Tag: Atlanta Braves

San Francisco Giants starter Blake Snell took a shutout into the 7th inning in another strong outing. The Giants couldn’t hold on in the top of the tenth as the Atlanta Braves squeezed by 1-0 on Mon Aug 12, 2024 at Oracle Park in San Francisco (NBC California photo still)

Atlanta (62-56). 000 000 000. 1 1. 4. 1

San Francisco (61-60). 000 000 000 0. 0 3. 0. 10 innings

Time: 2:35

Attendance: 30,134

Monday, August 12, 2024

By Lewis Rubman

SAN FRANCISCO–In Monday night’s opener of the four game series between two recent powerhouses now battling for the final playoff spot in the National League, the stumbling but recovering San Francisco Giants fell to the bumbling Atlanta Braves, who had been smarting from being swept in four games at Coors Field. The final score was 1-0.

The Giants came to bat eight times with runners in scoring position. The only hit they  got in that situation was Mark Canha’s single in the first. They stranded six runners overall. The Braves went two for five with runners in scoring position and left a total of six on base.

Blake Snell, who finally has recovered the form he showed for San Diego in last year’s Cy Young award winning season and had been 2-0, including a no hitter, 1.15 with 49 Ks and a WHIP of 0.59 in his last six starts for the Giants threw 103 pitches Monday night before yielding his first base hit, a leadoff double to left by Marcell Ozuna, just over the glove of a leaping Matt Chapman.

The Braves’ second safety followed immediately after, a Matt Olson dribbler between third and the mound that didn’t advance Ozuna. After fanning Orlando Arcía, Snell left the game to thunderous applause, replaced by Randy Rodríguez.

He rose to the occasion, fanning Sean Murphy and Jarred Kelenic, pinch hitting for Ramón Laureano on nine pitches. The curse of the leadoff double strikes again! Snell’s totals for his 6-2/3 innings were no runs on two hits and three walks. He struck out 11 and ended up with a pith count of 114, 70 of them classified as strikes. He lowered his ERA to 3.91 but went home with a no decision.

The submariner Tyler Rogers torpedoed Atlanta 1,2,3 in the eighth before yielding to Ryan Walker to start the ninth. He gave the lie to his name by shutting the Braves down on nothing but a broken bat single by Ozuna. Taylor Rogers pitched the top of the tenth and allowed an almost preordained run on pinch hitter Travis d’Arnaeau’s sac fly to the right field warning track that brought in Arcía the zombie runner who had advanced to third on Sean Murphy’s single to left.

San Francisco had been patient with Snell, giving him time to recover from a late start to spring training and two stints on the IL before he hit his stride. The Braves, with Spencer Strider on the 60 day injured list, have been giving the remainder of their rotation an extra day’s rest between their scheduled starts.

Chris Sale, who took the mound at 13-3, 2.75 this evening was the most recent beneficiary of that sabbatical. He responded with a brilliant performance, yielding only three hits and striking out a dozen Giants in his seven inning stint.

No walks, no hit batters. He threw 107 pitches; only 30 were balls. Like Snell, lowered his ERA although he, too, had to settle for a no decision. Sale’s record now is 13-3, 2.61. Joe Jiménez held the Giants to a hit batter in the bottom of the eighth.

Luke Iglesias set the Giants down in order in the ninth to send the game into extra innings and returned to the mound to shut the Giants down in the tenth and earn the win, which left him at 2-1, 1.58.

The series continues Tuesday, at 6:45 with Atlanta’s Charlie Morton (6-7, 4.47) and San Francisco’s Kyle Harrison (6-5) toeing the rubber.

San Francisco Giants starter Logan Webb deals to the Atlanta Braves line up in the bottom of the first inning at Truist Field in Atlanta on Thu Jul 4, 2024 (AP News photo)

Thursday, July 4, 2024

Truist Park

Cumberland, Georgia

San Francisco Giants 4 (43-45)

Atlanta Braves 2 (47-38)

Win: Logan Webb (7-6)

Loss: Charlie Morton (5-5)

Save: Camilo Doval (16)

Time: 2:24

Attendance: 40,672

By Stephen Ruderman

The Giants beat the Braves 4-2 at Truist Park behind another strong start from their ace, Logan Webb, to take the series on Thursday night.

The Giants won the series opener 5-3 on Tuesday night, but they were stymied by Chris Sale and the Braves’ bullpen in a 3-1 loss Wednesday night. Thursday night, they had a chance to take the series on a warm and muggy overcast night in Cobb County.

40-year-old Charlie Morton, who took the ball for Atlanta Thursday night, has seen it all. Morton first came up with the Braves in 2008, and has since bounced around with the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Houston Astros, the Tampa Bay Rays and now back with the Braves. 

