@benzobrist18 photo: Ben Zobrist of the Chicago Cubs displays one of his banned black shoes from MLB on his hitting stick
On the MLB The Show podcast with Daniel Dullum:
1 Giants’ on six-game skid after losing to Pittsburgh on RBI HBP.
2 Padres designate Chase Headley for assignment.
3 Matt Harvey has a decent debut for Cincinnati.
4 Cubs’ Ben Zobrist busted by MLB for wearing traditional black cleats.
Daniel Dullum does the MLB The Show podcast each Sunday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com
Photo credit: @mega_webnetwork
On the SF Giants podcast with Michael:
The San Francisco Giants who are on a four-game losing streak after dropping four straight to the Philadelphia Phillies after sweeping the Atlanta Braves in three games in Atlanta. What is wrong with the Giants? They’re thus far 3-4 on this road trip with three more games to go as they open tonight in Pittsburgh and they’re a .500 ball club.
Four loses on the road is not outside of what you would expect if they had gone 2-1 or 1-3, you might feel a little bit better about that, you might think the Giants flip flopped after winning a sweep then getting swept in four.
What is a surprise in this series in Philadelphia, the Giants, who were hitting well at home and who had been tearing it up in Atlanta, got into one of the top offensive ball parks in the National League, Philadelphia, and they didn’t hit. They didn’t hit at all. They got a couple home runs on Thursday. They jumped off to a 3-0 lead, but the Phillies’ pitching bore down and the Giants couldn’t add any more runs and the Phillies came back and won the game.
Michael Duca does the Giants podcasts each Friday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com
Photo file from the midlanddailynews.com: San Francisco Giants’ Nick Hundley, right, celebrates after making the game-winning hit against the San Diego Padres in the ninth inning of a baseball game Monday, April 30, 2018, in San Francisco. Hundley lined a two-run single off Padres closer Brad Hand with two outs in the ninth inning, lifting the Giants to a 6-5 win over San Diego
On the San Francisco Giants podcast with Morris:
#1 San Francisco Giants came into Atlanta on Friday and snapped the Braves’ five-game win streak and later swept the series defeating Atlanta 4-3.
#2 Not an easy task for the Giants, but they accomplished a sweep over the Braves for the first time since 2014–the last time they won the World Series.
#3 The Giants got offensive help from Nick Hundley and Pablo Sandoval, who both got RBI singles in helping the four-run cause.
#4 The game on Saturday was a laugher for San Francisco with a 11-2 hitting rampage and it set the tone for the Giants, who were going to dominate this series at Sun Trust Field in Cobb County.
#5 The Giants open a three-game series in Philadelphia tonight at Citizens Bank. We asked Morris how he sees these two teams matching up.
Morris Phillips does the Giants podcasts each Monday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com
Photo credit: @mlbdepthcharts
On the San Francisco Giants podcast with Michael:
#1 How possible is this elbow injury for Giants pitcher Johnny Cueto being a season-ending injury?
#2 Will Cueto be considered for Tommy John surgery?
#3 Giant pitcher Will Smith has been activated Thursday after being on the DL from Tommy John surgery. Smith last pitched last season.
#4 Also, after the news about Cueto, the Giants pitcher Andrew Suarez was almost demoted to Triple-A Sacramento, but the Giants kept him up with the club to spot start and he’s slated to start on Tuesday in Philadelphia.
#5 What’s it like to see with Mac Williamson back in the lineup with his scheduled return on Saturday?
Giants podcasters Morris Phillips and Michael Duca podcasts Giants baseball each Friday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com
By Morris Phillips
SAN FRANCISCO–Nick Hundley anticipated batting with the bases loaded, two outs, and an opportunity to win Monday’s game.
He also knew manager Bruce Bochy would have few, palatable options beyond him if the game remained tied after the ninth inning.
And Hundley surmised these two scenarios before the inning began with the Giants facing an intimidating 5-3 deficit.
But if you’re a thoroughly invested, major leaguer being paid millions, what’s surprising about a little foresight if you have three hours of otherwise, idle time?
In Hundley’s case, not much.
“Just quick University of Arizona math on my part,” Hundley said.
The backup catcher’s pinch-hit single up the middle plated Buster Posey and Evan Longoria, and the Giants gained a 6-5 win over the Padres of weighty significance.
With a record of 15-14 the Giants are over .500 for the first time this season, and they have their first, full month of winning baseball in almost two years.
It appears the Giants are shedding that loosely defined label as MLB’s worst team based on their won-loss record since July 2016 when their issues arose. Simply, the NL West hopefuls have a nice set of gritty, late-inning wins already this season, and now they have a winning record, and second place in the division as well.
“It’s just great to see the guys fight all game and not quit,” said starting pitcher Jeff Samardzija.
The fight throughout the game couldn’t be minimized with the Giants scoring three times in the first, then going scoreless over the next seven frames as the Padres rallied, wearing down Samardzija, as they gained a 5-3 lead.
Longoria would commit two, uncharacteristic errors–the first a grounder that found its way through the third baseman’s legs in San Diego’s three-run sixth. But with the game in the balance, Longoria singled off closer Brad Hand, scoring Austin Slater, to narrow the deficit to 5-4. Brandon Belt, in a lefty versus lefty matchup, battled and drew a walk to load the bases. Hundley followed with his game-winning base hit, scoring Buster Posey and Longoria.
