Tag: Los Angeles Dodgers

San Francisco Giants podcast with Marko Ukalovic: Giants nothing but success in Chicago; Host Padres Magic number is 1 can clinch tonight

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San Francisco Giants first baseman Brandon Belt sports a taped C for Captain on his jersey which he talked about on the NBC Bay Area post game show Sat Sep 11, 2021 at Wrigley Field against the Chicago Cubs (photo from nbcsports.com)

On Giants podcast with Marko:

#1 For the Giants (93-50) Kris Bryant it was a memorable and emotional return to Chicago (65-79) for him seeing his old teammates, friends, and yes a few Wrigley Field neighbors as the Cubs ran a video tribute in his honor before the game last Friday.

#2 Brandon Belt has certainly earned the C on his Giants road jersey he’s led by example hitting the home run ball with much frequency and has 23 for the season so far hitting .258. He had black electrical tape to his jersey as a C he certainly has earned the honor.

#3 Wilmer Flores returned on Sunday to the Giants after suffering a left hamstring injury. Flores had been used as a pinch hitter and was in the line up against left handed pitching. Giants manager Gabe Kapler is looking forward to getting productive help from Flores.

#4 Giants pitcher Jay Jackson who pitched an opener for the Giants and got rocked in the first inning on Sep 4th for four runs and a hit against the Los Angeles Dodgers was sent down to the Giants triple A Sacramento. Jackson was 2-1 with an ERA of 4.34.

#5 Giants lead in the NL West by 2.5 games over the Dodgers and open a three game series at Oracle Park in San Francisco against the San Diego Padres (74-67) the Padres have been .500 ball while the Giants have won nine of their last 11 games. The Giants still have to be cautious playing a club like the Padres they’ve got some talent.

Marko Ukalovic is filling for Morris Phillips for the Giants podcasts each Monday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Buehler was off on this day in Giants 6-4 victory

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Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Walker Buhler looks in a state of shock as he walks off the field after the third inning giving up six runs to the San Francisco Giants in the first three innings at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Sun Sep 5, 2021 (AP News photo)

By Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO-If you were told prior to the game that the San Francisco Giants would beat a pitcher that was 7-0 in his career against them, you would think no way.

Brandon Belt hit a solo home run in the bottom of the first inning, helping the Giants to a 6-4 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers and regained the lead in the National League West by one game before a sellout crowd of 41,155 at Oracle Park.

Yes, entering the game, Walker Buehler was 7-0 with a 1.83 earned run average in 12 games (10 of them starts); however, now he is 7-1 against the Dodgers longtime rival.

Buehler lasted just three innings, allowing six runs on seven hits, walking one and striking out one and saw his record fall to 13-4 on the season.

After the Giants took an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning, the Dodgers immediately tied it up in the top of the second inning, when Will Smith singled to centerfield to allow Justin Turner to score from second base. Turner led off the inning by singling off of Jose Alvarez.

Dominic Leone started the bullpen game, for the Giants and retired the Dodgers in order in the top of the first inning before giving way to Alvarez, who did not get a batter out and gave up one run and one hit before he was replaced by Zack Littell, who pitched one inning, striking out one to pick up his second win of the season.

Buehler immediately gave the Giants the lead back in the bottom of the second inning, as he walked Brandon Crawford to lead off the inning, then Mike Yastrzemski doubled Crawford to third and the Giants took the lead for good, when Steven Duggar tripled down the right field line to score both Crawford and Yastrzemski.

Darin Ruf came off the bench to pinch hit for Littell, who got out of the jam in the top of the second and Ruf singled to left field off of Buehler to score Duggar from third base.

Crawford got in on the RBI act in the bottom of the third inning, as he doubled in LaMonte Wade, Jr., who doubled just in front of Crawford and after Yastrzemski lined out to Corey Seager at second base for the second out of the inning, Curt Casali singled for his first hit of the game to score Crawford from second base.

