Tag: San Francisco Giants

Photo credit: @SFGiants

By Jeremy Kahn

Once again, it was a homecoming for a former Pittsburgh Pirates All-Star, but this is one game that Tony Watson will want to forget.

Watson, who played for the Pirates for six seasons got into a jam, as he loaded the bases and then the Pirates took the lead for good, when Watson hit former teammate Jordy Mercer to score Josh Bell from third base and the Pirates defeated the Giants 6-5 at PNC Park.

The win went to Pirates closer Felipe Vasquez, who picked up his second win of the season, as he got the final five outs of the game.

Bell picked up two hits on the night, and his base running helped the Pirates score the winning run. David Freese hit an infield single that Evan Longoria fielded, and Bell was able to elude Longoria’s tag to get back to third base.

Andrew McCutchen went 2-for-5, as he extended his hitting streak to 11 games and streak of getting on base up to 22 games.

Longoria and Alen Hanson hit home runs for the Giants, who have lost six games in a row thru the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Jeff Samardzija went 5.2 innings, allowing five runs and six hits, as he saw his earned run average increase to a whopping 6.94 on the season. Samardzija also gave up two home runs to Francisco Cervelli and Gregory Polanco.

After Cervelli gave the Pirates a 5-3 lead in the bottom of the sixth inning, as his laser shot landed in the front row of the right-center field seats.

Brandon Belt cut the Pirates lead in half, as he singled in McCutchen in the top of the seventh inning.

Austin Jackson tied up the game in the top of the eighth inning, as he doubled to left to score Hanson, who is day-to-day with a tight left hamstring.

Pirates starter Chad Kuhl pitched six innings, allowing three runs and six hits. Kuhl also struck out six and walked four.

Both Samardzija and Kuhl did not fare in the decision for either teams.

NOTES: Derek Holland looks to stop the teams’ losing streak, and a streak of his own, as Holland last won on the road on May 21, 2017, while with the Chicago White Sox. Ivan Nova looks to help the Pirates pick up the sweep.

Hunter Pence looks to be improving, and he could possibly be activated during the Giants’ seven-game home stand that begins on Monday night against the Cincinnati Reds.

UP NEXT: The Giants-Pirates series concludes with a series finale on Sunday at 10:35 am PT.

Photo credit: @SFGiants

By Jeremy Kahn

On a night where the Pittsburgh Pirates welcomed home of their favorite sons, they put an absolute bludgeoning on his new team.

Josh Bell, Starling Marte and Jose Osuna each launched two-run home runs, and Max Moroff hit a three-run home run, as the Pirates defeated the San Francisco Giants 11-2 at PNC Park that spoiled the homecoming of current Giants right fielder Andrew McCutchen, who was drafted with the 11thpick in the 2005 Amateur Draft by the Pirates.

While with the Pirates, McCutchen was a multi-time All Star and the 2013 MVP. McCutchen also helped lead the Pirates back to the postseason in 2014, where they faced the Giants in the National League Wild Card Game.

That 2014 appearance in the postseason was the Pirates first postseason appearance since 1992, when their leftfielder won his second NL MVP in three years; however, after that season, that leftfielder returned to his hometown of San Francisco. That leftfielder’s name is Barry Bonds.

McCutchen went 1-for-5 on the evening, and ended the sixth inning, as he threw Colin Moran out at the plate that brought cheers from the home fans.

Steven Brault improved to 3-1 on the season, as he picked the win in relief of Pirates starter Jameson Taillon, who was forced to leave the game after just three innings due to a laceration on his pitching hand.

Once again, the Giants starting pitcher was unable to make it out of the fifth inning for the fifth straight game.

Andrew Suarez went just four innings, as he gave up five runs and seven hits, as his record dropped to 1-2 on the season and the Giants have lost five in a row after sweeping the Atlanta Braves to open the road trip.

The Giants tied up the game in the top of the fourth inning, as Austin Jackson hit a two-run double off of Brault. Unfortunately, Suarez was unable to hold the lead and the Pirates took the lead for good in the bottom of the fourth.

Once again, the Giants struggled in scoring position, as they went 2-for-16 with runners in scoring position. Also, the Giants struck out 14 times, as they have struck out a whopping 69 times during their five-game slide thru the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

NOTES; Jeff Samardzija looks to put the end to the losing streak on Saturday night, as he takes the mound against the Chad Kuhl.

