Tag: Los Angeles Dodgers

Two-run sixth inning does it for the Giants

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Photo credit: @SFGiants

By Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO-What a difference one week and a day off did for Drew Pomeranz and the San Francisco Giants.

Kevin Pillar singled with one out in the bottom of the sixth inning to score Brandon Belt, who walked to lead off the inning and the Giants defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 2-1 before a crowd of 35,157 at Oracle Park.

Stuck that big 14 sized shoe in there, said Belt.

Pomeranz, who did not make it out of the 2nd inning in his last start, went five innings, allowing just three hits, walking one and striking out seven.

The seven strikeouts by Pomeranz tied a season-high that was first accomplished against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on April 18.

Pomeranz escaped a first inning jam that could have been tragic, but he settled down after loading the bases and got David Freese and Corey Seager to strikeout to end the inning.

Just made my pitches, said Pomeranz.

During the Belt at-bat, he fouled a ball off down the left field line that saw Chris Taylor fall over the bullpen mound. Belt regrouped in the at-bat to pick up the key baserunner that helped the Giants get on the board and eventually win the ballgame.

We got a break there when Taylor fell over the mound, said Bochy.

Following the Pillar single, Brandon Crawford grounded into a fielders choice that saw Longoria beat the throw from Max Muncy.

Not only did Belt come up big at the plate with that key walk, but he also dropped a bunt with the Dodgers in the shift and also came up big on the defensive side of things.

With Muncy on first base after a leadoff walk against Reyes Moronta, Justin Turner lined out to Belt, and with Muncy running on the play, Belt just stepped on first base for the double play.

Things were looking great for the Giants until Chris Taylor uncorked a solo home run over the center field wall to cut the Giants lead in half in the top of the eighth inning.

After the Taylor home run, Tony Watson, who gave up the home run to Taylor, then gave up a single to Muncy; however, Watson was able to regroup, as he got Turner to lineout to Crawford at shortstop and then Cody Bellinger flew out to Steven Duggar to end the inning and the threat.

Clayton Kershaw, who went seven innings, allowing two runs on six hits, walking one and striking out four, as he saw his record fall to 5-1 on the season. This was Kershaws first loss since July 21, 2018 against the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park.

Will Smith came on to close out the game for the Giants, as he is now 14-for-14 in save opportunities this season.

Since moving to San Francisco in 1958, Smith is third all-time in save opportunities to start a season. Smith trails Rod Beck, who converted 28 in a row to start the 1994 season and Craig Lefferts picked up 15 straight in the 1989 National League Championship season for the Giants.

NOTES: This was the Giants’ 14th win of the season in one-run games, and they have the best winning percentage in baseball (14-5), a winning percentage in one-run games.

Kershaw last lost at Oracle Park on October 1, 2016, and it was just his second loss in San Francisco in his last 10 decisions.

Bellinger saw his career-high 12-game hitting streak come to an end, as he went 0-for-3 on the night.

UP NEXT: Jeff Samardzija heads to the mound on Saturday afternoon for the Giants, while Rich Hill will take the mound for the Dodgers.

San Francisco Giants podcast with Michael Duca: Down goes Frazier, but more like downtown with two homers

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Photo credit: @NYDNSports

On the Giants podcast with Miguel:

#1 For the second game in a row the New York Mets came up winners with a 7-3 on Thursday and won the previous game 7-1 on Wednesday. For a 4-5 road trip.

#2 Todd Frazier put new meaning to the famous term “down goes Frazier” but it’s more like going downtown with two home runs.

#3 The Giants in those two games got lit up including on Wednesday when Tyler Beede pitched five innings for five runs, five earned, four walks, and five strikeouts. Was Tyler off balance or was he grooving the ball?

#4 On Thursday Mark Melancon got lit up in one inning of relief five hits and four runs. Is this a matter of his breaking ball won’t break, they’re seeing his fastball or he just isn’t a mystery?

#5 It’s the Dodgers and the Giants at Oracle Park for the first of three on Friday night. The Dodgers start Clayton Kershaw (5-0, 3.20 ERA), and for the Giants, Drew Pomeranz (1-6, 8.08 ERA), a 6:45 pm start.

