Tag: Brandon Belt

Belt continues power surge in Giants’ 9-5 win over Rockies

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Photo credit: @SFGiants

By Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO–Brandon Belt gave the San Francisco Giants the lead for good with one swing of the bat.

Belt hit a three-run home run off of Jake McGee in the bottom of the seventh inning, helping the Giants to a come-from-behind 9-5 victory over the Colorado Rockies before a crowd of 40,334 at AT&T Park Sunday.

“You feel good when he is up there,” said Bruce Bochy.

With the victory, the Giants gained a split in their first series against the Rockies, who they will see beginning on May 28 for a three-game series at Coors Field.

The Giants also finished the home stand on a high note, as they won the final two games of the home stand and went 4-3 against the Cincinnati Reds and Rockies.

Gorkys Hernandez hit his fourth home run of the season in the bottom of the fifth inning, a two-run blast to straightaway centerfield that looked like a lazy fly ball; however, the Bay Area wind let it sail over the centerfield wall to get the Giants within a run of the Rockies. Miguel Gomez hit a pinch-hit single just before the Hernandez home run.

“Gorkys had a huge hit, Tommy (Tomlinson) had a huge hit into the gap,” said Bochy.

Just one inning later, the Giants took their first lead of the game, as Kelby Tomlinson tripled to the left-center field wall that scored both Belt, who singled to lead off the inning and Brandon Crawford, who walked with one out.

“Just trying to put together a nice at-bat, swung the bat well today and yesterday,” said Tomlinson.

The Rockies tied up the game in the top of the seventh inning, as Ian Desmond walked to lead off the inning, then stole second and went to third on a Nick Hundley throwing error. Nolan Arenado then tied up the game with a single up the middle off of Giants reliever Sam Dyson.

Ty Blach went just 4.1 innings, allowing four runs on eight hits, walking two and striking out one, as he did not fare in the decision.

Like Blach, Tyler Anderson did not fare in the decision for the Rockies, as he went 5.1 innings, allowing five runs on six hits, walking one and striking out four.

Hernandez got the rally started in the bottom of the seventh inning, as he singled to lead off the inning, and after a Buster Posey fly out to centerfield, Evan Longoria then walked and then Belt hit his 11thhome run of the season. Hundley then extended the lead, as he hit his fifth home run of the season.

The Giants took an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning, as Posey tripled to the 421’ mark in right-center field and then scored on a sacrifice fly by Noel Cuevas, who made a terrific catch to take an extra base hit away from Longoria.

The Rockies finally broke through in the top of the fourth inning, as Trevor Story doubled in Arenado, who led off the inning with a single. Cuevas then singled to score Story from second base.

Blach was then sent to the showers in the top of the fifth inning, as Anderson helped out his own cause, as he singled to lead off the inning and then on a Story single. After Chris Iannetta popped out for the second out of the inning, Cuevas drove in his second run of the game, with a bases loaded walk to give the Rockies a 4-1 lead.

Will Smith continues to make great strides as he comes back from Tommy John Surgery that kept him out for the entire 2017 season. In his only inning of work, Smith struck out the side.

“He has been throwing the ball so well,” said Bochy.

NOTES: After an off-day on Monday, the Giants open a brief two-game series at Minute Maid Park against the defending World Champion Houston Astros. Andrew Suarez will take the mound in the opener for the Giants, while Gerrit Cole will take the mound for the Astros.

The off-day on Monday, will be their first off-day since May 3, the day before the beginning of their three-city, 10-road trip thru Atlanta, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. During the streak of playing 17 days in a row, the Giants went 8-9.

Mac Williamson continues to swing the bat well, as he through his first two games with the Sacramento Rivercats on his rehab assignment, Williamson is 3-for-5 with three runs scored, a double and two home runs and six runs batted in.

Hunter Pence went 2-for-5 on Saturday night with an RBI, and is now hitting .321 (18-for-56) with two doubles, six RBIs, and four walks in his 14 games with the Rivercats, as he recovers from his sprained right thumb.

UP NEXT: The Giants will return to action Tuesday against the Astros at 5:10 pm PST.

