Tag: giants

With backs to the wall, Giants come up with a season-saving win against the Cubs in 13 innings

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By Morris Phillips

SAN FRANCISCO–It took more than five hours, but the never-say-die Giants are still alive.

Joe Panik’s drive off the bricks in the right field arcade at AT&T Park in the 13th inning chased home Brandon Crawford with the winning run in the Giants’ dramatic 6-5 win over the Cubs.  The win kept the Giants’ postseason alive, forcing a Game 4 Tuesday and preventing a sweep at the hands of the team with MLB’s best regular-season record in 2016.

Both teams staged dramatic comebacks in this one: first the Giants overcame a one-run deficit with a three-run eighth inning only to see the Cubs strike back against closer Sergio Romo on Kris Bryant’s game-tying two run homer in the ninth.

“Good baseball game,” Cubs manager Joe Maddon said.  “That’s my takeaway.  I think that both sides should be somewhat exhilarated.  Obviously they win, so they’re going to feel a bit better about it, but there’s nothing on our side to be ashamed of.”

The Cubs and Giants have faced each other 10 times in 2016, and seven of the 10 have been decided by just one run.  Four of those seven went to the Cubs, in part due to their stellar bullpen that didn’t allow the Giants a run in 32 plus innings of relief.   But in the topsy-turvy atmosphere of the playoffs, the reliable Cubs relievers and Giants’ closer Sergio Romo had hiccups on Monday.

Joe Maddon turned to his closer Aroldis Chapman in the eighth inning, leading 3-2 and the Cubs just six outs away from advancing to the NLCS.  But Chapman saw his 102 mph offering turned around by Conor Gillaspie, who knocked in two runs with a triple over the outstretched glove of Chicago’s Albert Almora Jr.  Brandon Crawford followed with a base hit scoring Gillaspie, and the Giants carried a two-run lead to the ninth.

But the lead was lost as quickly as it was gained when Romo walked leadoff batter Dexter Fowler, then surrendered a two-run homer to Bryant that tied the game, 5-5.

The game would stretch into the 13th inning when Crawford’s leadoff double put the Giants in business against Mike Montgomery, who was until then pitching effectively in his fifth inning of relief.  But despite Montgomery’s contention that he was still in control, that all evaporated when Crawford doubled home Panik to win it.

The Giants got scoreless relief stints from Ty Blach, Will Smith, Hunter Strickland and Derek Law.  The Cubs used six relievers, but only Montgomery went as much as an inning, throwing the game’s final four innings before Panik struck with the game-winner.

Giants’ starter Madison Bumgarner went the first five innings, allowing just one blemish, a surprising, three-run homer to Cubs’ starter Jake Arrieta.  Arrieta homered twice in the regular season, but he surprised Bumgarner as he tried to sneak a fastball past the Chicago starter for the third time in the at-bat.

Arrieta went six innings, allowing six hits and two runs.  The former Oriole pitched in three postseason games in 2015, winning twice, and had won a combined 40 games in the last two regular seasons.  Arrieta also won his two previous starts in San Francisco while posting an 0.69 ERA.

In Game Four of the series on Tuesday, Chicago’s John Lackey will face the Giants’ Matt Moore.

 

Opportunity squandered: Chatwood outduels Samardzija, Giants fail to put Cards on their heels in the wild card chase

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By Morris Phillips

One night after racking up 19 hits, scoring 12 runs and appearing as if they had solved their biggest problem, the Giants came crashing back to their norm.  Instead of seizing control of their playoff lives, they died a small death, shutout 2-0 by a division foe seven seasons removed from their last postseason appearance.

How could the Giants lose to the Rockies under these circumstances?  Well, the answer starts and ends with Colorado’s Tyler Chatwood.  The hard-throwing, right hander had AT&T Park fans sitting on their hands, allowing four, disconnected singles in a terrific, eight innings of work.

“Everything was live,” Rockies manager Walt Weiss said of Chatwood.  “Great finish to his pitches.  He had the sinker, cutter combo, and then he started mixing in the curveball.  That’s kind of been his formula the last few times out where he starts to go to the curveball in the middle innings.  He made it interesting with a couple of leadoff walks late, but he gets the groundball and that’s what he’s really good at.  He can put the ball on the ground with the best of them.  He got two, huge double plays.  To shut down that team for eight innings, that’s impressive.”

“Chatwood’s been tough on us,” manager Bruce Bochy admitted.  “He was good tonight.  We just couldn’t figure him out.”

For the first eight innings, the Giants never got a baserunner as far as third base.   When a glimmer arose, Chatwood induced Buster Posey to ground into a double play in the seventh, then got Angel Pagan to do the same in the eighth.

