam by Michael Harris II.

Atlanta now led, 5-0. A strike out and a walk later, Ray was gone, and Sean Hjelle was on the mound. Tyler Fitzgerald tagged  Braves’ starter Grant Holmes’ first offering,a 93mph four seamer  for a 358 foot homer to left, the Giants’ shortstop’s 14th round tripper of the year. The loss left Ray with a record of 2-2, 6.00. 

After Ray’s departure,  Matt Olson’s  21st four bagger of the year, a leadoff  371 footer to left, restored the Braves’ five run advantage. Hjelle retired the next six Braves he faced, giving way to Erik Miller, who entered the game at the top of the fifth and promptly gave up a leadoff home run to Austin Riley.

Miller went 1-1/3 innings  and allowed two runs, both earned but one of which was posthumous . Melvin’s minions also used Landen Roup (1-2/3 innings, three hits, and a run, earned), Taylor Rogers (two runs in the eighth on a Laureano single and Sean Murphy’s seventh dinger), and Mike Yastrzemski, who threw soft tosses that resulted in two runs on two hits and a lot of hilarity.

Holmes, making his  fourth career start and 14th appearance  went to work  at 0-0, 3.79  gave a more than acceptable account of  himself. The 28 year old southpaw weakened in the seventh, surrendering a run on Bailey’s uncursed leadoff double and Wisely’s single to right before retiring the side on a fly by McCray to the warning track in left and a pair of  strikeouts.

The went seven frames and allowed two runs, both earned, on eight hits, one of them yard, and a walk while striking out half a dozen opponents. He threw 95 pitches, 68 qualified as strikes, to 29 batters, and went to the team hotel with a mark of 1-0, 3.60. 

Luke Jackson pitched the  eighth in Holmes’ stead and, in spite of a hit batter and a single to Casey Schmitt, kept the Giants off the scoreboard. Jimmy Hergel set the Giants down in order in the ninth.

The Braves’ baker’s dozen of runs was their season’s high. Harris’s homer was the first grand slam of his career and the first visitor’s grand slam splash hit. Atlanta’s leadoff hitter, Soler, hit by a pitch to start the game, now has a 22 game on base streak.

The ex-Giant left the game in the top of the fourth with tightness in his left hamstring. Yastrzemski’s misadventures on the mound were his big league pitching debut.

San Francisco will try to avoid the sweep Thursday, afternoon at 12:45. Logan Webb (10-8, 3.32) will start for the orange and black. He’ll face Max Fried (7-6, 3.56).

Atlanta Braves Luke Jackson (right) scores and is congratulated by Orlando Arcia (left) for the go ahead run in the top of the tenth inning against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park in San Francisco (AP News photo)

Atlanta (63-56). 021 000 000 1. 4. 10. 1

San Francisco (61-61). 011 000 010 0. 3. 7. 1. (10 innings)

Time: 2:38

Attendance: 30,468

Tuesday, August 13, 2024

By Lewis Rubman

SAN FRANCISCO–After Monday night’s pitching duel for the ages between the aces of the Braves’ and Giants’ rotations, it was inevitable that. this Tuesday’s set-to would be a letdown. Nonetheless, it was a close and exciting battle, another extra inning affair, in which the Giants again fell to the Braves in an extra innings affair.

Raiser Iglesias, Monday night’s winning pitcher got the save, his 25th, and the win went to Dylan Lee, whose record now stands at 4-2, 1.96). It wasn’t a slugfest, but it was no pitchers’ duel either.

The Giants chose 23 year old Kyle Harrison and his 6-5, 4.08 season’s record, which included two games this month. In the first of them, at Cincinnati on the third, he yielded six earned runs in 3-2/3 innings; in the second, four days ago he gave up two earned runs in 4-2/3 innings.

Tuesday night he lasted five full innings, in which he gave up three runs, all earned, on six hits and a pair of free passes, throwing 89 pitches, 54 of which met the criteria for strikes, before giving way to Sean Hjelle, who pitched a scoreless sixth.

San Francisco also called on Landon Roupp (two hits in two innings with three strikeouts), Jordan Hicks (a shutout ninth, and Randy Rodríguez, who took the loss when Travis d’Arnaud’s weak grounder bounced off Casey Schmitt’s glove into right field allowed pinch zombie runner Luke Williams to score the winning run.

The Braves went with the Methusala of the majors, 40 year old, 15 year veteran, Charlie Morton, who came to work with a season’s record of 6-7, 4.47 after having surrendered eight earned runs in his last start, in which he lasted all of 2-2/3 innings against the Brewers.

Morton performed much better tonight. He allowed two runs, both earned, on six hits, one of them a homer, and a walk in six innings of work. 63 of his 98 offerings counted as strikes. Jesse Chávez took over for him after the crowd, which included a lot of vocal Braves fans, had sung “Take Me Out to the Ball Game.”

He set the orange and black down to a conga beat, 1, 2, 3. Pierce Johnson, who entered the fray in the eighth and allowed the tying (unearned) run to score on a wild pitch, Dylan Lee, the winning pitcher, and Raisel Iglesias, who earned the save, also saw action on the mound for Atlanta.

Ramos gave signs of breaking out of his post All Star Game slump, going two for five, including a first inning triple, after which he was stranded on third. The team left seven runners on bases and missed ten opportunities to get a hit with a runner in scoring position.

Ramos was the only Giant to have a multi-hit game and one of the three with an extra base hit. The others were Wade, with a double, and Tyler Fitzgerald, with a 425 foot, 105 mph blast in the third, his 13th round tripper of the season.

Patrick Bailey’s single to center in the fourth ended his hitless streak at 23.

It was the Braves major league leading ninth extra inning win. Three of their batters Riley, d’Arneau, and Laureano, with two apiece. Ex-Giant Jorge Soler, ex-Athletic Ramón Laureano, and Travis d’Arneau went the distance.

The Giants now have two chances to climb over the .500 mark and end the series where they started. They’ll try Wednesday, at 6:45 by sending Robbie Ray (2-1, 3.98) to the mound. Atlanta will counter with Max Fried ((7-6, 3.56).