Godley, Diamondbacks outdo the Giants at their game, in their park

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Paul Goldschmidt

By Morris Phillips

SAN FRANCISCO–Giants’ fans, here’s your introduction to Arizona’s Zach Godley.

Big guy, loves to fish, perpetually sweaty, selfless, great curveball, and yet another youthful player in the NL West not with the Giants who’s career track is ascending rapidly.

In facing MLB’s toughest schedule through the first 28 games of 2018, the Giants are seeing the best-of-the-best early and often. On Monday, that gauntlet of a schedule brought the Diamondbacks to AT&T Park, and by any measure, Arizona impressed.

In beating the Giants 2-1–with both teams limited to five hits–the D’Backs manufactured runs early, pitched, played defense and their bullpen got the big outs late.

Just like the Giants used to do.

Last year, the Diamondbacks won 93 games, with winning records both home and away, and they somehow flew under the radar, dwarfed by the bigger story lines in Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Chicago and Boston. An epic wild card win over the Rockies brought Arizona some notoriety, an NLDS loss to the Dodgers kept them from being a bigger story.

Now with a franchise-best ever 8-2 start, the Diamondbacks are looking for more, and getting it. Godley’s clearly no No. 5 starter, not with his swing-and-miss curveball, and his excellent mechanics, and ability to not tip his pitches. Everything comes out looking the same which prevents hitters from keying on something, and being hitterish.

Godley may have pitched better last week when matched with Clayton Kershaw he downed the Dodgers 6-1 while allowing just one run, on four hits, in seven innings of work.  Against the Giants, Godley again went seven, allowing four hits, no runs while piling up nine strikeouts.  According to Godley, the key was the Giants’ approach, not his.

“They were just aggressive, and that played in to what we wanted to do,” Godley explained.

In his first ever appearance at AT&T Park, Godley relied heavily on his curveball, and his success against the Giants’ first three hitters in their lineup.  Godley allowed one hit, and struck out six when facing the Giants’ 1-2-3 combo of Joe Panik, Brandon Belt and Andrew McCutchen. After Belt struck out looking on reliever Archie Bradley’s 95 mph fastball at the knees in the ninth, the Giants’ first baseman was saddled with an 0 for 4 collar with four strikeouts.

And while the Giants have been gritty and competitive early this season, they haven’t produced a lot of offense. After scoring just one run Monday, one thing sticks out. The Giants are a major-league worst 30th with runners in scoring position, hitting .119 (8 for 67).  They were 0 for 4 on Monday.

In the eighth, the Giants got a leadoff double off the bat of Brandon Crawford in their best opportunity to catch Arizona, leading 2-0 at that point. But Hunter Pence flew out, with Crawford advancing to third, then scoring on Gregor Blanco’s ground out.  But without the tying run aboard, pinch hitter Pablo Sandoval tried to dial up magic, and struck out to end the inning.

Derek Holland was plenty effective, closing the door after allowing two runs in the first, with Paul Goldschmidt’s run-scoring triple as the big blow.  Holland ended up going six innings, allowing just two hits while striking out eight. That’s a quality start, and deserving of a better fate.

“It was a pitcher’s duel, but (Godley) obviously lasted longer than I did,” Holland said.

The Giants get a second crack at the Diamondbacks on Tuesday with Tyler Beede making his major league debut after being called up from the minors. Beede replaces Johnny Cueto, who will instead pitch Wednesday afternoon. Arizona will counter with Patrick Corbin, who is 2-0, winning his first two starts.

 

Giants look the part, hitting four homers in rout of the Mariners

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By Morris Phillips

SAN FRANCISCO — Like a latenight infomercial, the Giants looked like the newest tonic for a more youthful, vibrant lifestyle on Wednesday.

In a 10-1 rout of the Mariners, the Giants hit, pitched, and played defense like it was… well, like it was 2012.

Johnny Cueto was exceptional, going six innings to pick up the win. Cueto won 19 games for the 2012 Reds, his breakthrough campaign, and after two starts this season, he again looks capable, allowing just one run in 13 innings of work. Cueto slipped and tweaked his ankle in his final inning pitched on Wednesday, but afterwards declared himself healthy and humorous.