This bullpen game, fared better for the Giants, as Jay Jackson, Carlos Quintana, Camilo Doval, Tony Watson, Tyler Rogers and Jake McGee closed it out for the Giants, as they moved back into the lead in the NL West with 25 games remaining in the regular season.

The Giants had an ample opportunity to break the game wide open in the bottom of the sixth inning, as they got the first two runners on and would eventually load the bases with one out; however, David Price was able to work out of jam, as he got Thairo Estrada to pop out to Max Muncy for the second out of the inning and ended the inning, when he was able to get Belt to ground out to Muncy.

McGee was far from perfect to start the top of the ninth inning, as Kris Bryant committed a throwing error on a ball hit by pinch hitter Austin Barnes, when Belt could not keep his foot on the bag at first base.

Albert Pujols then came off the bench to hit for Andrew Vasquez, and on a 1-0 pitch launched his 16th home run of the season into the left center field bleachers and it was the 678th home run of his career.

After the Pujols home run that got the Dodgers within two, McGee was able to get Trea Turner to pop out to Thairo Estrada at second base; however, Muncy singled to left-center field to bring the tying run in the person of Mookie Betts to the plate and McGee struck him out looking for the second out of the inning.

Of course, a game between the Giants and Dodgers could not end in a normal way, as Yastrzemski made a sensational catch on by ball hit by Justin Turner down the right field wall near into the netting down the right field line and the play went to review and the play was upheld, giving the Giants the win and sending the fans wearing orange and black into a frenzy.

NOTES: Doval was recalled from Sacramento, while Sammy Long was optioned to Sacramento. Also, Austin Slater was placed on the seven-day concussion IL and Duggar was recalled from Sacramento and went 1-for-4 with the game-winning hit, when he hit a two-run triple in the bottom of the second inning.

With the win, the Giants won the season series 10-9 and this was the 99th win by the Giants over the Dodgers at Oracle Park since the park opened on April 11, 2000.

Belts home run was the 202nd of the season for the team, trailing the Toronto Blue Jays, who have hit a MLB leading 206 home runs.

UP NEXT: Kevin Gausman will take the mound on Monday afternoon, when the Giants open up a two-city, six-game road trip to Colorado and Chicago and Gausman will be looking for his 13th win of the season. Kyle Freeland will go for the Rockies, as he looks for his sixth win of the season.

Max Scherzer will go to the mound in search of his 13th win for the Dodgers on Monday, as they continue their two-city, seven-game road trip with an afternoon against the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium and the Cardinals will send Milos Mikolas to the hill, as he looks for his first win of the season.

San Francisco Giants game wrap: Urias wins 16th, Turner goes deep for LA 6-1 win; SF’s Jackson can’t even get out of first inning as opener

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San Francisco Giants starter Jay Jackson gives up the baseball in the first inning after surrendering three runs to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Jackson also picked up the loss he was the opener and didn’t even get out of the top of the first inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Sat Sep 4, 2021 (photo by Bay Area News Group)

By Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO-Trea Turner atoned for his throwing error that cost the Los Angeles Dodgers a share of first place in the National League West.

Turner changed all that, as he led off the game with a solo home run off of Jay Jackson, helping the Dodgers to a 6-1 victory over the San Francisco Giants before a crowd of 41,146 at Oracle Park. With the victory, the Dodgers and Giants are once again tied for first place in the National League West.

It was the 16th leadoff career home run for Turner, who was acquired by the Dodgers at the trading deadline along with Max Scherzer from the Washington Nationals.

The Dodgers tacked on two more runs in the frame, when Corey Seager hit a sacrifice fly that Austin Slater made a great play on and then Justin Turner scored on a double by A.J. Pollock.

In what was considered a bullpen game for the Giants, Jay Jackson started and went just 0.1 innings, allowing three runs on one hit before being replaced by Jarlin Garcia, who gave up two hits in 2.2 innings of work.