Consequently, the Giants’ playoff picture remained muddied.  Four games remain, and the Giants are a 1 ½ games behind the Mets who won, and just a game in front of the Cardinals, who lost on Wednesday.  Had the Giants won, they would have had St. Louis teetering on the proverbial cliff.  Instead, they’d better win Thursday, or cede critical momentum to the Cards heading into the season’s final weekend.

The Giants were shutout for the ninth time since things got dicey following the All-Star break.  They’ve had far too many nights like these, but to be fair, Chatwood was a different animal.

The 26-year old pitcher missed most of the 2014 season, and all of 2015 while recovering from a second Tommy John surgery, the first coming when he was just a freshman in high school.  The effects of the first procedure might have been on the minds of the Angels when they gave up on the locally-reared prospect they drafted, more so than his so-so 6-11 rookie season in 2011.

Traded to Colorado for catcher Chris Ianetta after that 2011 season, Chatwood had two fair seasons with the Rockies, winning a combined 13 games in 2012 and 2013, first out of the bullpen, then as a member of the team’s starting rotation.  Elbow issues prompted the second Tommy John procedure in 2014, but since returning in April, Chatwood, according to Weiss, has exceeded expectations.

To say the least: with the win Wednesday, Chatwood improved his record to 8-1 in 13 starts away from chaotic Coors Field.  His ERA of 1.69 in those road starts is the lowest of any major league pitcher this season, while shattering the Rockies’ ERA record of 2.44 established in 2013 by Jhoulys Chacin, who made 13 road starts that season.

Opposite Chatwood, Jeff Samardzija was obscured.  The Giants’ starter pitched superbly, striking out a season-best 11, while allowing two runs in six innings.  In the sixth, Samardzija induced RBI machine Nolan Arenado to hit into an inning-ending double play, no small feat since Arenado earlier picked up his major league-leading 130th RBI.

But all that battling simply saddled the Giants’ starter with the loss, despite his performance announcing that he’s postseason-ready, if one exists for the Giants.

“This is the time of year, man,” Samardzija said.  “This feels great to be out there pitching when the weather turns a little bit and the season comes to an end.  I always love being able to see the finish line and it always allows me to go a little harder.”

Samardzija’s performance put him over 200 innings of work for the season, his fourth consecutive such season.  But will he pitch again?  The Giants tinkered with their rotation, putting Madison Bumgarner in line to start Friday against the Dodgers opposite Clayton Kershaw, with Bum’s next logical start being the wild card game a week from now.

Win next Wednesday, and the Giants will head to Chicago to challenge the powerful Cubs in the NLDS.  But after the loss to the Rockies, that’s a long way off.

On Thursday, the Giants send Johnny Cueto to the mound in a matchup with Colorado’s 10-win Jon Gray at 7:15pm.

Mets, Cardinals lose ground to the Giants in the wild card race, but few notice in the wake of Jose Fernandez’ tragic death

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By Morris Phillips

Marlins Park was a strange place on Monday night.

Filled with grieving fans, and two baseball teams with burdened minds, the park was the place for those trying to make sense of the sudden, tragic death of baseball star Jose Fernandez.

Fernandez was killed in a boating accident in Miami on Sunday morning that also claimed the lives of two of Fernandez’ friends.  Sunday’s game, in which Fernandez was originally scheduled to pitch, was cancelled, and Monday became the occasion for Fernandez’ teammates to get back to work, far too soon for a group of individuals, most too young or too fortunate to have experienced something this sad and unsettling.

“It was not scripted, no one tells you how to handle it,” Marlins’ manager Don Mattingly said.  “There’s nothing that tells you how to handle it.  They just stuck together and went out and played.  I think they really wanted to honor Jose the way he played and how he went about things—just that joy that he had when he played, that confidence and that energy.  I really think that was the focus of these guys, honoring him.”

But as the game began, after several pre-game tributes and images of Fernandez shown on the stadium’s scoreboard, it quickly became apparent the grief didn’t begin and end with the Marlins.  It also affected the Mets and their ability to focus on their position in a final week of the season battle for a wild-card playoff spot.

As Dee Gordon circled the bases after hitting a leadoff home run as the Marlins’ first batter of the evening, he couldn’t even round first base before tears were visible on his face.  When Gordon crossed the plate, the second baseman tapped his chest and looked skyward, then ran toward the Marlins’ dugout where he collapsed into the arms of his teammates.

Gordon’s trip around the bases will rank as a powerful moment that will be etched into the history of the game.  So powerful was the moment it affected the players on the field who watched Gordon.