“I struck him out everytime,” Cueto answered when asked if teammate Pablo Sandoval once again looked like a nightmare of an opponent after launching a three-run, splash-hit home run off Felix Hernandez. The Panda may not have impressed Cueto, but he’s impressed thus far, adjusting to a role as a reserve, and looking svelte as well. His home run off King Felix was smoked, the highlight of the Giants’ five-run fifth, and the end of the evening for the Mariners’ ace.

“He called it. He said he was going to hit a homer today,” Andrew McCutchen said of Sandoval.

Brandon Belt and Brandon Crawford also homered in the fifth, and both left the yard as authoritatively as did Sandoval. Of course, both Crawford and Belt first assumed starting roles in 2012, and with both coming off a subpar 2017, the two infielders need bounce back campaigns. Belt’s been the more impressive so far, hitting .353 after a 3 for 4 day.

Contrary to baseball’s ever-changing wisdom, the Giants brought back numerous pieces from last year’s 98-loss disaster, stubbornly maintaining that the group could rebound offensively. The opening weekend in Los Angeles wasn’t close, as the offense produced just two runs–only one earned–the worst opening to a season offensively by any club in 30 years.

But with 14 runs scored in a two-game split with the Mariners, the questions have subsided. And the work put in by the returners in the off-season has started to draw attention.

Sandoval is tremendous shape, following a fitness regimen that challenges him daily, the perfect counter to his reduced playing time. Gorkys Hernandez, who started in center field and homered in the third, is 10 pounds heavier after an off-season, weight lifting program. Belt has shortened his swing, emphasizing a more direct path to the baseball. Hunter Pence, who was scratched due to a hand injury, pinch hit in the eighth. Pence also has assumed a fitness, lifestyle program to keep himself healthier.

The Giants open a three-game set with the Dodgers on Friday night with Derek Holland facing Kenta Maeda in the opener.

Giants finally playing better baseball, but are they any good?

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AP28518157965
San Francisco Giants manager Bruce Bochy (15) mingles with fans during batting practice before an MLB game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the San Francisco Giants on July 01, 2017 at PNC Park in Pittsburgh, PA. (Photo by Shelley Lipton/Icon Sportswire) (Icon Sportswire via AP)

By Morris Phillips

The Giants are playing better baseball. Can they keep it up?

Starting with Tuesday’s opponent, the Tigers and emerging starting pitcher, Michael Fullmer, the challenges keep coming. But for the Giants, hopefully the breaks as well. The Tigers aren’t struggling to the extent that the Giants are, but at 36-45, the AL Central club is off to their worst season start since 2003.

The Giants were on pace for their worst season showing since 1985. That club was the only San Francisco Giants team to lose 100 games. But the Giants have finally started hitting in a season-best six-game win streak.

“Getting timely hits, that’s huge for us,” Brandon Belt said.

In the win streak, the Giants have improved their scoring by more than two runs a game. They’ve also rallied for a couple of wins, and seen their bullpen become stingy for the first time all year. In total, the Giants are doing everything they hadn’t been doing.

That’s the rhythm of the game,” Jeff Samardzija said. “So much about this game is about momentum and confidence.”

Offensively, Denard Span has led the resurgence, the outfielder came up with 40 his in June. No Giant had collected that many hits in a month sine 2005. Belt is swinging a hot bat, as is Joe Panik. Buster Posey, the NL’s leading hitter with a .340 average, has continued to do his thing at the plate.

Sam Dyson was designated for assignment by the Rangers, but in 10 appearances with the Giants, he’s been steady. Manager Bruce Bochy has vowed to use the right hander in a late game, setup role going forward.

 

Giants prospect Chris Shaw Richmond Flying Squirrels

Giants Minor League Spotlight: Chris Shaw 1B Richmond Flying Squirrels

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Giants prospect Chris Shaw Richmond Flying Squirrels

by Charlie O. Mallonee

The number three rated prospect in the San Francisco Giants farm system is Chris Shaw – a first baseman who is currently assigned to the Double-A Richmond Flying Squirrels of the Eastern League.