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

Panik’s walk-off gives Giants huge 4-3 win

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Orovillemr.com photo: San Francisco Giants’ Joe Panik watches his two-run single in front of Atlanta Braves catcher Brian McCann during the ninth inning of a baseball game in San Francisco, Tuesday, May 21, 2019. The Giants won 4-3.

By Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO — Down to his last strike on multiple occasions, Joe Panik came up huge in the bottom of the ninth inning.

Panik slapped a single to right field off of Luke Jackson that scored Kevin Pillar and Mac Williamson, as the San Francisco Giants came back from a 3-1 deficit to defeat the Atlanta Braves 4-3 before a crowd of just 28,030 at Oracle Park.

This was the second walk-off of the season for the Giants, and the second this month, as Buster Posey hit a walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth inning to defeat the Los Angeles Dodgers on May 1.

As for Panik, this was his second career walk-off hit and first since May 1, 2015 against the Los Angeles Angels.

Jackson came on in the bottom of the ninth inning, as he looked for his team-high seventh save of the season; however, in the end it did not happen.

The closer got Evan Longoria to ground out for the first out of the inning, but Brandon Crawford singled to left, then Jackson got Steven Duggar to strike out for the second out of the inning and then Crawford advanced an additional 90 feet on defensive indifference.

Pillar then cut the Braves lead down to one, as he singled in Crawford and then Pablo Sandoval came to the plate. Pillar then stole second to get into scoring position that setup Sandoval for the possible game-tying hit.

Sandoval hit a ball into the hole at third base that Josh Donaldson dove and kept the ball from going into left field that would have tied up the game, and Pillar stayed at third base. Williamson came on to pinch run for Sandoval, and stole second that setup Paniks heroics.

Panik fell behind 0-2 and then the count went to 3-2, and finally on the eighth pitch of the at-bat, Panik hit a 95 mile per hour into right field that scored both Pillar and Williamson to give the Giants an improbable victory.

The Braves got on the board in the first inning, as Dansby Swanson singled and eventually scored on a Nick Markakis double to left field.

Panik got the Giants rally started in the bottom of the first inning, as he singled off of Braves starter Julio Teheran, he went to second on a Buster Posey single and then over to third on a Brandon Belt fly ball to left field. Evan Longoria then tied up the game, as he doubled to left field to easily score Panik from third base; however, the rally ended, when Crawford struck out to end the inning.

Both Teheran and rookie Shawn Anderson matched each other inning for inning until the Braves finally got to Anderson in the top of the sixth inning and chased the rookie, who was making just his second major league start.

Donaldson and Markakis ended Andersons night, as they hit back-to-back singles in the top of the sixth inning and that brought on Reyes Moronta, who got Austin Riley to fly out to Duggar in centerfield; however, both Donaldson and Markakis advanced an additional 90 feet. Brian McCann broke up the tie, as he hit a sacrifice fly to Stephen Vogt in left field.

Freddie Freeman extended the Braves up to two runs in the top of the seventh inning, as he hit an opposite field single that scored Ronald Acuna, Jr., who walked with one out in the inning and went to second on a Swanson walk.

Acuna made a huge defensive play in the bottom of the third inning, as he robbed Brandon Belt of a solo home run.

If people that thought Acunas plat was huge, Crawford also came up with two huge defensive plays of his own.

The shortstop snared a Freeman line drive in the top of the third inning that looked like it was going into left field, but Crawford caught the ball to rob Freeman of a base hit.

Crawford came up huge on the defense again in the top of the ninth inning, as Acuna attempted to steal second base and was originally called safe; however, replays showed that Crawford applied the tag on the foot and the umpires went to replay and after a 44-second review, it was determined that Acuna was indeed out.

Paniks two-run walk-off base hit gave the win to Trevor Gott, who is 2-0 on the season, while Jackson falls to 2-1.

Anderson, who was making his second start of his career, went five innings, allowing two runs on eight hits, not walking a batter and striking out three, as he did not fare in the decision.

The veteran Teheran went 5.2 innings, allowing just one run on three hits, walking three and striking out six.

Once again, the Giants helped out, as they went the final four innings, allowing one run on three hits, walking three and striking out two.

NOTES: Vogt started in left for just the second time in his major-league career, and it was his fifth appearance in left field and 17 in right field. Vogt last played in the outfield in 2017.

