Tag: Bruce Bochy

Bullpen melt down: Giants see fifth inning lead evaporate in loss to the A’s

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Oakland Athletics’ Chad Pinder, left, scores past San Francisco Giants catcher Nick Hundley during the eighth inning of a baseball game in Oakland, Calif., Monday, July 31, 2017. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

By Morris Phillips

OAKLAND–A 3-2 lead in the fifth inning isn’t nirvana, but for the Giants on Monday night in Oakland it was as good as would get. A leaky bullpen took it from there, offering free passes and hittable pitches to an A’s team itching for an opportunity.

If you’re Giants’ manager Bruce Bochy, where can you turn?

In the opener of the Bay Bridge Series, the first three relievers summoned by Bochy allowed at least one run. Josh Osich walked a pair of batters, and loaded the bases while recording just one out. George Kontos followed, and his third pitch was grooved. Marcus Semien sent Kontos’ fastball in the middle of the plate beyond the centerfield wall for a grand slam.

Two innings later, Kyle Crick and Hunter Strickland offered Oakland the cherry on top, and they gladly accepted. Matt Joyce singled and Khris Davis walked courtesy of Crick. Then Strickland allowed a two-run, two-out knock to Ryon Healy.

The final damage? The Giants’ pen allowed six runs on five hits, including one game-altering grand slam, and six walks. Six walks?

“In the major leagues that shouldn’t happen and that’s what did us in,” Bochy said of the walks. “Of course the grand slam, that made it a steep uphill climb for us. But we have to control the ball better. We have to get better in the bullpen.”

Four games into the worst road trip in a season of bad road trips, the Giants’ bullpen has allowed 11 earned runs in nine innings, lost three times, and recorded no saves despite four opportunities. That’s bad.

By comparison, the A’s bullpen, depleted by a trade and John Axford’s release, has strung together 11 1/3 innings of scoreless relief in the last two days. In that same span, the Giants have a pair of painful losses. From the Giants’ perspective, it’s not a good comparison.

Four consecutive losses have saddled the Giants with baseball’s worst record, at least for now, worse than the Phillies. The Giants probably won’t lose 100 games, becoming the second club in the San Francisco era to do so, but it’s a possibility.

If so, something has to give. General manager Bobby Evans spoke last week of retaining the team’s core, in part due to the numerous, prohibitive contracts, and in part due to the accomplishments of that core. But that same group has baseball’s worst record since last season’s All Star break, more than a full season of baseball.

Needless to say, tough decisions are looming.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Royals and Giants, no longer on top of the world, have come back to the pack

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By Morris Phillips

A bunch has transpired since Madison Bumgarner became a household name, single handedly lifting the Giants over the Royals with his singular, five innings of relief in Game 7 of the 2014 World Series.

A bunch.

Since then, the Giants became World Series champs, the Royals also became champions, shaking off the disappointment of 2014 and capturing the title the following fall.  Players on both teams have moved on, or faltered, or retired.  And one especially bright young star, Kansas City’s Yordano Ventura died in a tragic car accident.

As a result, neither team is on top of the world at present, just a pair of struggling clubs mindful of making strides within their respective divisions before aspiring to another lengthy, playoff run.

Here’s what’s happened to the Royals and Giants over the last two-and-a-half years leading into the brief, interleague series between the two starting on Tuesday:

Nothing personifies the change within both organizations more than the two pitching staffs, beginning with the Game 7 starting pitchers, Jeremy Guthrie and Tim Hudson.  Hudson had a star-crossed evening on October 29, 2014.  Tabbed by Bruce Bochy to start the deciding game, Hudson lasted less than two innings.  Still, the 38-year old became a champion for the first time in his career.

Hudson would return to the Giants in 2015, his last season.  He would retire with 222 big league victories.