The 22-year old Shaw is a 6-foot-4, 235 pounder who bats left and throws right. His key attribute is his above average power. Shaw hit 16 home runs in 72 games at high Class-A San Jose before being promoted to Richmond. In 28 games with the Squirrels, he has hit five doubles, two triples, one home run and he has collected 14 RBI.

Shaw is seen as a solid hitter who possesses a good arm. His fielding is rated as below average – good hands but his footwork needs to improve. Shaw’s downside is his lack of speed. Even though he played some right field in college, Shaw’s lack of speed will limit him to first base at the pro level.

Shaw really uses his power against right-handed pitching. The majority of his home runs have come off righties. The one problem Shaw does have is that he can become too aggressive at the plate. In Richmond, he has 26 strike outs and just eight walks.

Shaw has had some problems adjusting to life at Double-A. He was batting .285 when he was promoted from San Jose. Shaw is currently hitting .211 with an on base percentage of .267 in Richmond.

On Tuesday night, Shaw went 1-for-4 with a RBI in a 5-2 loss to Altoona. Shaw hit a single to center with two men on base and two out to bring a runner home to score the first run of the game.

The Giants will have some decisions to make about Shaw in the future. With Brandon Belt signed to a long-term deal, the question becomes what do you do with a talent like Shaw? His skill set might be better suited to an American League team where he could play first and DH – think Billy Butler. Shaw could become a valuable trade piece in the future for the Giants.

 

 

Giants Go Deep To Steal Series Finale From Dodgers

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By Shawn Whelchel

AP photo: San Francisco Giants Joe Panik hits for a double in the sixth inning of Sunday’s game versus the Los Angeles Dodgers

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif.-The Giants entered Sunday’s series finale against the Dodgers just one home run short of leading the MLB. They used three of them to take three-of-four games from their rivals from down south over the weekend, completing yet another comeback with a 9-6 win.

Buster Posey, Brandon Belt and Angel Pagan all went deep for the Giants on Sunday, leading to their fifth come-from-behind victory on the season that showcases the lineups old scrappiness with their newfangled depth throughout the order.

The 2016 are now the first team in franchise history to hit home runs in their first seven games, and the power surge has not gone unnoticed by skipper Bruce Bochy.

“It’s a team that’s gonna hit with more power. That doesn’t always mean home runs but I think if you look at the doubles, that’s gonna pick up, and throughout the lineup we have guys who can drive the ball. We’re not gonna rely on the long-ball but it certainly helps, particularly when you’re down five runs, it’s usually something that you need.”

Starter Johnny Cueto might have wished he was still in the confines of Miller Park after his second outing with his new team didn’t go over nearly as well as his first start of the season.

The quirky right-hander got knocked around for six runs on the day-including five in the first inning alone- but was picked up by his teammate’s at the plate. Despite his early struggles, Bochy kept faith in his new starter, and Cueto would rebound from a torrid start to give up just one more run over the next six innings before leaving with a chance at the win.

Although Bochy noted the tough first inning, the manager was ultimately impressed with Cueto’s resiliency and ability to bounce back after getting knocked around early.

“For him to end up going seven innings says a couple things. How tough he is, he’s a problem and he comes in there and gets a win after that. He was just a different pitcher after the first inning.”

Dodgers starter Scott Kazmir may not have given up runs in a bunch like Cueto, but the southpaw faired no better than Cueto, getting tagged for six runs over just four innings on seven hits. He was the first Dodgers pitcher to give up three home runs to San Francisco since 2004.

The Dodgers bats and the soggy AT&T turf dampened Cueto’s first start at home as a member of the Giants. After holding Los Angeles to 15 runs in eight career starts prior to Sunday’s game, the Dodgers tagged the 30-year old for five in the top of the frame.

Cueto allowed five hits, a walk and plunked one, while also slipping twice in the AT&T grass while attempting to field his position during that span.

But the Giants would showcase the power of their newfangled lineup, as they would erase Cueto’s miscues with the help of the longball.

