The San Francisco Giants Brett Wisley slugs a sixth inning two run RBI double against the Detroit Tigers at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Sat Aug 10, 2024 (AP News photo)
By William Espy
SAN FRANCISCO–The San Francisco Giants (61-58) hosted the Detroit Tigers (55-63) in the second game of a three-game series on Saturday afternoon in front of a sold-out crowd at Oracle Park. Prior to the game, they hosted their 2014 World Series reunion.
With organizational legends in attendance, the modern Giants had some pressure on their shoulders. Logan Webb was on the mound for the Giants to start the night, while Alex Faedo started for the Tigers. The Giants picked all the runs they needed in the bottom of the sixth scoring three times for a 3-1 win Saturday.
The Tigers’ night started with three batters coming up, and immediately getting out allowing Webb to escape the first inning with only seven pitches thrown. The Giants on the other hand, immediately evened up with pitch count with just their first batter, as Tyler Fitzgerald fought his way to a full count before eventually being walked by Faedo.
The second batter of the night Heliot Ramos also drew a walk, putting the visitors in a tough spot early into the game. Faedo got one out when Michael Conforto struck out, but once again walked Matt Chapman, loading the bases for the Giants with just one out. The Tigers escaped the inning though, as a broken bat pop out from Patrick Bailey and a flyout by Mark Canha ended the inning, stranding all three runners.
The second inning started the same as the first, with three up and three down for the Tigers, this time on just 12 pitches for Webb. The Tigers made a pitching change for the bottom of the second, with Brant Hurter entering the game, who would give the Giants the same fate, three up, three down.
After a third straight inning without a base runner for the Tigers, the Giants needed to take advantage of their defensive play and get on the scoreboard early to avoid a similar outcome to the night before, when the difference-maker was a walk-off single by Mark Canha in the bottom of the ninth.
A win is a win, but the Giants needed to take advantage of their strong performances early to avoid unnecessary drama. They were unable to make anything happen in the bottom of the third though, and to this point, neither team had been able to record a hit.
That quickly changed though, as the Tigers got the first hit of the ballgame in the top of the fourth, when a dribbler by Akil Baddoo allowed him to out-run the throw. He advanced to second on a groundout to second base, giving the Tigers a runner-in-scoring position with just a single out. The Giants would get the next two batters out though, stranding Baddoo at second.
A one-out triple in the top of the fifth by Parker Meadows put some major pressure on the Giants. The next batter Dillon Dingler hit a groundball to the shortstop Fitzgerald who attempted to throw Meadows out at first, but was unsuccessful and the visitors took a 1-0 lead. That would be the only damage the Tigers could do though, as the Giants were able to get out of the inning.
Mike Yastrzemski got the Giants’ first hit of the night to open up the bottom of the fifth inning. That seemed to open the floodgates for the home team though, as Jerar Encarnacion hit a single, which advanced the runner to third and advanced to second himself on an E7.
A double by Brett Wisely brought both of them home, and it quickly went from a 1-0 deficit to a 2-1 lead for San Francisco. Hurter had a strong performance, but it seems he was left out too long. A single up the middle by Heliot Ramos drove in Wisely, extending the Giants lead to 3-1 and at this point, the Tigers had some movement in the bullpen.
The Tigers should’ve gotten out of the inning on a groundball by Chapman to short, but Javier Baez bobbled the ball, and the throw was still in time despite the error, but Bligh Madris was unable to cleanly make the catch and dropped the ball.
If either one had done their part correctly, they would’ve escaped the inning, but now Patrick Bailey had an opportunity to make them pay. He’d end up grounding to Baez, who would cleanly make the play this time, and a toss to Colt Keith at second got them the out.
A two-out double by Justyn-Henry Malloy showed some life for the Tigers, it seemed like Meadows was going to drive in the run with a blooper over Chapman’s head, but a sensational jumping catch robbed him of the hit to end the inning.
In a bit of a mind-boggling move, Hurter came out to start the bottom of the sixth inning as well. He had played well, but overall it seemed like he was being hung out to dry. He got through the inning without issue though. He had thrown 76 pitches through five innings, which was more than enough for the young reliever. At this point, it seemed certain that he was done for the night and wouldn’t be back for the seventh.
A two-out single by Baez was the Tigers’ only offense for the top of the seventh inning, and as expected they had a new pitcher enter the game for the bottom half of the inning, Shelby Miller. Fitzgerald immediately got on base with a leadoff single, putting pressure on the new pitcher immediately. He then stole both second and third base, while in the meantime Heliot Ramos struck out. Ultimately it wouldn’t lead to anything, as the Tigers would hold the Giants without a run.
Right-handed submarine pitcher Tyler Rogers entered the Giants to start the eighth inning. Chapman once again made a phenomenal play on a ground ball by Colt Keith, showing he still has his Gold Glove ability. Rogers did his job effectively, with the Tigers once again having a three up, three down inning.
Lefty Joey Wentz took the mound for the Tigers in the bottom of the eighth. Patrick Bailey got on base to lead off the inning after the ball went through Gio Urshela’s legs at third base. Canha popped out to first, then Yastrzemski got his second hit of the night putting runners on first and second. A fielder’s choice got the second out of the inning and Wisely stepped up with two outs and runners on the corners. Wisely would strike out swinging to end the inning.
With Camilo Doval no longer in the big leagues, newly promoted closer Ryan Walker entered the game in the top of the ninth inning. After a flyout by Urshela to start the inning, Walker walked Madris, giving the Tigers a base runner with one out.
Meadows followed that up with a single to left field, putting the tying run on first. Dingler struck out looking, bringing up Baez as the Tigers’ last chance to get back into the game. He’d strike out swinging, and the Giants walked away with a 3-1 victory and lead the series two games to none.