Guthrie pitched three innings that night, giving way to the heralded Royals’ bullpen, who shut the Giants down the rest of the way. The former Stanford pitcher would return to the Royals in 2015, only to be demoted from the starting rotation in August because of poor performances.  Guthrie has since been signed and released by the Rangers, Padres and Marlins.  Just two weeks ago, the Nationals tabbed Guthrie to start against the Phillies, but he allowed 10 runs in the first inning and was released again.

Jeremy Affeldt pitched two innings that night in a marvelous turn following Hudson, and leading to Bumgarner. That outing was the final assignment of his career as Affeldt announced his retirement in the days following the Series.

In fact, the Giants have moved on from all four relievers that were with the club for all three World Series titles. Affeldt retired after 2014, and Javier Lopez retired after the 2016 season. Sergio Romo signed with the Dodgers, and Santiago Casilla with the A’s after the Giants’ bullpen performed so poorly in 2016.

The only Giants’ bullpen holdovers from that World Series? 32-year old George Kontos, and Hunter Strickland, 28.  Of course, Strickland is well known for his high-90’s fastballs that fooled no one in the 2014 postseason in which he allowed six home runs just weeks after his major league debut. Since, he’s become a front-end bullpen guy, currently pitching in setup roles ahead of closer Mark Melancon.

The fate of the Royals’ bullpen since 2014 is even more stark than the Giants. The Kansas City trio of Wade Davis, Kelvin Herrera and Greg Holland was dynamic in their 2014 postseason run, shutting down opponents sometimes starting as early as the fifth inning.  In 2017, the often meteoric rise and fall of fireballing relievers is personified in the trio.

Davis, Herrera and Holland returned to their familiar roles in 2015, leading the Royals to the AL Central crown and the playoffs. Late in that season, Holland, the closer, was shelved in order to undergo Tommy John surgery that would cost him the entire 2016 season. Davis assumed the closer’s role and was fantastic, saving all four postseason chances while not allowing a run.

But in 2016, Davis experienced arm issues, was put on the disabled list, and was traded to the Cubs in December. Holland became a free agent shrouded in the unknown after a year of inactivity.  Holland drew interest from the Giants before signing with the Rockies. Holland earned his first save since saving 32 in 2015 on April 3, in the Rockies’ home opener.

Only the 27-year old Herrera remains with the Royals, now their closer in a bullpen that’s far less formidable than in 2015.

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.

Giants Thump Padres 9-3 In Season Finale, Offense Tunes Up For Wild Card Showdown

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By Matthew T.F. Harrington

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – With a playoff berth in hand, the San Francisco Giants wrapped game 162 up with an offensive display sure to comfort fans heading into a do-or-die contest. The Giants wrapped 13 hits in a 9-3 victory over the San Diego Padres Sunday Afternoon at AT&T Park.

Buster Posey and pinch-hitter Adam Duvall each homered for San Francisco (87-74), while seven different Giants knocked in a run. The Padres (77-85) received RBIs from Cory Spangenberg, Seth Smith and Yasmani Grandal.

“Ultimately, I think the guys who have been through this know this,” said Posey “It’s going to come down to pitching well and playing good defense. I think we have the offense that can get hot and carry that hotness, sustain that hotness for a few weeks.”

Before the Giants even took the field for the regular season finale against the San Diego Padres, they knew their playoff fate. With a Pittsburgh Pirates 4-1 loss in Cincinnati earlier in the day, the Giants will head to the Steel City for Wednesday’s one-game Wild Card playoff. The Pirates opened the day one game back of the St. Louis Cardinals for the National League Central crown.

“That’s a good club,” said Giants Manager Bruce Bochy of Wednesday’s foe. “They really have been firing this month, almost winning their division. It’s going to be a tough game.”

For San Francisco, Rookie pitcher Chris Heston made his first Major League start after two relief appearances this season. In his 2014 Triple-A Fresno campaign Heston went 12-9 with a 3.38 earned run average, the second lowest mark in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League. He was twice named a MiLB Organizational All-Star for the Giants and this year lead all PCL starters in innings pitched (173) and starts (28).