Posey would kick things off in the third inning with a solo shot high into the left field bleachers to cut the Dodgers lead to just two. Two batters later, the newly-extended Brandon Belt would launch an equalizer of his own in the deep part of the yard, parking one over the center field wall near triples alley to tie the game.

Cueto, who had settled down after his wild first inning, would be tagged again by the Dodgers’ Corey Seager, whose ten game hitting streak would continue with a line drive single to plate Chase Utley in the top of the fourth to regain the lead for his club at 6-5.

The Giants would find an answer again, this time in the form of a blast from Pagan, whose ball would land just over the left field fence in the bottom half of the inning to notch things up again.

San Francisco’s bats stayed hot heading into the sixth, as Angel Pagan and Denard Span would reach base ahead of Joe Panik, whose seventh hit of the year was a two-rbi double that bounced on the center field warning track to give the Giants their first lead of the day at 8-6. Panik would come around to score on a deep sac-fly by Pence two batters leader to extend the margin.

Bochy’s continuing faith in his starter would be rewarded, as Cueto would settle in to strike out three batters while allowing just two hits and one walk over the next three innings. After escaping one last jam with a two-out liner to Pagan, Cueto would exit the game to a loud standing ovation from the AT&T Park crowd.

The Giants bullpen picked up where Cueto left off, with Sergio Romo and Josh Osich working a rather uneventful eighth inning before Santiago Casilla would down the heart of the Dodgers lineup in order to capture his second save on the season, giving his team a 9-6 final.

The win gives San Francisco sole possession of the NL West heading into a stint with the Colorado Rockies next week.

Three home runs powers Giants past Padres, 7-3

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By Gabe Schapiro

On Friday night, a sellout crowd of 41,103, the 244th consecutive sellout at AT&T Park, went home happy. Thanks to an unusual display of power in a park where it’s hard to come by, the San Francisco Giants (75-85), came away with a 7-3 victory over the San Diego Padres (75-85). Ryan Vogelsong, making his final start of 2013, wasn’t at his best, but he battled all night and limited the damage. With the win, and a Colorado Rockies loss, the Giants are guaranteed to finish in no worse than fourth place in the NL West.

In what proved to be a good omen, prior to the game the Willie Mac Award, named after the great Willie McCovey and annually given to the Giant who best exemplifies the spirit and leadership that Big Mac played with, was deservedly awarded to Hunter Pence. Thankfully San Francisco didn’t spoil what from the get-go was a positive environment.

Following the ceremony and a slightly delayed start, it took some time for Vogelsong to settle in. Right out of the gate the Padres were making hard contact, and in the first inning they got on the board with a solid single to left field by Tommy Medica that brought home Chris Denorfia, who had singled earlier in the inning.

In the second inning San Francisco made some noise of their own. Pablo Sandoval took a rare walk, and then two batters later rookie Juan Perez got a hold of one and sent a 1-1 pitch just over the left field wall for his first career home run. The homer gave the Giants a 2-1 lead.

After the game Bochy complimented how well Perez has adjusted to life in the major leagues following his first big league long ball. “He’s really turned it up a notch here, he’s played great on both sides of the ball. He looks a lot more comfortable at the plate, he’s quieter up there…the ball jumps off his bat. I’m glad to see him get that sense of belonging up here.”

San Diego wasted little time in responding. Denorfia walked to lead off the next half inning, and as walks so often do, it came back to hurt Vogelsong. Up next was Jedd Gyorko, who sent a towering fly ball towards triples alley that smacked off of the right field wall. Gyorko was thrown out trying to turn it into a triple, but Denorfia easily scored from first to tie the game at 2-2.

In the top of the third it only took the Giants three pitches to punch right back. Abreu singled to lead off the inning, and Brandon Belt followed with his 17th home run of the season, a no-doubter into the porch in right field. Two batters later Pence got in on the slugfest, and to celebrate his Willie Mac Award in style hit his 26th homer of the season, extending the lead to 5-2.

After the third, for the most part both starters settled down, until the sixth.