“We had some really long at-bats, and I’m sure that caught up with him,” Bochy said, explaining the tenor of the inning against a reliever in Hand that had plenty of previous success facing the Giants.
“I just didn’t shut them down. I didn’t have it today,” Hand revealed.
photo from the sandiegounion.com: Padres pitching coach Darren Balsley, left, heads back to the dugout after conferring with starting pitcher Eric Lauer in the first inning Tuesday night at Coors Field.
On the San Francisco Giants podcast with Morris Phillips:
#1 Joe Panik is out with a thumb injury and will need surgery and will be out for 10 days maybe longer, according to the Giants’ medical staff.
#2 Evan Longoria’s home run helps San Francisco get a 4-2 win past the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday 4-2. It was Longoria’s sixth home run of the season.
#3 Pitcher Ty Blach got his second win, going six innings, six hits, two runs and four strikeouts.
#4 The Giants take three out four from the Dodgers and pick up their third straight series victory.
#5 The Giants open up a three game series tonight against Padres starter Eric Lauer (0-0) and Giants starer Jeff Samardjiza (1-1).
Morris Phillips does the Giants podcasts each Monday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com
SFGAuthentics photo: Mac Williamson who hit a tape measure shot last Monday against the Washington Nationals and another homer the next night pictures his bats he used in spring training in March
On the Giants podcast with Michael Duca:
#1 Mac Williamson the Giants outfielder is listed as day to day with a stiff neck caused by crashing into the AT&T Park padding while chasing down a fly. Williamson missed Wednesday’s game and is anxious to get back into the line up
#2 Williamson has impressed manager Bruce Bochy not only for his hustle but those tape measure home runs during the Washington series and his bat speed making solid contact
#3 In his second start on Wednesday pitcher Jeff Samardzija was rocked and early over four innings of work, eight hits, six runs, and we asked Michael is Samardzija really ready after his rehab
#4 Giants pitcher Reyes Moronta has been the talk for his first win on Tuesday night he was able to retire Washington hitters either from the left or right side of the plate. In Moronta’s debut he pitched for a 0.64 ERA.
#5 The Giants open a four game series tonight at AT&T Park against the Los Angeles Dodgers which includes a double dip on Saturday to make up for a rain out earlier this month. Michael goes into the length of time that the players, coaches, managers (from both teams) and stadium employees put into working both ends of a day night doubleheader. The first game starts at 1:00PM and the second game starts at 7:00PM on Saturday night.
Michael Duca does the Giants podcasts each Friday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com
Photo credit: @FareedNBCS
On the SF Giants podcast with Morris and Michael:
San Francisco Giant left fielder Mac Williamson has started his 2018 season in the show with a flourish. A right handed hitter mentioned with two left-handed hitters Willie McCovey–hence, the name Mac, and Barry Bonds for distance hitting. Williamson, who hits right-handed belted a two-run homer on Monday night against the Washington Nationals seven rows up the opposite way to right field in the 4-2 win to open the three-game series at AT&T Park.
Williamson belted a 464-foot home run to give fans a idea how far the blast was. This is an area that Bonds used to hit them and for that matter if McCovey was active and was able during his playing days he could do the same. Williamson hit Monday night was to the farthest part of the right field corner.
Michael Duca and Morris Phillips do the SF Giants podcasts Mondays and Fridays at http://www.sportsradoservice.com
@athletics: A’s pitcher Sean Manaea soaked after getting the Gatorade treatment with Bubble Gum bucket crowning after no hitting the best team in baseball the Boston Red Sox at the Oakland Coliseum on Saturday night
On the MLB The Show podcast with Daniel Dullum:
Giants win over Angels; rough start for Jeff Samardzija, three SF home runs
Hunter Pence on DL with thumb injury
Tyson Ross comes within four outs of throwing Padres’ first ever no-hitter
Giancarlo Stanton finally ends home run drought, hits first dinger for Yanks
Sean Manaea’s no hitter sure to lift A’s morale after team’s first sweep and beating baseball’s best
Nats beat Dodgers in battle of Max Scherzer vs. Clayton Kershaw
Daniel Dullum does the MLB The Show podcasts each Saturday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com
Photo credit: @SFGiants
On the Giants podcast with Michael:
#1 The San Francisco Giants continue to flounder on offense as they lose to the Arizona Diamondbacks 3-1 on Thursday night at Chase Field.
#2 Up and down, the San Francisco line up the hitters. You expect to connect have struggled against Arizona pitching namely Thursday starter Zach Greinke, who went seven innings, three hits and gave up a run kept the Giants’ lineup off balance.
#3 Pitcher Jeff Samardzija is scheduled to come back and pitch his first game of the season. Manager Bruce Bochy says Samardzija is on schedule and his rehab has been going smoothly.
#4 Madison Bumgarner had three pins removed for his pinky finger, which was fractured four weeks ago in spring training. Doctors say Bumgarner could be throwing in two weeks.
#5 Giants outfielder Hunter Pence said his thumb injury is preventing him from getting some good swings at the plate and holding him back. Pence has only one hit and 12 strikeouts in his last 20 at-bats.
Michael Duca does the Giants podcasts each Friday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com
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