The 2009 San Francisco 12th round draft pick opened the game precariously, allowing four-straight hits to the Padres before finally recording his first out on a Seth Smith sacrifice fly. The 26-year-old retired the next two batters, including inducing an inning-ending grounder up the middle that he deflected to a diving shortstop Brandon Crawford. Crawford flipped the ball out of his glove to second basemen Joe Panik to end the inning with the Giants only trailing 2-0.

“He threw the ball very well,” said Posey of his batterymate. “I think there were some nerves to start with but he settled in for innings two, three and four.”

“There were some nerves to be out there for start one,” admitted Heston. “But once I threw strike one, it settled down. A lot happened pretty quickly. Crawford made a crazy good play to get me out of it. It was pretty fun.”

The deficit would be short-lived following a Buster Posey’s 22nd home run of the year off Padres starter Robbie Erlin. Posey tied the game after taking a belt-high fastball to left-center, scoring Gregor Blanco for the backstop’s 88th and 89th RBIs of the season. Posey underwent an MRI Friday to check on damage to his balky bat.

“(Buster) told me in the morning he wanted to play,” said Bochy. “I was a little concerned that he was healthy, but he showed me with his swing. We were planning to give him a couple at-bats, but Buster felt fine in them all. It seemed encouraging that he’s over his issue.”

The Giants cracked open the game in the bottom of the second inning, scoring four runs to chase the eventual losing pitcher Erlin (4-5, 4.99 ERA) from the game. San Francisco loaded the bases with no outs for Heston. He struck out looking for the first out, but leadoff man Blanco lofted a sacrifice fly to center and Panik singled down the line at first for a 4-2 lead. Padres manager Bud Black went to his bullpen, calling on Tim Stauffer to replace Erlin after his 1 1/3 innings of work and four runs allowed. Stauffer struck out Posey to end the second.

The Friars fired back with a run of their own off Heston in the top of the third after a Yasmani Grandal RBI single. It’d be the last run the Padres would score off Heston in his four innings of work. He’d be lifted for pinch-hitter Adam Duvall in the bottom of the fourth. Duvall took a 91 mile per hour Stauffer offering deep for his third home run of the season.

Heston failed to qualify for his first career win despite exiting the game with a 5-3 lead, missing the five-inning cutoff. He walked a pair of struck out a pair in his outing, but the honors instead went to Tim Lincecum (12-9, 4.74). “The Freak” pitched a pair of scoreless innings in the fifth and sixth, surrendering a lone hit, to vulture the win.

“I thought Heston did a good job,” said Bochy. “He’s pitched a lot. It’s not an easy job taking him out in the fourth with the lead but with him not getting a lot of work we didn’t want to overtax him. Timmy came in and got another win so he’s excited about that. It was a well-played game.”

San Francisco put the game out of reach with a three-run eighth inning following an run-scoring hits by birthday boy Gary Brown, Joaquin Arias and pinch-hitter Matt Duffy. Arias’ hit, a double off reliever Nick Vincent, plated two runs. Erik Cordier and Brett Bochy pitched a scoreless inning apiece to close out the win for the Black and Orange on Fan Appreciation Day.

“It’s very special for him to be out there,” said the elder Bochy on utilizing his son for the final three outs. “It’s a moment I won’t forget. I told the kids ‘hey, you’ve got the end here’ because we weren’t going to use (Santiago) Casilla, (Hunter) Strickland or (Sergio) Romo.”

“It was a very proud moment for me,” he added. “This is one line-up card I’ll save.”

What the fans would truly appreciate is a third Giants World Series title in six years. With that in mind Bochy has already announced his scheduled starter for Wednesday’s playoff contest. 2014 all-star Madison Bumgarner takes his 18-10 record and 2.98 ERA to the bump against the Bucs in an attempt to advance the Giants to the Division Series and a date with the NL wins leaders, the Washington Nationals.