“I saw him crying when he rounded first base.  I was crying too,” Mets catcher Travis d’Arnaud said.

The evening affected all those involved in different ways.  Gordon somehow maintained enough composure to compile four of the Marlins’ 14 hits as they got past the Mets, 7-3.  New York starter Bartolo Colon, a mentor to Fernandez, allowed Gordon’s home run, and lasted fewer than three innings, charged with all seven of Miami’s runs.

Mets’ manager Terry Collins admitted to being perturbed early on regarding his team’s play.  But it wasn’t far into the game that the veteran manager knew he and his team were in extremely tough circumstances, far outweighing their precarious lead over the Giants and Cardinals.

“The whole atmosphere was not baseball,” Collins admitted.

“It was very difficult for everyone,” Colon said through his customary interpreter.

In St. Louis, the Cardinals may have also been affected by Fernandez’ death.  Facing the Reds, after losing to the Cubs in Chicago on Sunday night baseball, the Cardinals also dealt with difficult scheduling in which they will play all seven days in the season’s final week.  The Cardinals lost 15-2, falling a full game behind the Giants, and a 1 ½ behind the Mets.

While the Mets and Cardinals played and lost, the Giants returned to San Francisco in preparation for their final six games at home against the Rockies and the Dodgers.  While their path to the playoffs may be clearer with their lead on the Cardinals and virtual tie with the Mets, the Giants also may have not noticed what transpired on the scoreboard Monday.

It was that type of night, one that the world of baseball collectively wishes wouldn’t have been necessary, and hardly a respite from the overwhelming grief or the demanding playoff chase.

 

 

Giants Bullpen Collapses Again, Lose 3-2 Against St. Louis

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By Shawn Whelchel

AP photo: A picture says a 1000 words in one game earlier this season San Francisco reliever Santiago Casilla was angry for being lifted but in this Saturday photo Santiago sympathizes with what his manager Bruce Bochy has to do and lifts Casilla from the game against the St Louis Cardinals at AT&T Park in San Francisco

SAN FRANCISCO- Just as the team looked to have turned a corner on its second-half struggles, the Giants bullpen collapsed yet again to drop a tight game to the St. Louis Cardinals on Saturday.

St. Louis strung together two runs on two hits and a walk to steal a 3-2 lead from the Giants in the top of the ninth. And for a manager renowned for his ability to work his bullpen, a questionable decision at the game’s most crucial moment proved to be the Giants’ downfall.

Yet again, Bruce Bochy put his faith in former closer Santiago Casilla to close out a tight ballgame. And yet again, he was mistaken in doing so.

Clinging to a one-run lead, Casilla entered in the bottom of the ninth win a man on first. An ill-advised walk and a seeing-eye single later and Casilla had blown his ninth save attempt of the season.

After warming up Hunter Strickland, Bochy would elect to replace Casilla with Matt Reynolds, who would lose the lead on a sacrifice fly to his first batter of the night. San Francisco would threaten with two singles in the bottom of the ninth, but couldn’t complete the comeback attempt.

The collapse erased what what a magnificent pitching performance by starter Jeff Samardzija, who allowed just one run on seven hits across 6 2/3 innings. Perhaps even more damaging is the fact that both the New York Mets and Los Angeles Dodgers won their games, hurting the team’s chances at a playoff birth.

After the game, Bochy talked about Samardzija’s dominant outing.

“He did a great job. He gave us all we needed and it’s a great start, a quality start,” said Bochy. “Leake, we couldn’t do a whole lot off of him but we found a way to get a couple runs, and we’re a couple out away from winning the ball game. That’s been part of our issue.”

After the game, Bochy said that his decision to pull Romo- who started the ninth inning- in favor of Casilla was an attempt to play the matchups based on history.

“We said if it got to Molina there, he’s had success off of Romo, and Casilla would be a better matchup,” said Bochy. “For some reason, Molina has seen the ball pretty good off of Sergio (Romo), and you go off history. That’s why the change was made there”

 

After suffering at the hands of yet another two-out-rally by the Giants last night, the Cardinals looked to flip the script on Samardzija, jumping out to an early lead when Brandon Moss parked an opposite field shot with two down in the first inning.

As they’ve done so often lately, the Giants’ bottom half of the order-anchored by the streaking Hunter Pence- kicked off the scoring for San Francisco on Saturday night. The Giants got on the board after a deep drive by Brandon Belt to the center field warning track would plate Pence, who singled before him.

The Giants threatened to put up another crooked number, but a spectacular diving play by Cardinals’ first baseman Matt Adams would end the inning by doubling up Eduardo Nunez at first.

