Tag: San Francisco Giants

Bumgarner, Giants shelled in embarrassing 7-1 loss to Reds

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Photo credit: @SanDiegoGiants

By Jeremy Kahn

When this key road trip began, thing were looking good for the San Francisco Giants; however, by the end of the week, it is a totally different story with the Cincinnati Reds.

Matt Harvey took a no-hitter into the top of the sixth inning, while Jose Peraza and Dilson Herrera each hit home runs and the Reds defeated the Giants 7-1 at Great American Ballpark on Saturday.

One night after picking up three hits in the opener of the three-game series, Scooter Gennett did it again and scored three runs, sending the Giants to their third straight loss after winning three straight.

Madison Bumgarner did not pitch well at all, as he gave up a season-high six runs and eight hits in six innings.

Things were going good until the bottom of the fourth inning, and that is when the Reds scored the only runs that they would need off of Bumgarner.

Peraza led off the inning with a home run into the left field seats, and then Brandon Dixon completed the scoring in the inning, as he hit a two-run double.

It got even worse in the bottom of the fifth inning, as Friday’s hero Phillip Ervin hit a sacrifice fly that scored Peraza from third base and then Eugenio Suarez scored on a throwing error by Steven Duggar to extend the lead.

Herrera launched a 419-foot home run into the center field seats that gave the Reds a 6-0 lead in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Suarez rounded out the scoring in the bottom of the seventh inning, as his single to center field scored Gennett.

The Giants scored their only run of the evening in the top of the eighth inning, as Evan Longoria grounded into a fielder’s choice that scored Andrew McCutchen from third base.

Harvey did not give up a hit until there were two outs in the top of the sixth inning, as Joe Panik beat out an infield roller that was snared by Peraza and Panik just beat out the throw from Peraza.

NOTES: Hunter Strickland made his return to the active after being out since June 10 when the team leader in saves with 13 was placed on the disabled list with a fractured right hand. To make room for Strickland on the 40-man roster, Pablo Sandoval was transferred to the 60-day disabled list with a strained right hamstring and is out for the rest of the season.

Strickland pitched one inning, allowing one run on two hits after replacing Bumgarner in the bottom of the seventh inning.

UP NEXT: The Giants and Reds will wrap up their series on Sunday at 10:10 am PDT.

Andrew Suarez looks to get the Giants back into the win column on Sunday, as he takes the mound at Great American Ballpark for the first time in his major-league career. Suarez faced the Reds on May 16 at AT&T Park, and lost to the Reds 6-3.

The Reds will send Luis Castillo to the mound, as they look for the sweep.

Ervin’s first career walk-off helps Reds to 2-1 win over Giants in 11 innings

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Photo credit: @Reds

By Jeremy Kahn

Phillip Ervin ended the pitchers’ duel between the San Francisco Giants and the Cincinnati Reds with one swing of the bat.

Ervin hit the first pitch he saw from Ray Black over the center field wall, helping the Reds to a 2-1 over the Giants at the Great American Ballpark on Friday.

It was the first walk-off home run for Ervin since he hit one in his sophomore year of college for Samford against Auburn.

The loss by the Giants was the second straight loss after starting the road trip with two straight come-from-behind victories over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday and Tuesday at Dodger Stadium.

Casey Kelly made the start in place of the now disabled Dereck Rodriguez, who is on the disabled list (retroactive to Monday) after straining his hamstring during the bench clearing brawl between Nick Hundley and Yaisel Puig.

Kelly, who was making his 10th Major League start of his career and first since May 22, 2016 for the Atlanta Braves had a long-time fan in the Reds’ dugout, his father Pat, who is the bench coach for the Reds.

Prior to the game, Kelly looked into the Reds dugout, and the two saluted each and then it was the Giants and the Reds.

Kelly, who pitched 1.1 innings on Wednesday night in the series finale against the Dodgers went 4.1 innings, allowing just one run on nine hits, walking one and striking out two.