“Madison was our Opening Day starter,” said Bochy. “He made the All-star team. This is the way you hope it will pan out.”

Pittsburgh won the season series 4-2. Pirates manager Clint Hurdle has hinted that Edison Volquez (3.04 ERA) will get the nod after his 13-win season.

“It’s going to be one of the better atmospheres that we get to play in,” said Posey “We all look forward to the challenge”

“We’re playing in their park where they’ve really done a good job,” added Bochy. “We’re facing a tough pitcher. I expect to see a great ballgame. We’ll do all we can to get back here.”

Giants Shutout for Second Loss in as Many Nights

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Photo Credit: Miami Marlins Google +
Photo Credit: Miami Marlins Google +

By: Joe Lami

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif.–The Miami Marlins defeated the San Francisco Giants for the second night in a row on Saturday night by the final score of 5-0 to take the lead in the four game weekend set 2-1.

The night looked promising for the Giants, when Tim Lincecum smoked through the first inning with two strikeouts.  However, it looked like a completely different Lincecum in the second inning, as he walked two to set up the Marlins first run of the inning.  Lincecum walked both Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Marcell Ozuna to put runners on first and second, when  Adeiny Hechavarria knocked in Saltalamacchia for the eventual game winning run with the Marlins first hit of the evening.

Controversy occurred in the bottom half of the second inning for the Giants, when Brandon Hicks came up to the plate.  He lined a hard hit ball off of the bricks in right field for what should have been a double.  However, when rounding first, Hicks apparently missed first base.  After being challenged by the Marlins, it was deemed that Hicks missed first base, so he was called out.  “I thought I hit it, but I was looking up for the ball so I don’t know,” explained Hicks.

Instead of having runners of first and third with only one out, the Giants had two outs when Brandon Crawford was the next one to step to the plate.  He flied out to center on what would have been an easy sacrafice fly, but instead the fly out ended the inning.

“Crawford hit one and it would have been a run,” expressed Giants manager Bruce Bochy.

The Marlins were able to add two more in the sixth off of a tired Lincecum.  Casey McGehee started the inning with a leadoff double, only to be batted in when Garrett Jones came up next with a triple.  A scary moment occurred on the play, as Angel Pagan went diving for the ball, and ended up missing it, allowing Jones to get to third.  He banged up his shoulder on the play.  “He said he was a little sore, and will evaluate him tomorrow, but he should be okay,” Bochy commented.  Saltalamacchia then hit in Jones with a sacrifice fly to left to extend the lead to 3-0.

Lincecum was coming off of his best start of the season against Atlanta where he struck out 11, while allowing one run on two hits.  On Saturday night, the former Cy Young winner lasted six innings, giving up three runs on seven hits, while striking out six.  “Timmy had a good outing, the way we have been swinging the bats of late, we could have expected more,” added Bochy.

Miami was able to add one in the seventh, when Giancarlo Stanton hit a solo shot for his 12th homerun of the season.  The Marlins also added one in the ninth that went unearned to make it 5-0.

Marlins’ pitcher Tom Koehler bounces back from his worst performance of the season, where he only pitched 3.2 innings against the Dodgers, with the win.  Koehler pitched seven, striking out seven, while only allowing four hits.  He ups his record to 4-3 on the year.

The Giants try to get back in the win column Sunday, as they will face these same Marlins for the final matchup of the four-game weekend set.  San Francisco will be putting Ryan Vogelsong on the mound, while they face Jacob Turner.

 

Miami Backed By Yelich’s Four Run Game to Get Past Giants 7-5

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James-Hetfield

By: Joe Lami

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIF.–A sold out crowd of 41,819 were treated to a rockin’ game on Metallica night at AT&T Park on Friday night, as the Giants and Marlins played the second game of a four-game series.  The Marlins tied the weekend series at one with the 7-5 win.  In a back and forth game, Miami finally took the stranglehold in the top of the ninth with a two run inning.