It is not good news for Mac Williamson, as he remains in the concussion protocol and it could be another week before he is cleared, this according to Giants manager Bruce Bochy. Williamson last played on April 24, when he crashed into the wall near the Giants bullpen at AT&T Park against the Washington Nationals.

Bochy also said that Hunter Pence’s sprained thumb was doing better, as he is on a rehab assignment with the Sacramento Rivercats.

UP NEXT: Game 2 of this series is scheduled for Saturday at 4:05 pm PT.

Photo credit: @SFGiants

By Jeremy Harness

For the Giants, it’s on to the next one.

They could not possibly get out of Philadelphia fast enough to satisfy them, especially after a 6-3 loss at Citizens Bank Park that completed a four-game sweep at the hands of the Philadelphia Phillies.

In case you were wondering, the game was not aired on local television. In fact, the game was broadcast on Facebook Live. This certainly did not help the Giants.

They, however, got off to a promising start to Thursday’s game, as Gregor Blanco hit a solo home run to lead off the game off Phillies starter Vince Velazquez. In the next inning, Alen Hansen hot a two-run shot off Velazquez to give the Giants a 3-0 lead.

However, all that momentum went right out the window in the fourth inning, when Carlos Santana launched a three-run homer off lefty starter Ty Blach to give Philadelphia a one-run lead.

Odubel Herrera gave the Phillies a pair of insurance runs in the fifth and seventh innings with run-scoring singles. Herrera went 3-for-4 on Thursday and boosted his average to .353.

Meanwhile, Velazquez helped his own cause at the plate, as he went 2-for-2 and got his batting average up to .462, while Cesar Hernandez also had a pair of hits for the Phillies.

The Giants will now head to Pittsburgh to face the Pirates for a three-game series that starts Friday night at PNC Park. Like the Phillies, the Pirates have a winning record, so the Giants will have their work cut out for them.

Photo credit: @SFGiants

By Jeremy Harness

The Giants have hit a serious skid, and things got bad in a hurry on Wednesday.

The Philadelphia Phillies jumped on the Giants early and never really let up, and by the time the game was over, starter Chris Stratton was battered and the bullpen did not fare much better in a 11-3 loss at Citizens Bank Park.

Stratton lasted only 4 2/3 innings and gave up five runs on five hits, including a solo homer to Maikel Franco in the fourth inning that gave the Phillies a 3-0 lead. He struck out seven innings but also walked four others.

Franco, meanwhile, had three hits for Philadelphia, as did first baseman Carlos Santana, who had an eye-popping five RBI on Wednesday.

Pierce Johnson was thrashed by the Phils upon taking over for Stratton, as he surrendered six runs on three hits and walking three while only recording two outs.

Meanwhile, Philadelphia starter Nick Pivetta cruised right along in the five innings he pitched on Wednesday. He gave up only four hits and did not surrender a single run, recording seven strikeouts and did not walk one batter.

The Giants didn’t score a run until the sixth inning, when Evan Longoria’s double brought in Brandon Belt. They would add a couple more runs in the ninth inning off the Phillies’ bullpen, but it was too little and much too late at that point.

Longoria and Brandon Crawford each had a pair of hits for the Giants, who will have one last chance to salvage at least one game on Thursday afternoon.

The series finale between these two teams is scheduled for 10:05 am PT.

Photo credit: @SFGiants

By Jeremy Kahn

Coming into this series against the San Francisco Giants, the Atlanta Braves were one of the hottest teams in major league baseball, as they were on a five-game winning streak.

Well, that streak came to an end quickly on Friday night and the Giants ended up completing their first three-game sweep of the Braves in four years after a 4-3 victory Sunday at SunTrust Park.

Andrew Suarez gave up just one unearned run in 5.1 innings along with seven hits and one walk. Since being recalled from Sacramento on Tuesday to replace the Johnny Cueto, who is on the disabled list with right elbow tightness, Suarez has allowed just two earned runs in those two starts.

After trailing for the third game in a row, the Giants took the lead for good in the top of the third inning, as both Nick Hundley and Pablo Sandoval each drove in runs with singles.

The Giants tacked on two more runs in the fourth inning, as Alen Hanson scored from third base, when he slid in head first to beat the throw from Freddie Freeman on a Gregor Blanco groundball.

Andrew McCutchen added a sacrifice fly that scored Austin Jackson to give the Giants their final run of the afternoon.