Morton closed out the Astros’ first world championship back in 2017, as he pitched the final four innings of Game 7 of the World Series at Dodger Stadium. Morton was the starting pitcher and took the loss for the Rays in Game 3 of the 2020 neutral site World Series against the Dodgers in Arlington, Texas; and he broke his right fibula making the start in Game 1 of the 2021 World Series as a member of the Braves against his old team, the Astros, in Houston. 

Morton came into tonight 5-4 this season with a 3.89 ERA, and he got off to a solid start Thursday night with a scoreless top of the first inning. Giants’ ace Logan Webb took the mound for San Francisco, and immediately ran into trouble in the bottom of the first.

Jarred Kelenic singled on a ground ball up the middle and into center field to lead off the inning, and Ozzie Albies doubled off the top of the wall in right to score Kelenic and give the Braves an early 1-0 lead. Matt Olson lined a one-out base-hit to move Albies to third, and Autin Riley got him in with a sacrifice fly to left to make it 2-0.

Both teams went down scoreless in the second, and both pitchers threw 1-2-3 innings in the third.

LaMonte Wade singled to center to lead off the top of the fourth, and Heliot Ramos stayed hot with a two-run home run to straightaway center to tie it at 2-2. Patrick Bailey struck out looking for the first out, and then Matt Chapman hit a solo home run to the first row out in left-center to give the Giants a 3-2 lead.

The Braves almost re-tied the game off Webb in the bottom of the fourth. Olson walked to start the inning, and then he was thrown out at the plate trying to score all the way from first base on a double by Riley. Webb proceeded to get out of the inning unscathed.

Both pitchers threw 1-2-3 innings in the fifth, and the Giants would extend their lead off Morton in the top of the sixth. Ramos singled to start the inning, and was out at second when Patrick Bailey hit into a fielder’s choice. 

Chapman, who put the Giants ahead with his home run in the fourth, hit a check swing chopper for a weird double down the right-field line that scored Bailey to make it 4-2. 

Webb pitched a scoreless inning in the bottom of the sixth, as did Grant Holmes for Atlanta’s in the top of the seventh. Webb pitched another scoreless inning to cap off his night in the bottom of the seventh. Webb provided the Giants with another big outing, as he gave up two runs and struck out six over seven innings.

Holmes was assisted by a great diving catch from left-fielder Forrest Wall in a scoreless top of the eighth, and the much-underappreciated Tyler Rogers did his job with a nine-pitch 1-2-3 bottom of the eighth. 

Aaron Bummer came in to throw a scoreless inning in the top of the ninth for Atlanta, and Camilo Doval came in to try and convert the save in the bottom of the ninth. Marcell Ozuna reached on an infield hit to third to start the inning, but Doval retired the side in order, and the Giants held on 4-2 to win the series.

Logan Webb got the win; Charlie Morton took the loss; and Camilo Doval picked up his 16th save.

Funny thing: The Giants had six hits Thursday night, and they all came on two-hit nights by LaMonte Wade, Heliot Ramos and Matt Chapman.

In addition to winning another series against the strong team, the Giants have now won seven of their last 10 to improve to 43-45. 

They will now head to Cleveland to take on a very powerful young Guardians’ team in a three game series that will start at Progressive Field Friday night. Tanner Bibee (7-2, 3.47 ERA) will make the start for Cleveland, and the Giants will go with a bullpen game. First pitch will be at 7:10 p.m. in Cleveland, 4:10 p.m. back home in San Francisco.

Giants News and Notes:

• Blake Snell pitched five-no hit innings against the Reno Aces in his rehab start for the Sacramento River Cats Wednesday night at Sutter Health Park. Snell allowed just one base-runner, a walk, while striking out nine. Snell could feasibly return to the Giants’ rotation when they come back home next week.

• Mike Yastrzemski left Thursday night’s game in the fifth after getting hit in the right elbow by a pitch from Charlie Morton an inning earlier in the top of the fourth. Yastrzemski’s elbow was swollen, but x-rays came back negative, and he is listed as day-to-day.

San Francisco Giants catcher Chris Casali (18) puts the tag out on the sliding Atlanta Braves Austin Riley (27) in the bottom of the fifth inning at Truist Field in Cobb County GA on Wed Jul 3, 2024 (AP News photo)

On the San Francisco Giants podcast with Michael Duca:

On the SF Giants podcast with Michael:

#1 The Atlanta Braves Chris Sale allowed only three hits in six innings of work picking up his 11th win of the season as the Braves evened the three game series with the San Francisco Giants at 1-1. The Braves with a two run 3-1 win at Truist Field on Wednesday night.

#2 Michael with the win Sale moved into a tie with the Kansas City Royals Seth Lugo for the most wins with 11. Sale in 2018 had a win total of 12-4.