Casey McGee earned the game winning hit with one out in the ninth as he slapped a ball through the right side of the infield bringing in Christian Yelich, who earned his fourth run of the evening on the play.  “We’re going to have games like this, the game winning hit had eyes,” said Giants Manager, Bruce Bochy, following the loss.

Miami was able to add another one with a groundball base hit from Garrett Jones, as Brandon Crawford was unable to come up with the ball on a sliding ball to his left with two outs.

The Marlins got on the board first, when Yelich earned his first run of the game with a lead-off home run just five pitches in.  For Yelich, it was his fifth homer of the season and second of the Marlins road trip.  “I lost my command in the first, but after it I settled down,” Giants Starting Pitcher, Yusmeiro Petit commented.

Petit was put in as the spot starter, after projected starter Tim Hudson was unable to make it due to a strained left hip.  “I’m going to be ready anytime he (Bochy) needs me,” Petit added.

The Giants were able to answer right back with a run of their own in the bottom half of the first, when Pablo Sandoval hit in Angel Pagan with a two out double.

Miami would hit their second home run of the game in the top half of the third inning.  This time it was off of the bat of Derek Dietrich, who hit it with a runner on in Yelich that reached on an error.  Miami would add another in the fourth inning to go up 4-1 when Adeiny Hechavarria hit in Jones on a sacrifice fly.

The Giants would once again answer with two runs in the bottom half of the fourth inning to make it 4-3, with runs coming from Sandoval and Michael Morse.

Miami would add on another run in the fifth, making it three straight innings with a run to go ahead 5-3.  Yelich notched his third run of the game on a McGehee single.

The Giants would add runs in the fifth and sixth to eventually tie the game.  “We just came up short tonight, after we tied it,” explained Bochy, after the game.

Santiago Casilla gets marked with the loss, dropping his record to 1-1 on the season.  Mike Dunn picks up the win for the Marlins, upping his record to 4-3.

With the loss, the Giants remain in first.  However, they lose a game on the Colorado Rockies, who defeated San Diego 3-1 on Friday night.  San Francisco has a three-game lead on Colorado.

Saturday’s matchup will feature Tom Koehler and Tim Lincecum as the projected starters.  Koehler has a 2.57 ERA for a 3-3 record on the year and AT&T Park holds a special place in his heart, as it is where he recorded his first Major League win.  Lincecum will be on the bump for San Francisco, as he goes into Saturday with a 4.78 ERA, good enough for a 3-2 record.  Lincecum is also coming off of his best outing of the season, as he struck out 11 batters in his win over the Braves on Monday.

Pagan plays hero again, 11th inning hit gives the Giants a walk-off win

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By Kahlil Najar

SAN FRANCISCO, CA. – In the iconic words of Han Solo, “Never tell me the odds!” On Star Wars day at AT&T Park, the Giants were able to hold off on elimination from playoff contention today by beating the Diamondback 3-2 with a bottom of the eleventh walk-off single by hero Angel Pagan. Javier Lopez was credited with the win bringing his record to 3-2 and the Diamondbacks Joe Thatcher was given the loss to bring him to the same record of 3-2.

Going up against Diamondbacks pitcher Joe Thatcher with the score tied at 2, Hector Sanchez grounded a leadoff single to left field to start the Giants eleventh inning rally. To add some speed to the bags, Giants manager Bruce Bochy put in pinch-runner Ehrie Adrianza in his first major league appearance. Gregor Blanco followed with sacrifice-bunt attempt to help move Adrianza over to second however instead of going for the sure out at first, Diamondbacks catcher Miguel Montero threw to second base and wasn’t able to get Adrianza and Blanco reach first safely. Pagan then came up and knocked a 1-1 four-seam fastball to left field that Willie Bloomquist tried to relay in but if was off-line and Adrianza was able to slide in safely.