Not only was Kelly’s father in the Reds dugout, but Kelly also faced former high school teammate, Scooter Gennett, who ended the night with three hits.

Five Giants relievers 5.2 innings, allowing just that one run on two hits, walking one and striking out nine.

It was the second loss of the season for Black, who went one inning and one batter, allowing the eventual game-winning home run to Ervin, on one hit and struck out the side in the bottom of the 10th inning.

David Hernandez pitched a shutdown 11th inning, as he struck out two of the three batters he faced in the inning to up his record to 5-0 on the season and the Reds ended a four-game losing streak.

Curt Casali gave the Reds a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning, as singled in Tucker Barnhart, who doubled.

That was not the score for long, as the Giants tied the game in the top of the third, as Steven Duggar hit a leadoff double, then Kelly sacrificed to third and then Duggar scored the tying run on an Andrew McCutchen single off of Reds starter Andrew DeSclafani, who went 7.2 innings, allowing one run on six hits, walking one and five strikeouts.

McCutchen picked up three hits on the evening for the Giants.

NOTES: With Rodriguez on the disabled list, Hunter Strickland will be activated from the 60-day disabled list after missing two months with a broken right hand.

UP NEXT: The Giants and Reds will face each other again Saturday at 4:10 pm PDT.

Madison Bumgarner takes the hill on Saturday for the Giants, as they look to even up the series, while Matt Harvey takes the mound for the Reds.

San Francisco Giants podcast with Michael Duca: Giants and Dodgers meet again end of September–will there be more bad blood?

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Photo credit: @MLBONFOX

On the Giants podcast with Michael:

How about Giants outfielder Andrew McCutchen on Wednesday night? He hit a three-run home run that gave the Giants a lead that would soon end in a 4-3 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers. But, regardless, he is finding his swing, so look for more from McCutchen during the Cincinnati Reds series starting tonight.

In the rivalry series in LA, things got hot and somewhat out of control in the seventh inning of Tuesday night’s game in which the Dodgers’ Yasiel Puig missed a pitch and tossed and caught his bat when Giants catcher Nick Hundley said something to Puig. Both players ended up in each other faces and Puig shoved Hundley. That emptied the benches and both Puig and Hundley were ejected. Michael will see if this a continued trend between the two teams?

Major League Baseball offices are sifting out what discipline will be given to Hundley and Puig. Puig was suspended for two games and fined. Hundley was also fined. Unless Puig appeals, he’ll begin the suspension today.

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

Giants rookie Dereck Rodriguez to miss Friday’s start against the Reds

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Photo credit: @McCoveyChron

By Jeremy Harness

The little brouhaha between Dodgers outfielder Yasiel Puig and Giants catcher Nick Hundley claimed a casualty. And the Giants will feel that starting Friday night.

That’s because starter Dereck Rodriguez expected to take the mound in Friday’s series opener against the Cincinnati Reds at the Great American Ball Park, but he was hurt in Tuesday’s skirmish, as he strained his right hamstring. As a result, he will miss at least this start, and he was also placed on the 10-day disabled list.

In the meantime, righty Casey Kelly (0-1, 1.42 ERA) will start in Rodriguez’s spot, as he will go opposite Reds right-hander Anthony DeSclafani (6-3, 4.46 ERA). DeSclafani has been on a roll lately, winning his past two starts and going seven innings each time.

He shut out the Arizona Diamondbacks in a 3-0 win last Friday, as he gave up only three hits as he struck out nine guys and did not walk a single batter. Six days before that, he surrendered only a run on six hits in a 7-1 win over Washington.

The Giants will bring out Madison Bumgarner (4-4, 2.71 ERA) on Saturday against the Reds’ Matt Harvey (5-7).

Bumgarner has started to hit his stride these days, as he has given up a total of three runs over his last three starts. However, he has only one win out of those three to show for it, as he was stuck with a pair of no-decision in each of his past two starts.