Garcia was able to get out of the jam in the top of the first inning, as he got Pollock at third base. Pollock was forced to leave the game due to what was later called a right Hamstring Strain.

Julio Urias was his usual outstanding self, as he went the first 5.2 innings, allowing just one run on eight hits, Urias did not walk a batter and struck out eight, as he raised his record to 16-3 on the season.

The Giants got on the board in the bottom of the first inning, as Buster Posey doubled to right field that scored Kris Bryant, who singled with one out in the inning.

Justin Turner reached on an infield single, then went to second on a throwing error by Mauricio Dubon, went to third on a wild pitch and then scored on a balk by Jose Quintana.

After reaching on the Trea Turner error in the bottom of the 11th inning to win the game on Friday night, Posey went 3-for-4, and came within an eyelash of going 4-for-4, as Mookie Betts made a great catch to rob Posey.

Seager put the game out of reach, when he hit a solo home run to lead off the top of the ninth inning off of Sammy Long.

It was a good day for the Seager family, as Coreys brother Kyle went 2-for-5 with six runs batted in for the Seattle Mariners and the two hits for Kyle were both three-run home runs, giving him 33 on the season and the Mariners defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks 8-5 at Chase Field.

Albert Pujols drove in the final run of the game for the Dodgers, as he hit a sacrifice fly that easily scored Cody Bellinger from third base. Bellinger came on to replace Pollock when he was forced to leave the game with a strained right hamstring.

NOTES: Dubon was recalled from Sacramento, as he replaced Alex Dickerson, who was placed on the 10-day injured list with a right hamstring strain.

UP NEXT: The Giants starter for Sundays finale is not determined, while the Dodgers will send Walker Buehler to the mound, as he looks for his 14th win of the season.

Throwing error by Turner gives Giants thrilling victory 3-2

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Thairo Estrada the San Francisco Giants second baseman forces out the Los Angeles Dodgers Corey Seagar  and throws to first base to complete a double play on Fri Sep 3, 2021 (AP News photo)

By Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO-Trea Turner maybe new to the rivalry between the San Francisco Giants and the Los Angeles Dodgers, but it was his throwing error that decided the game.

Turner threw the ball hit by Buster Posey that pulled Will Smith off of first base by mere inches that allowed Brandon Belt to score from third base and the Giants regained the first-place lead in the National League West with a 3-2 victory over the Dodgers before a crowd of 39,338 at Oracle Park.

Mike Yastrzemski started the inning on second base, then after Darin Ruf struck out for the first out of the inning, Brandon Belt was intentionally walked and then Kris Bryant to load the bases against losing pitcher Evan Phillips. Alex Dickerson then grounded into a force play, when Corey Seager threw to Austin Barnes for the second out of the inning that brought Posey to the plate.

Posey grounded the ball to Turner at second base that pulled Smith off the bag by inches and was originally called safe by first base umpire Todd Tichenor, the call was reviewed by the umpires in New York and after the review, the call was upheld and the Giants escaped with a hard-fought victory.

In the top of the 11th inning, the Dodgers were unable that all important run across, as Justin Turner, who started the inning on second base, then moved to third on a Corey Seager base hit; however, Turner was thrown out at the plate on a great throw by Brandon Crawford on a ball hit by Smith. Jarlin Garcia then struck out Chris Taylor and Phillips to end the jam and the inning.

Garcia pitched the final inning for the Giants, as he allowed one hit and struck out two to pick up his sixth win of the season.

Albert Pujols was on second base to start the top of the 10th inning, and then went to third on Austin Pollock fly out to centerfield and that is when Walker Buehler, who is scheduled to start Sunday afternoon for the Dodgers came on to pinch-run for Pujols and Buehler scored without a throw from Yastrzemski to give the Dodgers a 2-1 lead on a sacrifice fly by Trea Turner.

The Giants tied it up in the bottom of the 10th inning, when Posey scored on a Brandon Crawford single, who went to second on the throw home. Thairo Estrada then hit a ground ball that sent Crawford to third base; however, both Yastrzemski and pinch hitter Curt Casali struck out to end the inning.