San Francisco would look like the team of old in the bottom of the fifth frame, as third baseman Eduardo Nunez would use his speed to steal two straight bags off the Cardinals after leading off with a single. The pair of swipes would set up a sacrifice fly from Samardzija to plate the go-ahead run.

After issuing his fourth walk of the night with two outs in the seventh, Bochy would elect to use his bullpen to close the books on Samardzija’s impressive night. Lefty Will Smith would do just that, getting pinch hitter Jhonny Peralta to fly out to deep right field to end the threat.

Samardzija would walk away with an impressive line that saw him allow just one run on seven hits through a strong 6 2/3 innings.

But the Giants’ bullpen woes would rear their ugly head to erase his strong effort. After getting the leadoff batter, Sergio Romo would promptly give up a seeing-eye single to allow the tying run on board.

In a surprising move, Bochy would elect to trust the struggling Santiago Casilla in a tight spot. Like so many other times, this would prove to be an unwise decision by the skipper known for his bullpen management.

Casilla would start his night off with an ill-advised walk to his first batter, Yadier Molina, move the tying run into scoring position. Casilla’s night would be short, but costly, as Randal Grichuk would follow Yadier with a single past the outstretched glove of a diving Crawford to tie the game at 2-2.

Reliever Matt Reynolds would then retire his next two batters, but not before a sac-fly by Kolten Wong would give the Cardinals their first lead of the game.

San Francisco would threaten with a two-out rally after Eduardo Nunez and Denard Span would lace a pair of singles, but pinch hitter Connor Gillaspie would hit a routine pop-up on his first pitch to end the game.

 

 

 

 

Giants close home stand with a critical win as the Dodgers lose in Colorado

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Moore provides more

By Morris Phillips

SAN FRANCISCO–Arizona’s Paul Goldschmidt, who makes himself at home in San Francisco on three occasions each year, sent a rocket to the centerfield wall in the sixth inning that seem destined to erase the Giants’ 2-0 lead, and add to the slugger’s ledger of feats at AT&T Park. But with great calm, centerfielder Gorkys Hernandez raced back and snatched the drive a split second before crashing into the wall.

Giants’ fans cheered wildly for the tremendous catch, then likely turned to each other to ask, “Who’s Gorkys Hernandez?”

With the NL West crown to be decided in the remaining month of the season, and the Giants battling attrition on an almost daily basis, it’s all hands on deck. Hernandez, briefly a major leaguer in Pittsburgh and Miami, and after putting together a decent season at AAA Sacramento, is that next hand. And at that critical juncture of Wednesday’s 4-2 win over Arizona, a pretty good one at that.

“What a beautiful catch, huh? He’s a gifted outfielder, that’s why he played today,” manager Bruce Bochy said. “We wanted our best defense out there. He’s really good defensively. If he doesn’t catch that ball, now they got second and third (with one out).”

Hernandez’ catch helped make a winner out of Matt Moore for the first time in his new home park. Moore was coming off his near no-hitter in Los Angeles last week, and he was as good, but far more brief this time out. Manager Bruce Bochy, mindful of the 133 pitches Moore threw against the Dodgers, lifted his starter after Hernandez’ catch with one out and one on in the sixth.

“You don’t really watch the scoreboard in April and May, so just right now knowing where we’re at, we’re all focused on getting ourselves on a good hot streak,” Moore said.

Diamondbacks’ starter Shelby Miller took the loss in his return from an extended stay in the minors to regain his stuff after starting his Arizona career with a 2-9 record in 14 starts. But he didn’t appear any more effective in the first inning, allowing hits to Joe Panik, Buster Posey and Hunter Pence to put the Giants up 2-0.

Miller settled after that, pitching six innings allowing just the two runs on six hits. Consequently, the pitcher who the D’Backs leveraged their farm system to acquire has had a confounding season-to-date. Miller’s 2-10 with a 6.81 ERA in his big league starts, juxtaposed against a 5-1 record with a 3.91 ERA at AAA Reno. Maybe it should have been buyers beware for the Diamondbacks: Miller was 6-17 in 2015, his only season with the Braves.

After Miller departed, relievers Randall Delgado and Edwin Escobar failed to record an out in the seventh, allowing the Giants to increase their lead to 4-1. Delgado has been a bright spot for the D’Backs, making 62 appearances, the last 14 without allowing an earned run, but the Giants pounced on the reliever as pinch-hitter Conor Gillaspie tripled, and Angel Pagan doubled him home.

The Giants bullpen had its moment in the ninth, when with two outs closer Santiago Casilla allowed a home run to pinch-hitter Jake Lamb, then a soft single to Jean Segura. But Casilla steadied, retiring A.J. Pollock to end the game.

