Tag: Buster Posey

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.

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.

Scutaro with the literal walk off

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By Jeremy Kahn

August 20, 2013

PhotoSAN FRANCISCO-Marco Scutaro was given the nickname “Blockbuster” when he was acquired by the San Francisco Giants.

Scutaro walked on four straight pitches with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth inning against Brayan Villareal, as the Giants came back to defeat the Boston Red Sox 3-2 before a sellout crowd of 41,551 at AT&T Park.

Shane Victorino maybe in the American League, but he is still tormenting the Giants.

Victorino hit a solo home run in the top of the third inning off of Ryan Vogelsong that gave the Red Sox a 2-0 lead.

Besides the Victorino home run in the third, Vogelsong gave up a run in the top of the first inning, when Mike Carp drove in Jacoby Ellsbury with a sacrifice fly to right field.

In all, Vogelsong went seven innings, allowing two runs on six hits, walking one and striking out five.

Joaquin Arias drove in the Giants only run of the game in the bottom of the fifth inning, as he tripled to score Roger Kieschnick, who singled to leadoff the frame.

Jake Peavy went 5.2 innings, allowing one run on five hits, while walking one and striking out four, but did not fare in the decision.

Buster Posey tied up the game in the bottom of the eighth inning, as he hit a sacrifice fly to right field to score Scutaro.

Marlins avert sweep at home, beat Giants

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By Jeremy Kahn

Looking for their first sweep against the Miami Marlins in the City of Miami since 2010, one unfortunate bounce denied that to happen.

Jeff Mathis hit a double in the bottom of the eighth inning that scored the eventual winning run, as the Marlins came back to defeat the Giants 6-5 at Marlins Park.

The Mathis double bounced off of Giants center fielder Andres Torres that scored Ed Lucas, who singled off of losing pitcher Sandy Rosario.

Chad Qualls pitched 1.1 innings to pickup the win, and Marlins closer Steve Cishek picked up his 27th save in 29 chances.

Hector Sanchez singled with one hit in the top of the ninth inning, but Buster Posey grounded into a game-ending double play.

Hunter Pence hit his first home run in 112 at bats, a two-run poke that was estimated at 458 feet to give the Giants 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning.

Pence tied up the game in the top of the fifth inning, as he singled and it was his eighth run batted in during the three-game series.

Brandon Crawford tied up the game in the top of the seventh inning, as he hit a solo home run and then Sanchez gave the Giants the lead in the top of the eighth inning; however they were unable to hold the lead.

Madison Bumgarner went five innings allowing four runs.

Late rally downs Bumgarner, Giants

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By Jeremy Harness

August 7, 2013
Photo


SAN FRANCISCO – As the eighth inning began, things were looking pretty good for the Giants.

Starter Madison Bumgarner had been giving a spectacular performance, going seven innings and giving up only a pair of hits and a walk while the Giants had just given him a run in the bottom of the seventh to put him in line for a possible win.

That’s when the good feelings ceased, however. The Milwaukee Brewers tagged Bumgarner for four runs in the eighth inning as the Giants fell 6-1 before 41,416 hopeful fans at AT&T Park Wednesday night.

Looking on the bright side, however, Bumgarner now has 10 straight outings that he has pitched at least seven innings, which is the longest streak by a Giants starter since Rick Reuschel had 11 consecutive to end the 1988 season.

The Giants couldn’t get anything going offensively against starter Marco Estrada, managing only one hit against him in the five innings he pitched.

It wasn’t just Estrada who the Giants had issues with on Wednesday. They also have center fielder Carlos Gomez to thank for keeping them off the scoreboard. They hit several hard shots in Gomez’s area, only to watch him run each one of them down.

That started in the first inning, when Buster Posey smacked one that was destined for extra bases, a ball which Gomez leaped at the warning track and snared to end the inning.

The Giants did get a little payback in the seventh inning, though. After he walked with two outs, Bumgarner timed his pickoff move perfectly as Gomez was trying to steal second. From there, first baseman Brandon Belt fired to second for the putout as Gomez spiked his helmet in frustration.

That seemed to spark a rally for the Giants that carried over to the bottom of the inning, as the two Brandons got on base to start things off, Crawford with a walk and Belt with a single that just skipped past second baseman Rickie Weeks’ glove.

A wild pitch by reliever Alfredo Figaro then moved both of them into scoring position with Posey at the plate. Posey was robbed again of a base hit – this time by a diving grab in left field by Khris Davis – but Crawford tagged up from third to put the Giants in front and take the lid off of the scoreless game.

However, the Brewers themselves got some momentum against Bumgarner in the eighth that eventually knocked him out of the game. Davis and Yuniesky Betancourt led off the inning with hits before Jeff Bianchi scored Davis. On the next play, Betancourt scored on a throwing error by Bumgarner on a fielder;’s choice, which gave the Brewers the lead. After the outburst in the eighth, the Brewers put up two more runs off reliever Barry Zito to send even more fans to the exits.