Tag: Hunter Pence

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.

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.

Giants take advantage of Brewers mistakes, win 4-2

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by Kahlil Najar

SAN FRANCISCO, CA. — On a day billed as a Grateful Dead Tribute Night that saw Bob Weir throw out the first pitch and plenty of tie dyed shirts throughout AT&T Park, the magic was certainly in the air as a plethora of mistakes by the Brewers (47-65) were able to propel the Giants (50-61) to a 4-2 win and give them their first win of this important seven-game homestand.

The Giants started the scoring off in the bottom of the fourth when Gregor Blanco came to the plate and hit a hard grounder to first base that Juan Francisco was able to field but threw the ball into the dirt past an outstretched Scooter Gennett and went into left field. Brandon Belt who was already on second was running on contact and was able to score safely on the Francisco’s fifth error of the year to give the Giant’s a 1-0 lead. In the seventh inning, the Brew Crew were able to tie the game when Francisco hit a deep ball to center field that popped over the fence for a ground rule double and scored Jonathan Lucroy who had started off the inning with his 18th double of the year.

The bottom of the eight proved to be the most mind-bending inning for the Brewers as after a lead off walk and a stolen base to Hunter Pence landed him at second base, the usually reliable John Axford threw a wild pitch on an intentional walk to Pablo Sandoval that moved Pence over to third and Sandoval at first with one out. The pitching miscue landed Axford in the doghouse and the Brewers brought in reliever Michael Gonzalez to face red hot Brandon Belt who had three singles on the day. After bringing Belt to a full count, Gonzalez threw a slider in the dirt that loaded the bases.

The next batter Jeff Francouer, who was pinch-hitting for Roger Kieschnick smacked a broken bat single off of new Brewer reliever Rob Wooten to left field just over the reach of Jean Segura and allowed Hunter Pence to score from third and give the Giants a 2-1 lead. After a routine pop out by Gregor Blanco, Giants manager Bruce Bochy again decided to bring in a pinch hitter and this time he brought in right-handed batter Joaquin Arias who after three straight sliders hit a ground ball to third that slipped under the glove of Jeff Bianchi and allowed Pablo Sandoval and Brandon Belt to score to give the Giant’s a three run lead with a score of 4-1. Sergio Romo came in the close the game in the top of the ninth and gave up an home run to Juan Francisco but settle down and earned his 27th save of the year.

Giants pitcher Chad Gaudin (5-2) had an impressive game as he lasted for six and one-third innings and only gave up four hits and one run and notched an impressive eight strike outs and continued his streak of only allowing two runs or fewer in eight of his last ten starts. “He’s just been so consistent, both in the ‘pen and starting,” Bochy said. “He’s so valuable on this ballclub. We needed a starter and he’s stepped in and he’s thrown the ball as well as anybody.”

Hunter Pence did his best impersonation of the Grateful Dead Bears as he walked a team high three times and continued his streak of reaching base safely every game since the All-Star game. Brandon Belt also had himself a game today as he notched his second three-hit, two-runs performance of August.

The Giants and the Brewers head back at it tomorrow when Matt Cain (7-6, 4.57 ERA) squares up against Wily Peralta (7-11, 4.57 ERA), game time 7:15pm.