The Giants got help on the out-of-town scoreboard as the Dodgers dropped the opener of their doubleheader in Denver 7-1. At press time, the Dodgers trailed 5-2 in the second game, and with a loss there, the Los Angeles lead in the division would drop to ½ game. When asked if he noticed what was going on elsewhere during the game, Bochy refused to bite.

“We try to stay positive here, and try to win ballgames, and don’t get concerned with what the other teams are doing. It’s up to us to go out and play better ball and win ballgames,” Bochy said. “It’s the old adage, ‘we control our own destiny.’”

The Giants open a big four-game series in Chicago on Thursday afternoon with Jeff Samardzija returning to Wrigley Field as the starter in the opener. Mike Montgomery will get the start for the Cubs.

NOTES: Bochy said the Giants have not decided on Friday’s starter, first indicating that Matt Cain would return and get the start, then apparently leaning toward swing guy Albert Suarez. Neither option seems ideal, likely making the call a last-minute decision… The Giants announced their first round of September callups with reliever Josh Osich, outfielder Mac Williamson, utility man Kelby Tomlinson the key guys. Those three will be available in Chicago along with pitchers Ty Blach, Steven Okert and Matt Reynolds. Blach posted a 14-7 record in Sacramento with 113 strikeouts.

Giants lose at home to the NL-worst Braves, fall two games behind the Dodgers

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By Morris Phillips

SAN FRANCISCO–The Giants’ opportunity to post a three-game win streak for the first time in six weeks disappeared Saturday night in one swing of the bat.

Matt Kemp, the former Dodger and still a nemesis of the Giants, delivered a three-run homer off Albert Suarez in the fourth inning, and it stood up in the Braves 3-1 win. The Giants lost for the 26th time in 39 games, and fell two games off the pace of the Dodgers in the NL West.

“It’s good to quiet the crowd a little bit,” Kemp said. “They get riled up when they’re up. But if you can get on the board and get them down, they’ll back off you a little bit.”

Kemp homered for the 23rd time against the Giants, and ruined Suarez’ return to the big leagues after he was demoted to make room for the newly acquired Matt Moore on August 2. Suarez replaced Jake Peavy, who was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a lower back issue. Suarez breezed through three innings, extending the Giants’ pitching staff’s scoreless streak to 25 innings, then ran into trouble in the fourth.

Adonis Garcia singled and Freddy Freeman doubled ahead of Kemp’s homer to center field. That wiped out the Giants’ early 1-0 lead courtesy of Brandon Crawford’s solo shot in the second inning. Braves’ starter Mike Foltynewicz took it from there, pitching into the eighth inning without allowing the Giants another run.

The Braves have split six games with the Giants this season, despite being saddled with the National League’s worst record. Foltynewicz has beaten the Giants twice, also shutting them down May 30, allowing three hits and a run in six innings.

Hunter Pence, Buster Posey and Brandon Belt were all out of the Giants’ lineup, and only Belt made a pinch-hitting appearance, striking out in the eighth. After Belt’s strikeout, a pair of Giants reached base, chasing Foltynewicz. But reliever Mauricio Cabrera came on to retire Joe Panik to end the inning, and preserve the Braves’ two-run lead.

“We just couldn’t get a key hit,” manager Bruce Bochy said. “That’s how you win ballgames, and that was missing tonight.”

The Giants haven’t captured a series since winning two of three in Miami three weeks ago. On Sunday, they’ll look to capture this series with Madison Bumgarner scheduled to start. Aaron Blair will get the ball for the Braves after spending the previous two months with AAA Gwinett. Blair pitched against the Giants on June 2, allowing three two-run homers in the Braves’ 6-5 loss.

The Giants did receive some good new Saturday. The Marlins and Cardinals, their closest pursuers in the wide-open wild card race both lost at home, allowing the Giants to remain three games ahead of the Marlins and Pirates.

 

 

Giants blow early lead, get swept by the Pirates

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Cain crushed

By Morris Phillips

When the going gets tough, the tough get going.

According to manager Bruce Bochy, he’s got tough guys, but the get going part has yet to take place.

On Wednesday, the Giants saw their 4-0 lead evaporate in one inning, Matt Cain’s disastrous fifth in which he coughed all six runs the Pirates would need in a 6-5 victory that capped a three-game sweep. On top of all the Giants have experienced in their 9-21 stretch since the All-Star break, they now have a pair of mid-game meltdowns in less than a week, the type that teams that aren’t tough, don’t survive.

“We couldn’t ask for more than what we created there,” Bochy said. “We just couldn’t finish.”