Harvey (5-7, 5.19 ERA), on the other hand, has gone the other way, going 0-2 in his last four decisions, although he did go seven strong last Saturday and gave up only two runs in a win over Arizona. He, however, was stuck with a no-decision.

San Francisco Giants podcast with Morris Phillips and Michael Duca: Happy Days! Giants have now landed on the .500 mark 25 times this season

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Photo credit: @SFGiants

On the Giants podcast with Morris and Michael:

The San Francisco Giants have landed 25 times on the .500 mark this season and they are 61-61 after arriving the .500 mark that 25th time on Thursday night in a 12-inning, 4-3 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodgers Stadium. Which means they’ve been either one above or one game below, they haven’t been either four games above or under at all or at any point in the season.

The very definition of mediocrity and they are still in the pennant race. This division is still winnable even the wild card is a little bit difficult to obtain, but no one has run away with it; but the Giants are at the bottom of that list in order for them to move up with 40 games left, they’re going to have to win 30 of them.

Join the Giants podcast with Morris and Michael each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Giants can’t sweep, fall to Dodgers 4-3 in 12 innings

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Photo credit: @SFGiants

By Jeremy Harness

The San Francisco Giants are gaining a little bit of ground on the Los Angeles Dodgers, but they couldn’t gain any on Wednesday night.

The Dodgers avoided the sweep in the 12th inning, as pinch hitter Brian Dozier’s sac fly to deep left-center brought home the winning run as they beat the Giants, 4-3, at Dodger Stadium.

In the process, the Dodgers snapped a five-game losing streak.

The good news is obvious: the Giants ended up taking two out of three from the Dodgers in this series, and their chances of making the postseason–either as a wild card or division champ–has increased because of this series.

The Giants tied the game in dramatic fashion in the eighth inning when Andrew McCutchen pounded a hanging curveball from reliever Caleb Ferguson and launched a three-run homer over the center-field wall.

However, they could not make any more headway. The closest they came to breaking through following that was in the 10th inning, when Hunter Pence led off with a single and ended up in scoring position with one out.

However, Pence ended up being stranded at third, and the Dodgers ended the game two innings later.

Lost in all of this was the outing turned in by starter Derek Holland, who pitched 4 2/3 innings and did not give up a run on six hits, walking four and striking out seven. However, he did leave with the bases loaded in the fifth inning, but Reyes Moronta came right in and retired the first batter he faced with a single pitch to get out of a major jam.

The Giants are now 5 ½ games back of the National League West, which is owned by the Arizona Diamondbacks with a 66-55 record. Meanwhile, the Dodgers and Colorado Rockies are both a game and a half back of the top spot.

The Giants will embark on a seven-game road trip starting Friday against the Cincinnati Reds at 4:10 pm PDT.

Hanson wins it in the ninth; Giants beat Dodgers 2-1

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Photo credit: @SFGiants

By Jeremy Kahn

Alen Hanson is in his first season with the San Francisco Giants, but you can add his name to player that is now part of the longtime rivalry with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Hanson drove in two runs, including a tie-breaking single in the top of the ninth inning that scored Brandon Belt and the Giants defeated the Dodgers 2-1 at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday evening.

It was the third straight win overall for the Giants, and second straight in the three-game series and they are now guaranteed to win the series against their rivals from Los Angeles.

Evan Longoria got the top of the ninth inning going, as the Downey, Calif. native singled to right field to lead off the inning. Brandon Belt, who was activated prior to the game after a stint on the 10-day disabled list with a hyperextended right knee then singled; however, Austin Slater was not able to move both runners over, as his bunt was fielded by Kenta Maeda, who threw to Justin Turner to get Longoria for the final out of the inning.

After the failed sacrifice bunt, Steven Duggar struck out for the second out of the inning, but then Hanson came up the big single to center field and Belt beat Kike’ Hernandez’s throw to the plate, as the ball got by Yasmani Grandal to give the Giants the lead. Slater tried to score, but Maeda was backing up the plate and threw to get Slater at the plate.