#3 The Giants had a tough time trying to solve Sale who held them to four hits with the help of four relievers.

#4 Giants starter Jordan Hicks threw a good ball game Wednesday night but the team absorbed the loss. Hicks went five inning, allowed eight hits, three earned runs, and struck out six. Well pitched game but tough game to lose.

#5 Giants try it again they’ll start RHP Logan Webb 6-6 ERA 3.12) and for the Braves RHP Charlie Morton (5-4, ERA 3.89) first pitch 4:20pm PT Thursday night at Truist Park in Cobb County.

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

Atlanta Braves starter Chris Sale delivers to the San Francisco Giants line up in the top of the first inning at Truist Field in Atlanta on Wed Jul 3, 2024 (AP News photo)

On the SF Giants podcast with Morris:

#1 The Atlanta Braves Chris Sale allowed only three runs in six innings of work picking up his 11th win of the season as the Braves evened the three game series with the San Francisco Giants at 1-1 with two run 3-1 win at Truist Field on Wednesday night.

#2 Morris with the win Sale moved into a tie with the Kansas City Royals Seth Lugo for the most wins with 11. Sale in 2018 had a win total of 12-4.

#3 The Giants had a tough time trying to solve Sale who held them to four hits with the help of four relievers.

#4 Giants starter Jordan Hicks threw a good ball game Wednesday night but the team absolved the loss. Hicks went five inning, allowed eight hits, three earned runs, and struck out six. Well pitched game but tough game to lose.

#5 Giants try it again they’ll start RHP Logan Webb 6-6 ERA 3.12) and for the Braves RHP Charlie Morton (5-4, ERA 3.89) first pitch 4:20pm PT Thursday night at Truist Park in Cobb County.

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

Jorge Soler provides some power for the San Francisco Giants belting a top of the fifth inning home run against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Field in Cobb County GA on Tue Jul 2, 2024 (AP News photo)

Tuesday, July 2, 2024

Truist Park

Cumberland, Georgia

San Francisco Giants 5 (42-44)

Atlanta Braves 3 (46-37)

Win: Hayden Birdsong (1-0)

Loss: Dylan Lee (2-2)

Save: Camilo Doval (15)

Time: 2:45

Attendance: 34,047

By Stephen Ruderman

The Giants got off to a strong and impressive start in their tough six-game road trip, as they came into Cobb County tonight to beat the Atlanta Braves 5-3.

The Giants were coming off a 5-2 homestand, which they closed out by taking two of three from the Dodgers over the weekend. After a brutal 11-inning 14-7 loss to their hated rivals on Saturday, the Giants took it to the Dodgers with a 10-4 win on Sunday.

Now, they were back on the road in the hot and muggy confines of Truist Park in Cobb County, Georgia, just 11 miles northwest of Atlanta, to take on the Atlanta Braves. Tuesday night, the Giants’ offense, which has been swinging the bats much better over the last two weeks, would face a major challenge in the MLB ERA leader, Reynaldo Lopez.

Lopez pitched a scoreless top of the first inning, and Hayden Birdsong, who was making his second big league start, threw a 1-2-3 bottom of the first for the Giants.

Michael Conforto drew a one-out walk in the top of the second, and Mike Yastrzemski, in his first at-bat back from the Injured List, singled to right-field to move Conforto to second base with two outs. The Giants had an chance to strike early against the dominant Reyes, but Nick Ahmed flew out to left to end the inning.

Austin Riley hit an absolute bomb to the second deck out to left with one out in the bottom of the second, and Sean Murphy made it back-to-back with a bomb to left-center. Former Giant Adam Duvall nearly made it back-to-back with a double off the top of the wall in left-center, but Birdsong was able to escape further damage without Duvall scoring.

The Braves had a 2-0 lead with one of the best pitchers in Baseball this season on the mound going to the third. However, Truist Park is one of the most live ballparks in Baseball, and the Giants were not going to make things easy for Reyes.

Heliot Ramos and Patrick Bailey drew two-out walks in the top of the third, and Matt Chapman hit a shot out into the gap in right-center, but center-fielder Jarred Kelenic robbed Chapman with a running catch to end the inning. It was already the second time Tuesday night that Kelenic had robbed Chapman of a base-hit, as he also did so to Chapman his first time up in the second.

Birdsong settled back down with a 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the third, and both pitchers pitched scoreless innings in the fourth. While the Giants had yet to get on the board, they were getting a lot of pitches out of Reyes.

The red-hot Jorge Soler led off the top of the fifth with a low-hanging home run to left to put the Giants on the board, and LaMonte Wade immediately followed it up with a home run to right-center to tie it. Ramos struck out swinging, but with the fact that Reyes had thrown 101 pitches, his night was over after just four and a third innings.