Austin Slater came off the bench to pinch hit for LaMonte Wade, Jr., and Slater singled to left field in the bottom of the third inning with the bases loaded to score DeSclafani from third base to give the Giants the 1-0 lead over the Dodgers.

DeSclafani walked to lead off the inning against Phil Bickford, who came on to replace Corey Knebel, who went the first two innings.

Unfortunately, the Giants were unable to take care advantage following the Slater base hit, as Alex Vesia, who gave up the single to Slater was able to get Posey to ground into a force play that saw Justin Turner throw to Smith to get Ruf at the plate.

Ruf walked following DeSclafani, and after the Posey force out, Crawford hit a screaming line drive that Cody Bellinger was able to track down to end the inning.

DeSclafani ended up going six innings, allowing zero runs on just two hits, walking three and striking out five and did not figure in the decision.

Knebel, who went the first two innings for the Dodgers after being a last-minute replacement for David Price, allowed two hits and struck out two.

Bickford went 0.1 innings, allowing one run on one hits, walked two and struck out one in what turned into a bullpen game for the Dodgers.

Following Bickford, Dodgers manager used his entire bullpen, as Vesia came on then it was Brusdar Graterol, Justin Bruhl, Blake Treinen, Joe Kelly, Kenley Jansen, Andrew Vasquez and Evan Phillips.

In all, the 10 relievers allowed two runs on six hits, walked eight and struck out seven over the final 8.2 innings of the game that took four hours and 32 minutes to complete.

The Dodgers could not muster any offense off of DeSclafani, as he limited them to those two hits. DeSclafani gave up a single to Trea Turner and did not allow another hit until Seager singled with one out in the top of the fourth inning.

After the Turner single, Max Muncy grounded into a force play and after Mookie Betts popped out for the second out of the inning, DeSclafani walked Justin Turner; however, he was able to get out of the jam, when he struck out Seager to end the inning.

Unlike the Dodgers, the Giants put a few rallies together in three different innings, including the third. The Giants also put multiple runners on base in the bottom of the fifth, the sixth inning; and in the ninth inning; however, in those innings, they came away with nothing.

Evan Longoria made his return to the diamond in the bottom of the sixth inning, and reached on a throwing error when Muncy was unable to scoop up the Turner throw from third base.

With Longoria on first base, Ruf hit a low line drive into center field and it looked like made a great shoestring catch to end the inning; however, the call was overturned, when the ball hit the ground just before it landed in his glove.

Tyler Rogers came on in the top of the eighth inning and retired the Dodgers in order, including getting Muncy looking to end the inning.

Unfortunately, Jake McGee was unable to hold onto the lead for the Giants in the top of the ninth inning and secure his 30th save of the season, as he gave up a single to Justin Turner with one out, then Seager doubled him to third and after Smith grounded into a force play that saw Seager get called out after Turner returned to third base; however, the game could have ended if Posey would have tagged Seager prior to running Turner back to the base. The snafu cost the Giants, as Taylor tied up the game, when he singled to score Turner from third base.

NOTES: Longoria was reinstated from the 10-day injured list and Mauricio Dubon was optioned to Sacramento to make room for Longoria.

Entering the game, the Giants and Dodgers were tied for first place with the exact same winning percentage of .634, and it was only the second time in the long history of this rivalry (130 games or more) that the teams met. The only other time was from September 3-6, 1962, (Sarah Langs via Elias).

The 201 home runs hit by the Giants are the most by the team since they hit a team-record 235 home runs in 2001, and the 201 home runs are the sixth-most in team history.

This was the first time since September 18, 1997 that the Giants and Dodgers were tied for first place in the month of September. The Giants ended up taking over first place that afternoon, when former Skyline (Oakland) High School standout and Stanford quarterback Brian Johnson hit a solo home run off of Mark Guthrie to give the Giants a 6-5 victory in 12 innings, and propelled the Giants to win the National League West over the Dodgers.