Braves rookie starter Mike Soroka lasted just four innings in his first home start, as he allowed four runs on seven hits and three walks. Soroka is now 1-1 in his career.

Soroka did pick up his first major-league hit in the bottom of the second off of Suarez.

Hanson did get his third consecutive two hit game, as he doubled in the top of the fifth inning. On the flip side, Hanson did commit two fielding errors on the afternoon.

The Giants took a three-run lead into the bottom of the ninth inning, but the Braves mounted a comeback, when Kurt Suzuki, who came off the bench to pinch hit, lashed a double that scored Jose Bautista, who singled. Ender Inciarte cut the Giants lead down to one run, as he grounded to score Johan Camargo; however, rookie Ozzie Albies was unable to tie up the game or win it, as he popped out to end the game. Hunter Strickland, who came on close to the game for the first time this weekend picked up his eighth save of the season.

The Braves took the lead in the first inning for the third straight game, as Ronald Acuna Jr., hit a single to left field for his first hit at SunTrust Park. Acuna later scored on a Tyler Flowers single.

NOTES: Mac Williamson, who is eligible to come off the seven-day concussion disabled list, remains on there with a virus and will need a few days. Williamson will also be sent to the minors for a rehab assignment. Reyes Moronta, who left the game on Saturday night with tightness in his back to begin the bottom of the ninth inning, “seems to be doing better,” according to Bruce Bochy.

The Giants last sweep of the Braves came from May 2-4, 2014 at Turner Field.

UP NEXT: Jeff Samardzija takes the mound on Monday afternoon, as the Giants continue their three-city, 10-game road trip and open up a four-game series against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park.

Photo credit: @SFGiants

By Jeremy Kahn

It seems that the San Francisco Giants are beginning to find their stride, despite the fact that their two top starters and closer are currently on the disabled list.

Buster Posey and Andrew McCutchen each picked up three hits, and Alen Hanson hit his second home run of the season and drove in four runs, as the Giants defeated the Atlanta Braves 11-2 at SunTrust Park.

Brandon Crawford also picked up three hits and drove in two runs for the Giants, who have at least nine runs in their last three games.

With the victory, the Giants have clinched their fifth straight series and have won three in a row and 10 out of their last 13.

On the evening, the Giants as a team picked up 18 hits, as Braves starter Brandon McCarthy went just 3.1 innings.

Ty Blach picked up his third win of the season, as he went 7.2 innings and allowed just one earned run in the victory.

Hanson got his night started in the second inning, as he hit a double that scored Crawford and then in the top of the third inning, Hanson hit a McCarthy pitch just inside the right field foul pole for his second home run of the season.

The Giants blew the game wide open in the third, that saw Brandon Belt hit a run-scoring single and then Evan Longoria hit a double that fell in just out of the reach of Nick Markakis in right field for his 1,500thcareer hit that drove in Posey.

McCutchen scored on a Posey single in the top of the fourth inning, that saw the Giants score three runs, as Crawford later added a two-run double that scored both Posey and Belt.

Posey got the Giants into the double figure plateau in the top of the fifth inning, as he singled to score Gorkys Hernandez.

Nick Hundley continued his hot hitting, as he hit a single in the top of the ninth inning to score Crawford.

Unfortunately, the Giants committed three errors, including a dropped ball by Hernandez in the bottom of the ninth inning.

The Giants committed two errors in the bottom of the third inning, as Crawford committed an error on a ball hit by Albies. Hanson then committed a throwing error on a ball hit by Ronald Acuna, Jr., that retired Albies at second base.

Markakis drove in the Braves final run of the evening, as he doubled to right field that scored Acuna.

The Braves took the lead for the second straight game in the bottom of the first inning, as Freddie Freeman grounded out to first base that scored Ozzie Albies from third base.

NOTES: It was another nice crowd for the Braves, as they drew 38,242 for the game, one night after setting the record of 41,807.

Melancon threw 20 pitches in the bullpen, and looks to be on track to getting off the disabled list on May 25. Currently, Melancon is on the 60-day disabled list with a right elbow strain.

Reyes Moronta was forced to leave the game in the bottom of the ninth inning after he threw eight straight balls to start the inning. Moronta left the game with a tight back.

UP NEXT: Andrew Suarez will start for the Giants on Sunday afternoon, as they look for the sweep, while the Braves will send Mike Soroka to the mound for his first start at SunTrust Park. In his major-league debut on Tuesday night, Soroka allowed one run in six innings against the New York Mets at Citi Field.