Cain was cruising along, allowing just one hit, until the fifth. Then, that fast, Cain wasn’t cruising. He hit David Freese, then walked John Jaso, Jordy Mercer and Eric Fryer to force in a run. Manager Clint Hurdle, sensing an opportunity, then pinch-hit for his starter, Ivan Nova, and Matt Joyce delivered a two-run single.

Josh Harrison then hit a sacrifice fly that tied the game. With the Giants’ bullpen in motion, Cain recovered to retire Sterling Marte for the second out, but Andrew McCutchen was next, and Bochy decided to stick with Cain. But McCutchen deposited Cain’s first pitch–a substandard fastball–over the left field wall.

“I probably stuck with him a little long there, being honest,” Bochy admitted. “I felt he had enough to get through it. It didn’t play out.”

With five opportunities remaining, and a two-run deficit, the Giants’ response was tepid. Rallies fizzled in the fifth and sixth, nothing more promising came in the seventh and eighth, then with a real opportunity in the ninth, the first three batters reached to load the bases, the normally clutch Buster Posey hit into a double play, then Brandon Crawford flew out to center to end the game.

The Giants finished 3 of 10 with runners in scoring position, actually an improvement on their 5 of 23 in the first two games of the season. Regardless of the numbers, the Giants have been consistently one hit short, hitting just below .200 since the All-Star break.

Now, after a four-game losing streak that began with the meltdown against the Orioles on Sunday, the Giants are looking up at the Dodgers, now holding a 1 ½ game lead in the NL West. At some point, the Giants have to respond, but it hasn’t happened yet.

“We better find a way to get out of it pretty soon, we know that,” Bochy said.

Posey provided a boost on Wednesday by starting a day game after a night game after the All-Star missed a pair of games with back issues. Brandon Belt fouled a pitch off his leg in the fifth, but stayed in the game as the Giants fielded a lineup with all eight of their preferred starters.

The Giants get what should be a break next with the hapless Mets in for four games with Madison Bumgarner lined up to pitch the first one. The Mets, hitting .188 since the break with runners in scoring position, have an offense struggling to a greater degree than the Giants. But can the Giants take advantage?

Bumgarner faces Jacob deGrom in the opener at 7:15pm on Thursday.

Vogelsong wins in his return to AT&T Park, as the Giants continue to struggle

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Vogey's back

By Morris Phillips

SAN FRANCISCO–Ryan Vogelsong’s first start against the Giants in more than a decade was a lot like the starts the right hander made for the Giants in the years in between: emotional, rocky, good and bad, but ultimately a success.

Vogelsong allowed the first two runs of the ballgame, then saw his Pirates provide support with five runs off Matt Moore, enough for Vogey to register an 8-5 win, and keep the Giants reeling, now losers of 19 of 28 since the All-Star break.

While Vogelsong came in hyped up and vulnerable, Moore, in his first start as a Giant at home, was flawless early until thing unraveled in the fourth. After retiring 10 batters without allowing a hit, Moore allowed the next five hitters to reach and three scored. For the rest of the night, the Giants trailed, fighting an uphill battle they would ultimately lose.

Moore came in with a streak of eight consecutive quality starts, the best current streak among major leaguers along with Washington’s Max Scherzer, and this time, couldn’t make enough pitches to extend it. Along with the six hits he allowed, three walks, all bunched into his final three innings of work, were Moore’s undoing.

Just as inconsistent were the Giants behind Moore, who made several flashy defensive plays, but just as frequently saw well-placed balls drop in around them. On the base paths offensively, the Giants couldn’t extend their early 2-0 lead, much due to Trevor Brown being thrown out at the plate in the second, and Hunter Pence not heeding a stop sign put up by third base coach Roberto Kelly, allowing the Pirates to record a critical out in the third.

The Giants briefly rallied behind home runs from Eduardo Nunez and Denard Span that closed the gap to 5-4 in the sixth. Span’s shot marked Vogelsong’s final pitch of the inning, not that the former Giant wanted it to be, as he uniquely waved off manager Clint Hurdle as he approached the mound.   But this was a case where the manager knew his pitcher better than the pitcher knew himself as Hurdle recounted.

“His job is to pitch, my job is to manage, and I wasn’t going to go back in the dugout,” Hurdle said.

From Hurdle’s keen perspective, Vogelsong’s evening was perfectly summarized. Hurdle said his pitcher came in “overamped” allowing two hits, and two walks in the first inning, in which he escaped allowing just one run. Heading into the start, Vogelsong said it would be emotional day, returning to the place where he enjoyed the greatest success of his 16-year career, while needing to show he’s still viable and capable of winning. Afterwards, Vogelsong talked about the juxtaposition of trying to get locked in while warming up, all the while with Giants’ fans yelling at him and expressing their appreciation of his previous five seasons.