UP NEXT: Julio Urias, who is 15-3 on the season for the Dodgers will take the mound on Saturday night, while there is no announced starter for the Giants.

Giants enter the defining stretch of their season: at Atlanta, home for Milwaukee and the Dodgers

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By Morris Phillips

After today’s much-needed off day, the Giants play 16 games in 16 days, a stretch that will undoubtedly define their season that has them at 80-44, and in first place in the NL West.

What’s especially intriguing about the stretch is the “middle” 10 games against the Braves, Brewers and Dodgers–all three almost locks to qualify for the postseason just like the Giants. Each series will be a referendum on the Giants’ wildly successful formula thus far: can they continue to play home run ball against playoff-caliber pitching, and can their starting rotation stand up given the questions surrounding Kevin Gausman, Anthony DeSclafani and Johnny Cueto?

The series against the Dodgers will be the pair’s final regular season meetings. The season series is tied, 8-8 and each club will have just 25 games remaining after it concludes.

The Braves have won 15 of 17 and taken control of the NL East, leading by five games over the Phillies. The Giants will see two of the Braves’ best starters on Friday and Saturday in Max Fried and Drew Smyly.

The Brewers and Giants had an entertaining series in Milwaukee a couple of weeks back that saw the Giants pull out a couple of sneaky wins to capture that series. Since then, the Brewers have won 10 of 13 and still have a chance to capture the NL’s best won-loss record if the Giants or Dodgers falter.

The last seven games of the stretch–against the Brewers and Dodgers–will be at Oracle Park.

San Francisco Giants podcast with Marko Ukalovic: Giants host old skipper Dusty and former NL team Houston Astros tonight in SF

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Houston Astros and manager Dusty Baker are headed to Oracle Park in San Francisco to open a three game series against the San Francisco Giants on Fri Jul 30, 2021 (AP News photo)

On the Giants podcast with Marko:

#1 Marko, I know you take every chance you could take to see and talk with former San Francisco Giants manager Dusty Baker who is over in the American League manager with the first place Houston Astros.

#2 The Astros get booed wherever they go but still for Giants fans there has to be a special place in their hearts for Dusty who was a former player, coach and manager that led this team to the 2002 World Series and had so many great memories in the Bay Area.

#3 Marko taking a look at this past week’s Dodgers series at Oracle Park the Giants taking the rubber game on Thursday 5-0 after getting landslided on Wednesday night 8-0 it had to be an important come back for the club.

#4 Talk about Brandon Crawford in Thursday’s game coming off the oblique strain injury he didn’t look like he missed a step opening up in the first inning with a two run double against Dodger starter David Price.

#5 The Astros will be starting Framber Valdez (6-2 ERA 2.97) going up against Giant starter Kevin Gausman (9-4 ERA 2.21) tell us how you see this match up to open up the three game series tonight at Oracle.

Marko Ukalovic filled in for Michael who does the Giants podcasts each Friday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Giants Cueto pitches shutout ball into the sixth; SF pen mops up for 5-0 win over LA

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San Francisco Giants starter Johnny Cueto leaves after pitching five plus innings against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Thu Jul 29, 2021 (AP News photo)

By Morris Phillips

SAN FRANCISCO–Johnny Cueto for the most part looked like he could have gone further as starter for the San Francisco Giants but was lifted in the sixth inning as he was throwing shutout ball against one of the best line ups in the majors the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The bullpen came in and finished off the Dodgers as the Giants secured the win in the second game of the four game series at Oracle Park for a 5-0 shutout. Cueto struck out five, walked two giving up four hits. He got great help from relievers Jarlin Garcia,  Dominic Leone, Tyler Rogers and Jake McGee.