On scoring his first run in the big leagues, Adrianza said that “I was a little nervous out there but I tried to be in control and win the game.” Adrianza has been in the Giants farm league since 2006 and has 107 stolen bases to his credit, so the speed is there. Speaking on Adrianza, Bruce Bochy said “I’m going to have to try and find a spot for him. It’s good to have him out there.”

Madison Bumgarner who was looking for his first win since August 2nd threw 6.0-scoreless innings, allowing just four hits with nine strikeouts. Bumgarner struck out 5-straight Diamondbacks, tying the most consecutive strikeouts in his career. On his quick outing and performance Bumgarner said, “You want to stay out there but it’s their (the managers) job to look at the big picture and ours to look at today. I felt pretty good out there.” On him not getting the decision, Bumagarner continued, “it doesn’t matter if I get the win or not, all the starters are trying to do is eat up some innings and give us the chance to win.”

The Giants were able to get on the board first when in the bottom of the fourth Hector Sanchez hit a line single to right field that brought in Tony Abreu who walked to start off the inning. A few batters later on a wild pitch to Juan Perez, Buster Posey came in to score to make it a 2-0 Giants lead. In the eighth, Arizona tallied their two runs on a sacrifice fly from Eric Chavez and on a single from A.J. Pollock who brought in Adam Eaton to tie the game at 2.
The turning point of the game came in the top of the 10th when a call was turned over by umpire Ron Kulpa. Arizona had runners on first and second with two outs when Aaron Hill hit an easy grounder to Buster Posey at first which took a weird bounce and hit Posey in the chest. Giants pitcher George Kontos who was sprinting over to first to cover the bag was able to get there in time but Hill was initially called safe. After a brief conference by all four umpires, Kulpa changed the call and called Hall out. Understandably Arizona head coach Kirk Gibson went out to argue the call was then thrown out of the game, his fourth time this year. That momentum from the overturned call and the manager ejection gave the Giants the motivation they needed to ended the game as soon as possible and Angel Pagan was happy to deliver.

“They (the Diamondbacks) came back to tie the game in the eighth. If the game gets away from you after having the lead, it’s disheartening, but when you win it’s huge,” said Bochy on the win.

The Giants hope to continue their winning ways tomorrow when they face the Colorado Rockies at home. The Rockies send Jhoulys Chacin (13-8) to the mound while the Giants put Tim Lincecum (9-13) up to battle. Game time 7:15pm.

Petit rattles former team in Giants win

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By Jeremy Kahn

PhotoPHOENIX-Yusmeiro Petit must have loved to hear from Bruce Bochy that he was going to pitch the finale of this three-game series against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Petit, who pitched for the Diamondbacks from 2007-2009 was absolutely fantastic, as he went six innings, allowing two runs on seven hits, walking just one and striking out a career-high 10 and the San Francisco Giants defeated the Diamondbacks 8-2 before 33,422 at Chase Field.

“Another great start for him, two tough ballparks in Colorado and here,” said Bruce Bochy.

Hunter Pence continued his hot hitting, as he went 3-for-4 on the afternoon, which included his 17th home run of the season, a two-run belt to the opposite field that scored Buster Posey, who went 3-for-5 on the afternoon.

Despite allowing a run on two hits in the bottom of the first inning, Petit struck out the side in the inning and struck out the side in the bottom of the second inning.

Martin Prado got the Diamondbacks on the board in the bottom of the first inning, as he doubled off of Petit to score Adam Eaton, who singled with one out.

Hector Sanchez got the Giants on the board in the top of the second inning, as he grounded out to shortstop to score Pence from third base, after Pence walked to leadoff the inning.

Sanchez continued to be a run producer in the top of the fourth inning, as he hit a two-run double that scored Posey and Pence, in what proved to be the game-winning runs.

Petit helped out his own cause in that frame, as he singled to the opposite field to score Sanchez with the third run of the inning.