Sandoval picked up his 10th pinch-hit of the season, and is now 10-for-25 as a pinch-hitter this season.
In 16 career games against the Giants, Donaldson is 21-for-60, a .350 clip with seven extra base hits.

Acuna, who hit two home runs in the series opener on Monday night, has reached base in seven of his 10 plate appearances in the series, as he has walked twice and picked up five hits.

UP NEXT: Jeff Samardzija looks for his third win of the season, as he takes the mound on Wednesday night for the Giants, while left-hander Max Fried looks to raise his record to 7-2 on the season, as he toes the rubber for the Braves.

Headline Sports podcast with London Marq: Warriors make easy work of Blazers; Raptors-Bucks series feels almost like NBA Finals itself; plus more

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nba.com photo: Golden State Warriors Stephen Curry (30) drives the lane against the Portland Trail Blazers defense in Game 1 of the NBA Western Conference Finals last Tuesday night at Oracle Arena in Oakland.

On the Headline Sports podcast with London:

#1 The Golden State Warriors head into Game 2 Thursday night at Oracle Arena after coming away with a 116-94 win over the Portland Trailblazers. Is the 22-point win an indication of where the Warriors are in this series?

#2 You talk about the best versus the best. The Toronto Raptors with Kawhi Leonard and the Milwaukee Bucks with Giannis Antetokounmpo. It’s a series that very well could go seven games.

#3 The San Jose Sharks and the St. Louis Blues, who were a tough pick on who wins this series, are all tied up. The Sharks, who opened with home ice, set the tone with a three-goal 6-3 win in Game 1, lost Game 2 in a 3-2 squeaker that had the Sharks trying to figure out the Blues all night. Game 3 Wednesday night in St. Louis will prove no different as these teams are expected to provide a close contest and an unpredictable game.

#4 The San Jose Earthquakes host the Chicago Fire at Avaya Stadium this Saturday. The Quakes are coming off a 3-1 loss last Saturday in New England to the Revolution, but were undefeated previous to that in four games with two wins and two ties. The Quakes are ninth in the West with three wins, six loses and two draws. For the Fire, they are eighth in the East with four wins, four loses, and four draws.

#5 In baseball, Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Julio Urias was arrested and put on administrative leave for domestic abuse. Urias was arrested at a Los Angeles parking lot at a shopping mall. Details of what happened were not forthcoming, but Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said no matter this is not the ideal situation.

London Marq does Headline Sports each Wednesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

San Francisco Giants podcast with Michael Duca: Giants end homestand on a good note, win two from Dodgers

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Photo credit: @SFGiants

On the Giants podcast with Michael:

#1 On Wednesday night, San Francisco Giants catch Buster Posey got a ninth inning single to get the Giants a 2-1 win and avoid getting swept by the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers.

#2 Giants pitcher Madison Bumgarner faced the Dodgers’ Cody Bellinger, who has the franchise record for the fastest player to achieve 14 home runs in just 32 games, was able to hit a hot grounder to first base that he beat out and allowed Kike Hernandez to score from second base to tie the game.

#3 It was Posey that saved the day after Bumgarner pitched well enough to win as Bumgarner said after the game he has been trying different stuff and things fell together on Wednesday night.

#4 The Giants snap a losing streak Thursday after getting swept by the New York Yankees and winning two out of three from the Dodgers.

#5 Friday’s starting pitchers: For the Giants, Tyler Beede (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. the Cincinnati Reds’Sonny Gray (0-4, 3.64 ERA).

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

Dodgers hit three home runs in 10-3 rout of Giants

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Photo credit: @SFGiants

By Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO — David Freese did something that is rarely seen at Oracle Park, an opposite field home run by a right-handed batter.

Freese launched a three-run home run in the top of the third inning, helping the Los Angeles Dodgers even up their three-game series with a 10-3 victory over the San Francisco Giants before a crowd of 32,017 at Oracle Park.

It was only the 51st home run by a right-handed batter to right field, and the second this season, as Manny Machado of the San Diego Padres hit one on April 10, 2019 against Dereck Rodriguez.

Left that one up a little bit, said Drew Pomeranz.

The Freese home run was close at first, as it looked like it went off the top of the wall; however, it hit the tin roof in right field.

We heard it hit the tin, said Bruce Bochy.

Despite giving up a run in the bottom of the second inning to San Fernando Valley native Kevin Pillar, Walker Buehler pitched an admirable game for the two-time defending National League Champions.