Garcia, Leone, Rogers and McGee pitched 3 1/3 innings of perfect ball not giving up a single hit and kept the Dodgers off balance to complete the Giants 12th shutout of the 2021 season. The Giants offense started the game scoring two in the first and one in the second that got them a good jump on the Dodgers starter David Price after the Dodgers on Wednesday night shutout the Giants in a laugher 8-0.

Giants shortstop Brandon Crawford looked like he didn’t miss a step after coming back from an left oblique strain injury. Crawford was responsible for the two runs in the first inning after hitting a two run double. The Giants also got hits from Wilmer Flores, Austin Slater, LaMonte Wade Jr who each got RBIs.

The Giants win puts them three games in front of the second place Dodgers in the National League West. The Dodgers who have one of the best hitting line ups as the Giants know from Wednesday night’s experience have been shutout three times this season.

Dodgers manager and a former Giants player himself Dave Roberts said after the game that San Francisco is a very good ball club, “We have so much respect for those guys, obviously they’re a very good ball club. They’ve earned this right now to this point.”

A former National League team the Houston Astros who is first in the American League West are next to face the Giants at Oracle Park. The Astros will be starting Framber Valdez (6-2 ERA 2.97) against Giant starter Kevin Gausman (9-4 ERA 2.21) a 6:45 pm PDT first pitch.

Bellinger’s throwing error gives Giants dramatic victory 2-1

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This was not Los Angeles Dodgers Cody Bellinger’s kind of night here is Bellinger walking back to the Dodgers dugout after striking out against the San Francisco Giants in the seventh. He would later make a throwing error that would allow Giants catcher Buster Posey to score in the eighth inning. (AP News photo)

By Jeremy Kahn

Once again, the San Francisco Giants and the Los Angeles Dodgers played a tight knit game that came down to the final at-bat.

Buster Posey scored on a throwing error on a ball hit by Darin Ruf, when Cody Bellingers throw to Justin Turner was airmailed that easily allowed Posey to score from third base in the bottom of the eighth inning and the Giants took game one of the three-game series with a 2-1 victory over the Giants at Oracle Park.

Blake Treinen walked both Posey and Mike Yastrzemski to start the rally for the Giants, then Ruf grounded out to Max Muncy, who threw to Bellinger for the first out and then instead of trying to get Yastrzemski at second base, Bellinger tried to get Posey at third base; however, his throw went half way up the netting past third base and Posey scored the eventual game-winning run.

In the first 14 games between the Giants and the Dodgers, nine of those games have been decided by two runs or less.

Treinen was able to regroup and got Wilmer Flores to ground out to Muncy for the second out, and got LaMonte Wade, Jr., to strikeout for the fourth time on the night to end the inning.

Despite giving up two hits to Luke Raley and recent nemesis Chris Taylor that allowed the Dodgers to put runners on second and third with one out in the top of the eighth inning, Tyler Rogers was to get out of the jam, as he got Muncy to ground into a fielders choice that saw Ruf throw to Posey and get Raley for the second out. Rogers was able to get out of the jam, as he retired Turner on a fly ball to Yastrzemski in right field.

Rogers pitched one inning and picked up his second win of the season against one loss.

Jake McGee came on in the top of the ninth inning to nail down his 21st save of the season, as he retired his former team in order and the Giants increased their lead over the Dodgers in the National League West up to three games.

It was a pitchers duel between Logan Webb for the Giants and Julio Urias for the Dodgers, that is until the Dodgers finally broke through in the top of the fifth inning.

Bellinger, who was 0-for-27 on the season against the Giants singled against Webb for the Dodgers first hit of the night, and then scored on a Billy McKinney single to centerfield; however, McKinney was thrown out at second base by Austin Slater to Thairo Estrada.

That would be the score until the bottom of the sixth inning, as Posey singled to centerfield that scored Slater to tie up the game between the two longtime rivals.

Webb went the first six innings for the Giants, as he allowed one run on three hits, walking just one and striking out five; however, he did not fare in the decision.