Will Smith came in for the third straight day, and got Matt Kemp to fly out for the first out, but then reigning National League Rookie of the Year Cody Bellinger reached on an infield single, when Chase d’Arnaud’s throw was late. Smith was able to regroup, as he struck out both Grandal and Max Muncy to end the game and pick up his third consecutive save in three days.

Sam Dyson was unable to hold the 1-0 lead in the bottom of the eighth inning, as after Dyson got the first two batters out, Turner doubled off of Slater’s glove in left field and then Manny Machado then singled to tie up the game; however, Dyson was able to strikeout Hernandez to end the inning.

Things got hairy in the bottom of the seventh inning, as Yaisel Puig fouled off a ball pitched by former teammate Tony Watson and Puig snapped his bat and then Puig and Nick Hundley then began to exchange words and then the benches cleared. Dodgers first base coach George Lombard got a hold of Hundley, and Puig was able to get a shot to Hundley’s face.

Eventually, both Hundley and Puig were ejected from the game after the bench clearing fracas between the two.

Andrew Suarez took the hard luck no decision, as the rookie went six innings, allowing zero runs, giving up just two hits, walking three and striking out four.

Things did not start good for Suarez, as he gave up a double to Turner in the bottom of the first inning, then walked Manny Machado and then after a Hernandez fielder’s choice, Kemp walked to load the bases; however, Suarez was able to get Bellinger to ground out to him to end the inning and the threat.

Longoria was hit by a pitch to lead off the top of the second inning, then Hundley singled him up to second base. After back-to-back strikeouts by Alex Wood, Hanson singled to center to score Longoria to break the scoreless tie.

Wood went five innings, allowing just one run on three hits, walking just one and striking out six, as he did not fare in the decision.

NOTES: Brandon Crawford was held out of the game, despite passing the concussion protocol after colliding with Gorkys Hernandez on Monday night.

With the activation of Belt from the 10-day disabled list, Pierce Johnson was optioned back to Sacramento.

This is the Giants’ last trip to Los Angeles this season, and this is the first time since the 2006 season that the Giants will not face the Dodgers in Los Angeles in the month of September. On the other hand, the Giants and Dodgers will face each other in San Francisco the last weekend of the season from September 28-30.

UP NEXT: The Giants and Dodgers conclude their rivalry series Wednesday night at 7:10 pm PDT.

Derek Holland looks to end the series with a win, as he takes the mound on Wednesday, while Hyun-Jin Ryu makes his first start since coming off the disabled list with a strained groin on May 2. Ryu is 3-0 on the season.

Rodriguez continues to shine; Giants edge Pirates 4-3 for series split

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Photo credit: @SFGiants

By Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO — Dereck Rodriguez is continuing to show everyone that he should be considered for the National League Rookie of the Year.

Rodriguez went seven innings, allowing one run on two hits, while walking one and striking out four and the San Francisco Giants defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates 4-3 before a sellout crowd of 41,980 at AT&T Park on Sunday afternoon.

The right-hander continued his impressive streak of where he did not allow more than two runs, as the streak now stands at eight. The last time Rodriguez allowed more than two runs in a game was against the Washington Nationals on June 9, when he allowed five runs in just two and two-thirds innings of work.

Rodriguez also retired the final nine batters he faced after he issued a leadoff walk to Elias Diaz to open the top of the fifth inning.

Over his last nine appearances on the mound, Rodriguez has a 1.28 earned run average and has allowed just eight earned runs in 56.1 innings. The two hits he allowed were a new career-low in a start.

With the victory, the Giants are now 21-20 in one-run games this season.

The Pirates took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning, as Diaz doubled off of Rodriguez that scored Josh Bell, who doubled to lead off the inning.

Diaz’s double was the last hit that the Pirates would get off of Rodriguez for the remainder of the game.