“Put the ball in play,” said Petit, through interpreter Jose Alguacil.

Tony Abreu made his return to the team after missing the last 31 games with bursitis in his left knee, and made his presence in the field well known.

Abreu, starting in place of Marco Scutaro at second made a diving stab at a ball, got up threw to Joaquin Arias at second base who in turn threw to Posey to complete a dazzling double play.

Thirteen-game winner Patrick Corbin lasted only five innings, allowing five runs on nine hits, walking one and striking out six.

With the victory over the lefthander, the Giants won for just the third time in their 12 versus a left-handed pitcher.

In seven starts versus Corbin, this was just the second time that the Giants defeated the 13-game winner.

The Giants previously defeated Corbin on September 26, 2012 at AT&T Park, in what the second to last home game of what turned out to be a World Championship season.

The Diamondbacks attempted to make a game of it in the bottom of the seventh inning, as A.J. Pollock singled to leadoff the inning and then scored on an Adam Eaton singled with two outs to narrow the lead down to 5-2.

That brought the dangerous Paul Goldschmidt to the plate representing the tying run for the Diamondbacks.

Goldschmidt took a Jose Mijares offering to deep left-center field, but Gregor Blanco was able to track it down for the third out just in front of the warning track near the 413-foot mark.

The Giants added three more three in the top of the ninth, as Scutaro singled, then Arias singled, after a strikeout by Abreu, Posey came up with third hit of the afternoon and then Pence joined Posey in the three-hit club, as he singled.

“That is what you are hoping for from the heart of your lineup,” said Bochy.

All of the hits and runs came off of Heath Bell, who was shelled in 0.1 innings of work, as he allowed three runs on four hits and struck out one.

NOTES: Barry Zito will start for the Giants on Monday against the San Diego Padres from Petco Park, while the Padres will send former Diamondbacks pitcher Ian Kennedy in the series opener.

In 56 games versus the National League West this season, the Giants are now 32-24 (.571), the best of any team in the division.

This was the most runs scored by the Giants in a game since scoring 14 runs in a victory against the Miami Marlins on August 16 at Marlins Ballpark.

DOWN ON THE FARM: Four of the Giants six minor league affiliates will play in the postseason.

The San Jose Giants will make their California League record 10th consecutive playoff appearances.

Making the playoffs for the second time in the last seasons will be the Augusta GreenJackets of the Class-A South Atlantic League.

The Giants Short Season affiliate from the Northwest League, the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes return to the playoffs for the first time since the 2009 season.

Rookie level Arizona Giants also return to the postseason for the first time since the 2011 postseason.

Giants looking for a spark in D.C.

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By Morris Phillips

August 12, 2013

According to Giants’ manager Bruce Bochy, the Giants’ bats are ice cold right now.

The temperature for first pitch at Nationals Park on Tuesday night in steamy Washington D.C. should be around 83 degrees.

Could this convergence of circumstances bring about a change of fortunes for the NL West’s last place club? Probably not.

After losing two of three to the Orioles at AT&T Park over the weekend, the Giants are 15 ½ games behind the first place Dodgers and thinking of next year. The lineups Bochy’s been running out with Roger Kieschnick getting a look and Jeff Franceour frequently featured aren’t fortune changers. Instead, they’re audition lineups as the veteran manager scours his 25-man roster for any signs of life.

A matchup of two teams that made the post-season in 2012 doesn’t offer the same snap that it did just a year ago. The Nationals are just three games under .500 but sit 14 games behind the first-place Braves in the NL East. Bryce Harper’s been terrific for the Nats, and Stephen Strasburg struggled to find his form, but the major theme out of Washington is that their offense is as bad as the Giants.

So on the surface Tuesday’s matchup between Madison Bumgarner and Gio Gonzalez might not allow the bats to break out. But if we watch, we’ll watch for that: any signs of life from the woeful Giants or the disappointing Nationals.

First pitch comes at 4:05pm.