In the top of the sixth Vogelsong ran into some control problems, walking two, but managed to gut his way through the inning unscathed. With that his night was over having scattered five hits, two runs, four walks, and three strikeouts in his six innings. He threw 91 pitches.

On Vogelsong Bochy kept it simple, saying that after the game ““I just told him great job, great start. Good for him how he finished….I was happy for Vogey bouncing back from a rough start like that.”

By the ninth the Giants had added two more runs to their lead, making it 7-2. In the ninth the Padres tried making it interesting when Logan Forsythe led off with a long home run to dead center, bringing them to within four, but that’s where the comeback attempt ended.

This series against the Padres, the last of the season, continues tomorrow at 1:05 PM.

Game Notes: Following the three home runs hit by the Giants tonight, they have 105 on the season, two more than they did during their World Series run in 2012….Gregor Blanco almost hit for an usual kind of cycle, getting himself thrown out at first, second, and home plate during the game. Bochy announced that Cain would not make his last scheduled start, making his 2013 season over as well.

The Giants beat the Dodgers

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by Jerry Feitelberg

The day started with the Los Angeles Dodgers  in first place with an 18 ½ game lead over the Giants.

The Giants have had a very tough year and the Dodgers are going to win the division but none of that mattered as the Giants beat the Dodgers 4-3 and won three out of four on the road in LA. The rivalry is there. Anytime you can beat the Dodgers is a great day for Giant baseball. No matter how far down in the standings, it is always sweet to beat the hated Dodgers.

Ryan Vogelsong started for San Francisco and he pitched well. Vogelsong went six innings allowing seven hits and three runs. The Dodgers’ pitcher, Edison Volquez also pitched well. Volquez went 5 2/3rds innings giving up three runs on five hits. All three runs given up by Volquez were driven in by the red hot Hunter Pence.  Pence drove in seven runs in the 19-3 blowout Saturday night and he hit two more home runs  and had three RBIs on Sunday. The game summary follows below.

Hunter Pence got the Giants off to a good start when he hit a solo home run to lead of the second. Vogelsong dodged a bullet in the bottom of the fourth when Juan Uribe led off the frame with a triple but the Dodgers failed to score. The Dodgers loaded the bases in the fifth. Adrian Gonzalez was the hero for the Dodgers when he blasted a double to right that cleared the bases and the Dodgers le 3-1 after five.

The lead didn’t last long as that man, Hunter Pence, put the ball into the left field seats driving in Brandon Belt. For Hunter it was his 25th home run of the season and he now has 92 runs batted in so far this year.

The Giants took a 4-3 lead in the eighth. Brett Pill hit a pinch hit home run off Dodger left, Paco Rodriguez. Giants’ relievers Jean Machi, Santiago Casilla and Sergio Romo shut the door on the Dodgers to give the Giants the win.

Game notes- Hunter Pence hit a home run in every game of the four game series. Willie Mays is the only other Giant to do so. It was the ninth career two home run game for Pence and Pence tied a career high with his 25 home runs. Pence’s 19 RBIs over the six game span is the most ever by a Giant since RBIs became an official statistic in 1920.

Winning pitcher was Jean Machi and Sergio Rome picked his 35th save of the year.

Ex-Giant Brian Wilson pitched in the 7th inning for the Dodgers.

Giants are off to New York for a week. They play the Mets for three then travel to the Bronx to play the Yankees.

Giants still pushing for respectability, win second straight

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By Morris Phillips

No World Series champion has finished last in its division the following season since the 1998 Marlins were stuck with the dubious distinction winning just 54 games and finishing last in the NL East.

The 2013 Giants don’t want that jacket—especially since they originally had designs on defending their title unlike those Marlins who sold off all their high-priced pieces after winning it all in 1997.

On Monday, the Giants were officially eliminated from winning the NL West but that didn’t prevent them from earning a hard fought victory over the Rockies when Brandon Belt knocked in the game-winning run in the 10th inning.

Belt knocked in the game-tying run in the eighth prior to winning it in the 10th. Since August 1, Belt’s done the opposite of dialing it in, hitting .354 with 16 runs batted in, while adhering to the hitting adjustments suggested by hitting coach Hensley Muelens.