Nick Hundley tied up the game in the bottom of the third inning, as he hit a triple to the appropriately named Triples Alley out there in right-center field to score Steven Duggar, who singled to lead off the inning.

That was the second triple of the season for Hundley, with his first coming on June 6 against the Arizona Diamondbacks. It is also the first season since 2015 he has more than one triple in a season, in that season, he hit five triples.

Hundley ended the afternoon with two hits, his third multi-hit game since July 1. He picked up a multi-hit game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on July 1, and then three weeks later on July 22 against the Oakland A’s at the Coliseum.

Joe Panik drove in what turned out to be the game-winning run, as he a sacrifice fly to score Brandon Crawford, who doubled with one out in the bottom of the fourth inning. After the Crawford double, Gorkys Hernandez hit an infield single that sent Crawford to third base.

After the Panik sacrifice fly that gave the Giants the lead for good, Duggar beat out an infield single and Hernandez smartly headed to third base, as Pirates starter Joe Musgrove argued concerning Duggar beating out the throw.

Hundley drove in his second run of the game, as he singled in Hernandez from third base to give the Giants a two-run lead.

Panik drove in his second run of the afternoon in the bottom of the sixth inning, as he singled off of Musgrove to score Hernandez, who reached on a Fielders’ Choice that forced out Crawford at second base after the shortstop walked to lead off the inning.

The Pirates tried to make a game out of it in the top of the eighth inning, as Reyes Moronta walked Adam Frazier, then Jordy Mercer singled him to second base. After Moronta was able to strikeout pinch hitter David Freese, and then Tony Watson came on to strikeout Corey Dickerson; however, the Pirates got within one run, as Starling Marte lashed a two-run double to get the Pirates within one run. Watson was able to regroup, and get Gregory Polanco to fly out to Duggar for the third out of the inning.

Will Smith came onto the close the game in the top of the ninth inning, and nailed it down for his eighth save in 10 chances this season. Smith struck out Bell and pinch hitter Francisco Cervelli, before getting Diaz to fly out to Duggar to end the game.

Musgrove went six innings, allowing four runs, on seven hits, walking one and striking out six, as he saw his record fall to 4-7 on the season.

Mercer committed multiple errors in the same game for the first time in his major-league career.

NOTES: In his Giants debut, Casey Kelly became just the third Giants reliever in the San Francisco era to throw at least five innings in his debut. Kelly joins Don Larsen, who 6.1 on April 14, 1962 against the Reds at Candlestick Park and then John Montesfusco went 9.0 innings on September 3, 1974 against the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium, this according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

Brandon Belt began his rehab assignment after hyperextending right knee against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday night, and he went 0-for-2 for the Sacramento Rivercats. Hunter Strickland, who is currently on the disabled list with a broken right hand threw a scoreless inning with two strikeouts. Strickland is eligible to come off the disabled list on Saturday.

UP NEXT: Madison Bumgarner will take the hill, as the Giants open their final three-city road trip of the season on Monday night at 7:10 pm PDT against Clayton Kershaw and the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Following the final trip to Los Angeles for the 2018 season, the Giants will head onto Cincinnati for a three-game series and then ending with a four-game series at Citi Field against the New York Mets.

Pirates blank Giants 4-0 just hours after Bonds’ No. 25 was retired

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Photo credit: @SFGiants

By Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO — After the pomp and circumstance of the Barry Bonds number 25 retirement ceremony subsided, there was still a game to be played between the San Francisco Giants and the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Corey Dickerson would drive in the only run that the Pirates would need on a sacrifice fly that scored Josh Harrison in the top of the third inning, as the Pirates defeated the Giants 4-0 before a sellout crowd of 41,209 at AT&T Park on Saturday night.

Harrison walked to lead off the inning, went to second on a Jordy Mercer single and advanced to third on a Trevor Williams sacrifice bunt.

