By Morris Phillips
For struggling National League offenses–and there are a bunch of them–knowing opponents’ aces aren’t quite ready to pitch deep into games is a welcome break.
The Giants caught a break Monday. Milwaukee’s Corbin Burnes mowed down hitters into the seventh but was lifted, leading 1-0 in deference to the shortened spring due to the lockout. Teams just aren’t going to risk their best arms to finish a game this early in a long season.
Burnes won the Cy Young last season and has looked the part again thus far. The St. Mary’s alum allowed two hits and registered 11 strikeouts while lowering his ERA to 1.75.
But then he was gone.
And in Burnes’ absence the Giants’ early-season magic appeared. This time to cap their best, lengthy road trip in 28 seasons with a pair of dramatic home runs. Manager Gabe Kapler sensed his club’s locked in mentality that had them engaged despite having just one day off thus far this season and needing to rally in the environment of a rare, one-game trip to Milwaukee.
“I’m not always sure what day of the week it is,” Kapler said. “You come to the ballpark, you prep for the game, you’ve got a good understanding of all the teams around the league.”
And you rake.
Joc Pedersen–fresh off a two home run game in D.C. on Sunday–struck first. With fans audible behind the Giants’ dugout, Pedersen responded to their heckling with a two-run blast off Trevor Gott that put San Francisco on the scoreboard for the first time on the eighth inning.
And after Milwaukee’s Wily Adames answered with a homer to tie the game 2-2 in the bottom of the inning, rookie Luis Gonzalez took over in the ninth.
The base hit off Burnes (earlier in the fifth inning) really gave him a lot of confidence,” Kapler said of Gonzalez. “In that situation, it was the best time for his first Major League home run to show up and so clutch. Also aesthetically, really pretty.”
In only his 23rd official MLB plate appearance–all over the previous week on the road–Gonzalez delivered, with two outs and a man on off reliever Jake Cousins. In a two-strike count, and by just barely avoiding the right field foul pole with his shot that silenced American Family Field.
“It’s just incredible,” Gonzalez gushed. “I’m just loving life right now.”
The Giants completed the road trip 8-3, a record last achieved on a trip of 11 games in July 1994. They swept the Guardians and Nationals each in three-game sets.
“The road trip finished in dramatic fashion with one of our newer players introduced with his first Major League home run. I think we’re going to enjoy the flight home and get ready for when we get back.”
The Giants open a two-game set on Tuesday with the A’s. Carlos Rodon faces Oakland’s Daulton Jeffries at 6:45pm.
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