Duvall led off the bottom of the fifth with a walk, and Forrest Wall immediately followed it up with a bunt single to put runners at first and second with nobody out. Zack Short laid down a sacrifice bunt to move the runners over to second and third, and Birdsong would have to bear down, which is exactly what he did.

Birdsong struck out Kelenic for the second out, and Ozzie Albies flew out off the end of the bat to left field to end the inning. Birdsong got out of it without any damage to finish his night, and the game remained tied going to the sixth.

Birdsong gave up two hits and four runs over five innings. It was a solid outing, but against a powerful offense in a live ballpark in his second-career start, it was quite impressive.

Left-hander Dylan Lee, who finished the top of the fifth, was back out for the sixth. Michael Conforto greeted him with a double to start the inning, and Brett Wisley sacrificed Conforto over to third. Bob Melvin had the right-handed-hitting Luis Matos pinch-hit for Yastrzemski, and Braves Manager Brian Snitker countered by bringing in former Giant Pierce Johnson.

Snicker had the infield play in with the go-ahead run at third. Matos hit a bullet to third that went off the glove of Braves’ third-baseman Austin Riley, which allowed Conforto to score and give the Giants their first lead of the night.

Something quite incredible also happened on this play. Riley was given an error, which has for probably obvious reasons, has become a very rare thing here in 2024.

Randy Rodriguez came in for San Francisco in the bottom of the sixth, and with his parents in the stands to watch him pitch in a big league game for the first time in his career, he threw a 1-2-3 inning. Nick Ahmed helped with a nice play to rob Marcell Ozuna of a hit to start the inning, so Rodriguez owes him one for that.

The Giants had runners at first and second off Johnson with one out in the top of the seventh, but Chapman grounded into a double play to end the inning. Ryan Walker came in for Rodriguez, and pitched a 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the seventh.

Left-hander Aaron Bummer was the new pitcher for Atlanta in the top of the eighth, and Wisely lined a one-out double off the end of the bat to left. Matos lined a base-hit to left to move Wisely over to third, and Snitker brought in the 40-year old vet, Jesse Chavez to face Ahmed. Ahmed then got Wisely in with a sacrifice fly to left to make it 4-2.

The normally-reliable submariner, Tyler Rogers, ran into trouble in the bottom of the eighth. Kelenic lined a double off the wall down the right field line with one out, and Albies singled on a chopper up the middle and over the mound into center field to score Kelenic and make it 4-3.

Albies stole second to put the tying run in scoring position when Ozuna struck out for the second out, and Matt Olson grounded out to second to end the inning, which kept the Giants’ lead intact going to the ninth.

Chavez, who made his major league debut all the way back in 2008 for the Pittsburgh Pirates, would be back out for the top of the ninth. The Giants got their run back when Ramos hit an opposite-field home run to right with one out.

It was another two-hit night for Ramos, who has made adjustments after pitchers started to figure him out. Ramos has bumped his average back up to .298, and it is now legitimate to talk about him potentially going to the All-Star Game in Arlington, Texas two weeks from Tuesday night.

It was 5-3 Giants going to the bottom of the ninth, and Melvin of course brought in his closer, Camilo Doval. While Doval blew the save against the Dodgers Friday night, he has been pitching much better his last few times out.

Austin Riley led off the bottom of the ninth and hit a line-drive out to left-center, but center-fielder Heliot Ramos ran to his left and made a tumbling catch to rob Riley of a hit. Doval then struck Sean Murphy and Duvall both out swinging to end it, as the Giants won the series opener 5-3.

For Giants’ starter Hayden Birdsong, he gets his first big league win. Good going, kid! Dylan Lee takes the loss, and Camilo Doval picks up his 15th save.

In addition to Heliot Ramos’ two-hit night, Mike Yastrzemski also picked up a pair of hits in his return for the IL. It would have been more had Bob Melvin not pinch-hit Luis Matos, but it was a move that very much paid off.

The Giants have now won six of their last eight, as they get back up to two games under .500 at 42-44.

The Giants can make it three-straight in the second game of this series Wednesday night. Jordan Hicks (4-4, 3.36 ERA) will take the ball for San Francisco, and he will be opposed by the veteran all-star left-hander, Chris Sale (10-3, 2.79 ERA). First pitch will be at 7:20 p.m. in Cobb County, 4:20 p.m. back home in San Francisco.

Giants News and Notes:

With Yastrzemski’s return from the Injured left, right-handed pitcher Landen Roupp, who had been called up prior to Sunday’s game against the Dodgers, was sent back down to Triple-A Sacramento.

The Giants claimed left-handed pitcher Kolton Ingram off waivers from the St. Louis Cardinals. Ingram will report to the Double-A Richmond Flying Squirrels.