“I don’t think I’ve looked at the standings in a while. But we still care about ourselves,” Belt said. “We have some goals in mind and want to finish the season strong.”

“That’s what you want to see from your young players: improvement and adjustments,” manager Bruce Bochy said of Belt. “And he’s done that, he’s a different hitter now than he was earlier in the season.”

The Giants evened their season record at home at 37-37 with eight games remaining. The win also gave the team consecutive one-run victories for the first time since May 5, when they completed a three-game run of one-run wins. Overall, the team has captured nine of their last 16 contests.

Tim Lincecum pitched into the eighth inning, but that was only good enough and long enough to get him off the hook for the loss. Still, the Freak pitched well, after allowing six hits and two runs in the first three innings. As the game went along, Lincecum began locating pitches and relying heavily on his changeup which was effective in retiring Rockies’ batters.

“We got a couple runs early, but he shut us down after that,” Colorado manager Walt Weiss said of Lincecum.

Lincecum win-loss record remains an unsightly 9-13 but he won three consecutive starts prior to Monday’s no-decision, his best run of success since April 2010. Is Timmy in the Giants’ plans for 2014 even with his declining velocity and spotty results? It remains to be seen, but it appears Lincecum is still stating his case, which in itself is a good sign.

In terms of statistics, Timmy’s done some good: 178 innings pitched with 175 strikeouts, which ranks him in the top 15 in the National League. But he’s also done some bad: his 70 walks are among the highest totals in the National League and he’s surrendered 19 home runs in 29 starts.

And what of the Giants trying to stay out of the cellar? Monday’s win brought the team within a ½ game of the Rockies and one game of the Padres, who are in third place in the division. Ironically, the Giants’ 36-28 record within the NL West is the best of the bunch, but the team has had 15 other opponents (excluding the Yankees, who they will see for the first time on September 20) whom they haven’t done well against (28-51).

Overall, a mixed bag for the Champs, but a bag they still seem interested in trying to organize, which is admirable.

On Tuesday, the Giants turn to Ryan Vogelsong who will be opposed by Colorado’s Jorge De La Rosa.

Chavez bites Giants

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By Jeremy Kahn

PHOENIX-Eric Chavez played against the San Francisco Giants in the Bay Bridge Series for the Oakland A’s, but he is now playing for the Arizona Diamondbacks and he continues to be a pest for the Orange and Black.

Chavez hit a walk-off single off of Sandy Rosario in the bottom of the ninth inning, as the Diamondbacks defeated the Giants 4-3 before a crowd of 36,091 at Chase Field.

“It was a fastball away. I’d never faced that guy before, so I didn’t know what he had. I was just looking for a strike,” said Chavez.

In his career versus the Giants, Chavez is now 43-for-174, a .247 clip over his 15-year career with the A’s, New York Yankees and now the Diamondbacks.

“This has kind of been the only time I haven’t swung the bat good the whole year, but I feel fine. I just haven’t been getting any hits. So that was a nice one to get,” said Chavez.

Willie Bloomquist led off the ninth inning with a single, and then after an Adam Eaton sacrifice bunt advanced Bloomquist to second base, Paul Goldschmidt was walked intentionally to bring Chavez to the plate and he took a Rosario offering to the opposite field to win the game.

It was the 12th walk-off win of the season for the Diamondbacks and the first walk-off for Chavez since June 4, 2007 against the Boston Red Sox, when he hit a home run in the bottom of the 11th inning off of Kyle Snyder and made a winner out of current Giants reliever Santiago Casilla (according to Retrosheet).

After being tamed by former Oakland A’s pitcher Trevor Cahill for six innings, the San Francisco Giants finally got to the right-hander in the top of the seventh inning.

Cahill pitched 6.1 innings, allowing three runs on nine hits, while walking three and striking out three.

Gregor Blanco led off the top of the seventh inning with his second home run of the season to get the Giants their first run since Angel Pagan scored in the top of the first inning of Friday night’s 1-0 victory.