Josh Bell put the game out of reach in the top of the fifth inning, as he launched a three-run home run into the left field seats for his eighth home run of the season.

That fourth inning would be the last for Ty Blach, as he gave up four runs on four hits, walked two and struck out five, as his record fell to 6-7 on the season.

Unfortunately, for the second time in this series, the offense could not get going, as they were shutout one day after scoring 13 runs against the same team.

“Couldn’t get the offense going,” said Giants manager Bruce Bochy.

Casey Kelly replaced Blach, and did a great job, as he went five innings, allowing just two hits and struck out in his first appearance as a member of the Giants.

“Saved the bullpen,” said Bochy.

This was the first major appearance for Kelly since the 2016 when he pitched for the Atlanta Braves. Kelly went 0-3 with a 5.82 earned run average.

‘Great to get out there,” said Kelly.

In his last game for the Braves on July 1, 2016 against the Miami Marlins, Kelly went two innings, allowing two runs (one earned) walked one and struck out two.

NOTES: With the retirement of Bonds number 25, the Giants are the seventh major league team to retire at least 10 numbers. The New York Yankees have retired 21 numbers, the most in major league history.

UP NEXT: The Giants and Pirates will wrap up their three-game set with a series finale on Sunday afternoon at 1:05 pm PDT.

Dereck Rodriguez closes out the home stand for the Giants, as he takes the mound, while Joe Musgrove will take the hill for the Pirates.

Barry Bonds’ No. 25 is now officially retired

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Photo credit: @SFGiants

By Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO — Barry Bonds may not be in the National Baseball Hall of Fame, but he received the biggest honor from the San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park on Saturday night.

Prior to the third game of the four-game series against the Pittsburgh Pirates, the team that drafted Bonds with the seventh pick of the 1985 Amateur Draft out of Arizona State, the Giants honored Bonds with the retirement of his number 25, which is now in between his godfather Willie Mays’ number 24, and Juan Marichal’s number 27 on the Club Level at AT&T Park.

”I am overwhelmed with emotions as the reality of this day sets in,” Bonds said. ”This may come as a surprise to a lot of people but as a child I didn’t even want to play baseball. I wanted to play all sports – basketball, football, ride my bike, all the things that kids do. But once my mom signed me up … I got my first taste of what would be my lifelong passion.”

In the ceremony that lasted over an hour was attended by Bonds’ family, including mother Pat, brother Ricky and adopted sister Carol, along with his three children, Aisha, Nikolai and Shikari.

Former Bonds teammates such as Bobby Bonilla, Will Clark, Ray Durham, Shawon Dunston, Kirk Rueter, Rob Nen made appearances and there was a surprise appearance by former Los Angeles Dodgers closer Eric Gagne.

“That’s great,” said Bonds.

Three of Bonds’ former managers were also in attendance, as Jim Leyland, Dusty Baker and Bruce Bochy were also in attendance.

Orlando Cepeda, Marichal, Mays, Willie McCovey and Gaylord Perry were all in attendance to welcome Bonds to the fraternity of having their numbers retired with the Giants.

Mays took the mic, and spoke to the sold-out crowd about where Bonds rightful place should be in baseball history and that is the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y.

”When people talk about, ‘Oh, who’s the best ballplayer in the world?’ I don’t care,” Mays said. ”I played my 20 years, 22 years, whatever it might be. Give somebody honor that deserves to be in the Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame is a type of fraternity that, when you get there, you’ll say, ‘Man, how did I get here?’ And I want him to have that honor be something that happens to him.”

”Vote this guy in!” Mays added.

The ceremony came four days after the 11th anniversary of Bonds breaking Hank Aaron’s home run record.

Bonds, who is now a special assistant with the organization does not want to return to the dugout, a place he was for one year as hitting coach of the Miami Marlins.

The 54-year old Bonds enjoys coming to AT&T Park, as it is reminder to him that he built this park.

“I built this park, Willie never played here, Willie McCovey never played here,” said Bonds.