Buehler went 5.1 innings, allowing three runs, on six hits, walking just one and striking out six on his way to his third win of the season without a loss.

The Dodgers blew the game wide open in the top of the sixth inning, as they scored six runs off of Ty Blach, who was recalled from Sacramento after the Giants placed Derek Holland on the 10-day injured list, retroactively to Saturday.

Blach went 3.1 innings in relief, allowing seven runs on seven hits, walking three and striking out one. He also gave up two home runs in those 3.1 innings.

The seven runs allowed by Blach were the most by a Giants reliever since Matt Cain gave up eight runs in just 0.2 innings on August 27, 2017 against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field.

Chris Taylor hit a two-run double with the bases loaded that scored Cody Bellinger and Freese, and then Austin Barnes doubled to centerfield to score Max Muncy and Taylor.

After Buehler flew out for the second out of the inning, Enrique Hernandez launched a two-run home run into the left field bleachers.

Pillar, who grew up in West Hills, singled to center off of Buehler, to score Brandon Belt, who walked to lead off the bottom of the second inning.

Pomeranz went just four innings, allowing three runs on three hits, walking two and striking out three, as he was saddled with his third loss of the season against one win.

The Giants attempted to put together a rally in the bottom of the sixth inning, as they scored two runs, with the help of Buster Posey and Brandon Belt.

Joe Panik led off the inning with a base hit, then after a strikeout of Yangervis Solarte, Posey doubled in Panik and then Belt tripled to right-center field to easily score Posey from second base.

Justin Turner finally got his first home run of the season, as he launched a solo home run just out of the reach of Pillar in straightway center field to lead off the top of the seventh inning.

Buster Posey extended his hitting streak up to seven games, and 9-for-26 during the streak.

NOTES: Once again, the first inning was not good for the Giants, as they are now 11-for-97 (.113) with five walks in the opening frame.

Gerardo Parras assist on Monday night gave him four on the season, tying him for the most in the National League with Cody Bellinger of the Dodgers. As a team, the Giants lead the major leagues with 11 outfield assists.

Thru their first 30 games of the season, the Giants have not hit a home run in the first three innings. This is the most games in a row that a team has failed to hit a home run in the first three frames since the 1991 St. Louis Cardinals went 34 in a row, and that season, the Cardinals ended up hitting only 68 home runs as a team.

With three more home runs tonight against the Giants, the Dodgers now have 52 home runs on the season, trailing only the Milwaukee Brewers, who have hit 57 on the season.

A.J. Pollock was placed on the 10-day injured list by the Dodgers with elbow inflammation, and the team recalled infielder Matt Beaty from Triple-A Oklahoma City.

Beaty made his major-league debut in the top of the eighth inning, and singled to center off of Blach.

UP NEXT: Madison Bumgarner heads to the mound in the series and home stand finale on Wednesday night for the Giants, while Hyun-Jin Ryu will take the mound for the Dodgers.

San Francisco Giants podcast with Morris Phillips: Giants-Yankees series review; Giants open up series with Dodgers with a bang

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Photo credit: @SFGiants

On the San Francisco Giants podcast with Morris:

#1 The New York Yankees’ Luke Voit was a one-man hitting machine, going 6-12 in the series against the Giants and went 3-4 on Sunday in the Yankees’ 11-5 win over the Giants.

#2 It seemed all series long that the Giants weren’t going to get anything going and they even had first baseman Brandon Belt playing right field during this series.

#3 The Yankees got strong pitching from their starter Domingo German, who pitched six innings and gave up four runs.

#4 It almost looked like once the Yankees scored two runs in each of the first, second and third innings, they grew their confidence?

#5 It’s game one of the three-game series between The Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants, for L.A., Kenta Maeda (3-2, 5.20 ERA), and for San Francisco, Jeff Samardjiza (2-1, 3.00 ERA), Monday night at Oracle Park.

Morris Phillips does the Giants podcasts each Monday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

San Francisco Giants podcast with Michael Duca: Giants home opener hopes to bring successful homestand today

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Photo credit: sfchronicle.com

On the Giants podcast with Michael:

#1 The Giants went 2-5 on their first road trip of 2019. Anything manager Bruce Bochy should be concerned about or is this something that will chalked up as experience?