After a Roger Kieschnick strike out, Pagan singled and then scored the second run of the inning on a triple by Marco Scutaro.

Brandon Belt struck out for the second out of the inning, and then the Giants tied up the game on a single by Buster Posey off of Josh Collmenter.

Hunter Pence then singled for his third hit of the game that advanced Posey to third, but the two were stranded, as Pablo Sandoval grounded out to Collmenter to end the inning.

Pagan came up huge in the field in the bottom of the seventh inning, as he made a diving catch off a sinking liner off the bat of Montero.

“Did a great job again, he’s excited to be back,” said Bruce Bochy.

Miguel Montero got the Diamondbacks on the board after he singled to right field in the bottom of the fourth inning, to score Martin Prado, who doubled to leadoff the inning.

Following the Montero single, Gerardo Parra hit a sacrifice fly to Pence in right field that scored Aaron Hill, who singled following Prado.

After a sacrifice bunt by Cahill, that advanced Montero to second base, Willie Bloomquist drove in the third run of the frame to score Montero, but after attempting to stretch the single into a double, Bloomquist was tagged out by Brandon Belt after a great throw by Pagan in centerfield.

Ryan Vogelsong saw his scoreless inning end at 15, as he allowed those three runs to cross the plate in the bottom of the fourth inning.

In all, Vogelsong went six innings, allowing three runs on nine hits, while walking two and striking out one.

This was the seventh consecutive start that Vogelsong held his opponent to three runs-or less.

“Felt pretty good, I was not as sharp as I was on Sunday,” said Vogelsong.

Vogelsong did pickup his second hit of the season in the top of the fifth inning with a single, but was stranded at third base.

Like in the fifth inning, when Vogelsong was stranded at third base, it happened again in the top of the sixth inning, as Hunter Pence was stranded just 90 feet away from home plate.

Pence advanced to second on a wild pitch after singling with one out, went to third on a Pablo Sandoval ground out to first base and then Brandon Crawford struck out swinging to end the inning.

Things could have gotten a lot worse for the Giants in the bottom of the sixth inning, as the Diamondbacks loaded the bases with one out.

Aaron Hill walked, then Montero singled and then Parra singled to load up the bases against Vogelsong.

Cahill hit a sharp hit ball to Crawford at shortstop, and he threw to plate, where Buster Posey just barely got to home plate ahead of the sliding Hill for the second out of the inning.

Bloomquist then grounded out to Vogelsong for the final out of the inning, and escape the jam.

There was a scary moment for Bochy in the bottom of the fourth inning, as Montero lost control of his bat and flew towards the Giants dugout.

“The net saved me,” said Bochy.

Not did it get a chuckle from the Giants dugout, but Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson was shown on the television getting a good laugh.

“My guys did too,” said Bochy.

NOTES: Yusmeiro Petit will take the ball in the series finale against his former team, while 13-game winner Patrick Corbin will head to the mound for the Diamondbacks.

With the loss, the Giants drop 2-3 on their three-city, 10-day road trip, thru Colorado, Arizona and San Diego.

The Giants are now 26-40 (.393) away from AT&T Park with 15 games remaining, the fifth-lowest winning percentage in the National League.

Tony Abreu will be activated back to the roster on Sunday, as major league teams can increase their rosters for the final month of the season.

According to the Elias Sports Bureau in Friday night’s 1-0 victory, this was the first time in 21 years that the Giants won a game where they scored their only run in the top of the first inning.

On their last two occasions, both wins came against the Atlanta Braves (August 7, 1991 and September 30, 1992).

DOWN ON THE FARM: Infielder Christian Arroyo, the first-round pick in the 2013 MLB Draft, was named the Arizona Rookie League MVP.

In 45 games with the AZL Giants, Arroyo batted .326 going 60-184 at the plate with 25 extra base hits and 45 runs scored.

Arroyo was not the only player to be named to the AZL All-Star team, as Giants second round pick infielder Ryder Jones and left-handed pitcher Luis Ysla and AZL Giants manager Nestor Rojas was named Field Staff All-Star of the Year.