“I’m tired,” Vogelsong said afterwards. “I’m off in the right field corner and the fans are screaming at me, and I’m loving every minute of it.”

While Vogelsong was all over the place in attempting to describe the experience, Hurdle was more succinct in saying, “I don’t think it was just another day at the park.”

After allowing the home run to Span, and trying to shush Hurdle, Vogelsong exited to rousing applause.

“I was expecting a warm reception, but I wasn’t expecting that reception,” he said.

Trailing 7-4 in the seventh, the Giants had an opportunity to change the story, after a wild pitch allowed a pair of base runners to move up with Nunez back at the plate. But Nunez’ liner to center was snagged by Andrew McCutchen just inches above the turf, as the centerfielder came racing out of nowhere to rob the Giants’ third baseman.

“Cutch’s play was one of the best I’ve seen in a long time,” Hurdle said.

The Giants played a second straight day without Buster Posey, sidelined by back issues, and his absence was noteworthy to Vogelsong, who felt the catcher’s intimate knowledge of his tendencies would make him his toughest out.

Also on the San Francisco injury front, Cody Gearrin drew closer to a return to the big club, pitching a rehab stint in Sacramento on Monday. Josh Osich continues to rehab, but his return before September 1, is considered unlikely, as he’s not as close to returning from his forearm issue as is Gearrin.

On Tuesday, the Giants have Jeff Samardzija on the mound in a matchup with Pittsburgh’s Jameson Taillon.

Giants bullpen gives up sure win in late innings

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by Michael Martinez

SAN FRANCISCO – Johnny Cueto (13-3) appeared to have his first win since the All Star break in the bag after he threw a solid six and two thirds innings, allowing just three runs on eight hits with four strikeouts. Cueto also had a nice day at the plate putting together two hits and driving in a run. However, the Giants bullpen fell apart in the late innings and allowed the Orioles to make things competitive.

Hunter Strickland came in to relieve Cueto and got out of a seventh inning jam but gave up two runs in the seventh to let the Orioles back into the ball game, which included a solo shot by Mark Trumbo. The blast was Trumbo’s was number 34 of the season he still leads the AL in that category.

Derek Law replaced Strickland in the eighth and was able to limit the damage as the Giants still held a 7-5 lead heading into the top half of the ninth.

Then Santiago Casilla came into the game and not only let two runners get on base, but threw a hanging curveball right over the heart of the plate to Baltimore second baseman, Johnathan Schoop. Schoop made Casilla pay as he crushed the hanging breaking ball into the left field bleachers to give the Orioles the lead, eight to seven. The homer marked Casilla’s fifth blown save of the year.

“I have confidence in all my pitches,” Casilla said through interpreter Erwin Higueros. “I threw the curveball, and I just made a mistake. The ball didn’t break.”

The Giants then tried to make something happen off Orioles closer Zach Britton in the bottom of the ninth, but unfortunately could not get a run across the plate to push the game into extra innings. Britton added to his league leading save total, 37, as Baltimore sits just a half game behind the Toronto Blue Jays for first place in the AL East.

For San Francisco, its their 18th loss since the Mid Summer Classic and a real bad one after they held a six run lead heading into the top of the seventh.

The orange and black hit their stride at the plate, tallying 14 hits for seven runs and forced Orioles skipper, Buck Showalter,  to remove starter Wade Miley in the fifth inning.

Giants back up catcher Trevor Brown got the scoring started with an RBI single in the second inning. Brown got the start behind the dish after Buster Posey was a last minute scratch due to back tightness. The injury could have been sustained from the flight back and has gradually worsened, according to Posey.

Before Sunday’s ball game, Brown had been hitless in his last seven at bats, with just three hits in his last 19. But Brown made the most out of his start and was a huge spark for SF’s offense. He finished the game three for five with three RBIs.

“He’s been great,” Posey said about Brown’s performance this year. “He gave us a chance to win the game.”

Outfielder Hunter Pence also had a good game and it appears his swing could be coming into form. Pence hit a bomb to center field, 436 feet to be exact, and added a single during the Giants big fifth inning. Pence’s dinger was his first since returning from the disabled list. Prior to today’s game, Pence had not put one into the seats dating all the way back to May 18.

Fortunately, the Dodgers (65-52) lost to Pittsburgh on Sunday, 11-3, keeping the Giants a game ahead in the NL West.

After blowing a huge lead and taking a loss in what looked to be the Giants first back-to-back wins since July 30 and 31 as well as their second consecutive series victory, San Francisco will take on the Pittsburgh Pirates at home tomorrow night at 7:15 p.m. PT as Matt Moore takes the mound.