Like Webb, Urias also did not fare in the decision, as he went five and two-thirds innings, allowing one run on six hits, not allowing a walk and striking out five.

NOTES: This was the Giants 100th game of the season and with their 63rd win of the season, they tied the 2003 team for the third-best record since moving to San Francisco in 1958. Only the 1962 and 1993 teams had more wins after 100 games.

On the season, the Giants have scored 486 runs and allowed 365 runs to opponents, and the difference of 121 runs in the third biggest difference in the majors, trailing the Dodgers (plus 145) and the Giants next opponent, the Houston Astros, who are plus 141.

Sammy Long was reinstated from the 10-day disabled list and to make room for Long, Zack Littell was optioned to Triple-A Sacramento.

UP NEXT: Anthony DeSclafani goes for his 11th win for the Giants on Wednesday night, while the Dodgers will send Walker Buehler to the mound, as he also looks for his 11th win of the season.

San Francisco Giants podcast with Marko Ukalovic: Has Gausman run out of gas, concerns in most recent outings

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San Francisco Giants number one starter Kevin Gausman seen in a previous game has struggled in his last two outings including Saturday night at Oracle Park on Sat Jul 24, 2021 against the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates (Mercury News file photo)

On the San Francisco Giants podcast with Marko for Morris:

#1 San Francisco Giants starter Kevin Gausman was all the rage going into the All Star Break with a record of 9-2 he was the ace of the Giants pitching staff and is the number one starter. But his last two games have been rough particularly his last start on Saturday night against the Pittsburgh Pirates were he got lit up in four plus innings for eight hits and six runs.

#2 In his first loss last Monday the Dodgers scored six runs and eight hits off Gausman in over four innings of work identical numbers of his work on Saturday night against the Pirates.

#3 Gausman’s splitter was dropping and he didn’t have Pirate hitters hitting off balance like he did in his previous wins. He didn’t have his old effectiveness and also didn’t throw as many splits. Could Gausman be hurting, is his mechanics off?

#4 Gausman’s wife Taylor was giving birth and experienced complications and Gausman had to take emergency family leave to be with Taylor in Louisiana that could also be on Gausman’s mind as well.

#5 The Giants have Monday off and host the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday night at Oracle Park in San Francisco. The two clubs last met last week and the Giants took three out of four in LA. After this rough Pirates series could the tide change in the upcoming series on Tuesday?

Marko Ukalovic filled in for Morris Phillips who does the Giants podcasts each Monday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

San Francisco Giants podcast with Michael Duca: Giants open three game series against Pirates tonight at Oracle Park

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San Francisco Giant starter Johnny Cueto seen here throwing against the Oakland A’s at Oracle Park on Fri Jun 25, 2021 will start against the Pittsburgh Pirates tonight to open a three game series (AP file photo)

On the Giants podcast with Michael:

#1 The San Francisco Giants second baseman Wilmer Flores has really come into his own hitting a gamer on Wednesday night at Dodgers Stadium for the game winner and hitting .250, 61 hits, 11 homers and 33 RBls.

#2 The Giants had lost the night before to the Dodgers and dropped from two to one game ahead of the Dodgers but the win on Wednesday got them right back with a two game lead.

#3 Going back to Flores once again he was facing the Dodgers relief ace Kenley Jansen who had 21 saves and an ERA of 1.45. Was it a matter of Jansen throwing a bad pitch or Flores just reaching out grabbing and taking Jansen deep.

#4 Michael what is the concern for outfielder Mike Tauchman whose hitting .156 with 33 strikeouts in his last 41 games and has an overall batting average of .176. He sat out Wednesday night’s game.

#5 Starting pitchers for Friday night baseball at Oracle Park in San Francisco as the Pittsburgh Pirates come in for a three game series. For the Pirates Chad Kuhl (3-5 ERA 4.31) he’ll face the Giants Johnny Cueto (6-5 ERA 4.01) how do you see this pitching match up.

Michael Duca does the Giants podcasts each Friday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com