#2 The Giants’ bright spot was when first baseman Brandon Belt hit a game-winning home run on Monday night for a win.

#3 Meanwhile, the Dodgers took their opening homestand, winning five of seven. Will the Dodgers be dominant much like the last two seasons this year?

#4 How important is it for Kevin Pillar to play for the Giants and be back in the Bay Area after playing most of his major league career in Toronto?

#5 In the Pillar deal, did the Giants make a good deal in sending Alen Hanson, Derek Law, and Juan De Paula to the Blue Jays?

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

LA Cops look for Dodger fan who beat down victim in parking lot; No video of attack

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Reyna family photo: Rafael Reyna victim of a Sunday March 31st Los Angeles Dodgers parking lot beating which fractured his skull was breathing on his own and reportedly has gain consciousness as of Tuesday. Captain Bill Hayes of the LAPD says that Reyna’s condition is improving.

By Jeremy Harness

Los Angeles police have released information with a brief description of the two suspects one of who beat victim Rafael Reyna, 45, a Dodgers fan in the Dodgers parking lot last week as the Dodgers were hosting the Arizona Diamondbacks. According to witnesses a Hispanic man wearing Dodgers fan gear in his 20s attacked Reyna and fractured Reyna’s skull. The suspects were seen driving away in what is described as a white SUV.

The Reyna family which includes Reyna’s wife Cristel through their attorney are asking the Dodgers to increase and improve security after the beating. Reyna was on life support but as of Tuesday is breathing on his own “As of Tuesday we became aware that Mr. Reyes was removed from the ventilator and that he is breathing on his own and is regaining consciousness,” according Los Angeles police captain Bill Hayes.

Former O.J. Simpson attorney and now the Reyna family attorney Carl Douglas met with the media outside Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center and asked, “This tragedy urges the question what has the Los Angeles Dodgers done?” when referring to security improvements in the team’s parking lot since eight years ago when San Francisco Giants fan Bryon Stow was also beaten and left with skull injuries.

David Lira, who was on the Stow legal team during the Stow family’s lawsuit that saw them win $18 million from suspects Marvin Norwood and Louis Sanchez and the Dodgers, said that the Reyna beating is just too familiar to what happened to Stow eight years ago.

“The facts between this incident and the Stow case are eerily similar,” Lira told the media during a press conference.

Lira added saying that the parking lot is poorly lit and has a lack of security.

Cristel said that she was on facetime with Reyna during the assault and said that the sound of the fracture sounded like a “baseball bat hitting a ball.” Police continue to investigate saying that the suspect was also accompanied by a female companion who was wearing Dodgers fan gear. There was no video of the attack that took place in Lot 3.

Jeremy Harness covers Major League Baseball for http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Headline Sports podcast with Tony Renteria: Lechler to go into Hall as Raiders punter for 13 seasons; Raiders sign Grant at wide receiver; plus more

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Photo credit: @TDenFamilia

On the Headline Sports podcast with Tony Renteria:

#1 Former Oakland Raider Shane Lechler can look forward to be inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame after the five year wait . He played in 206 games for the Raiders and missed only two games in 13 seasons. In those 13 seasons, Lechler called Oakland his home. A seven-time Pro Bowler, he was one of the best punters in NFL history.

#2 Wide receiver Ryan Grant has signed with the Oakland Raiders. Grant formerly with the Indianapolis Colts signed with Oakland on Wednesday Grant’s deal is worth one year, $2.5 million.

#3 You can’t win them all the A’s, who won the first two games against the visiting Boston Red Sox on great pitching, and delivered two shutouts, but they dropped game three of the four-game series to the Red Sox. However, the A’s have been delivering excitement each night.

#4 The Giants had some troubles on this road trip, but still, they have gone 2-5 thus far. They have concluded their road series with the Dodgers with a 5-3 loss. They have their home opener on Friday, can they get back on track with some home cooking?

#5 The Sacramento Kings might be making changes again and knowing how much Kings owner Vivek Ranadive and general manager Vlade Divak like Los Angeles Lakers head coach Luke Walton. Do you see Walton getting fired by the Lakers as rumored and going to the Kings, which means Kings head coach Dave Joerger will get the boot at season’s end?

Headline Sports with Tony R is heard each Thursday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com