“I think everyone knows what’s at stake. I don’t think there’s really any motivation needed,” Posey said. “This time of the year, this is when it’s fun. Each game as we get further and further along will have a little more importance on it. I think the group of guys in here generally thrive in these situations.”

Overtime in Overtown: Giants survive in extra-innings win as Crawford gets seven hits

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Belt celebratesBy Morris Phillips

Suffice it to say, the 815th win of Bruce Bochy’s career as the Giants’ manager was unlike no other.

First of all, Bochy wasn’t even present, having been hospitalized overnight soon after the Giants arrived in South Florida for their three-game set with the Marlins. While the cause of the hospitalization wasn’t disclosed, it was said to be precautionary, and Bochy is expected to rejoin the club for Tuesday’s game.

Among the other oddities: after 377 of the 480 pitches required to complete the game were thrown, Giants’ catcher Buster Posey sat in the dugout explaining to team athletic trainer Dave Groeschner how his side battle with the third base bag went decidedly to the bag, while teammate Hunter Pence sat unattended next to Posey after failing to drive in Posey with the go-ahead run in the 11th inning, and striking out for the seventh time since suffering a grotesque eye bruise in Saturday’s win in Washington.

Both players would shake it off, and continue until the game’s conclusion in the 14th inning where Brandon Crawford drove in the game-winning run with his seventh hit of the night, the first time a major-leaguer’s accomplished that feat in the last 41 years.

After five hours and 34 minutes of baseball, the Giants earned the 8-7 win allowing them to maintain sole possession of first place in the NL West for at least one more day. Ron Wotus, the team’s interim skipper in Bochy’s absence, had a humorous take on the Giants’ lengthy night at Marlins Park.

“Bochy picked a heck of a day to take off.”

Lost in the improbable conclusion was the Giants’ unlikely, two-pronged comeback after trailing 5-1 in the seventh. After scoring five times in the seventh and taking a 6-5 lead, the Giants came up with one more run in the eighth to tie, after the Marlins regained the lead in the bottom of the seventh.

After hitting .171 as a team with runners in scoring position since July 1, the Giants came up with four such hits in their comeback, capped by Crawford’s single scoring Denard Span in the eighth. The comeback allowed the Giants to avoid becoming another victim of Miami starter Jose Fernandez, among the best pitchers at home in the history of the game with a 26-2 record at Marlins Park.

Fernandez went six innings, allowing six hits and a run, but departed when his pitch count his 106. Relievers Hunter Cervenka and Nick Wittgren followed Fernandez, but retired just one of the seven batters they faced in the seventh, as the Giants mounted their comeback.

Giants’ starter Johnny Cueto lasted just five innings, allowing six hits and five runs, and failing to win for the fifth consecutive start after starting the season 13-1. But unlike the Marlins’ pen, the Giants’ relievers picked up Cueto. Of the seven relievers that followed Cueto, only Will Smith slipped, allowing the two-run Marlins’ rally in the seventh.

Eight Miami pitchers followed Fernandez, and five of them allowed a hit to Crawford, who became the first big leaguer to gather seven hits in a game since Rennie Stennett accomplished the feat on September 16, 1975. Incredibly, Stennett accumulated all seven of his hits without the benefit of extra innings. Manager Don Mattingly conceded that Crawford proved almost impossible to retire on Monday.

“We didn’t figure it out today,” Mattingly said. “He’s a tough out right now and obviously, when you’re getting seven hits, you’re feeling pretty good about yourself. So I’m sure this whole series, it’s not going to be fun trying to get him out.”

Among those observing Crawford’s feat was Ichiro Suzuki, who tripled in the Marlins’ win at Colorado on Sunday, the 3, 000 hit of his unique career. Suzuki pinch hit in the sixth inning on Monday, failing to pick up hit 3,001. As an illustration of what a tough feat Crawford accomplished, Suzuki, the unrivaled hit machine, has 50 games in his career with four hits, and seven games with five hits, but none with six or seven hits.

George Kontos pitched the 13th and 14th innings and picked up the win. Andrew Cashner, the Marlins’ trade deadline acquisition, took the loss, throwing just two pitches and allowing Crawford’s go-ahead hit. On that play, Crawford was thrown out at second trying to advance after Brandon Belt scored what would become the game-winning run. Cashner was brought in despite being the Marlins’ scheduled starter for Friday’s game against the White Sox.

Matt Moore will start for the Giants on Tuesday given the obvious mandate to pitch deep into the game with Tom Koehler the scheduled starter for the Marlins.