Tag: San Francisco Giants

Cueto continues hot streak, Belt sets major league record in SF Giants’ 4-2 win over Angels

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Photo credit: @SFGiants

By Jeremy Kahn

Johnny Cueto continues looks amazing out of the gate, and Brandon Belt set a major-league record, and he continues to stay hot.

Cueto went six innings, allowing just two hits, walking two and striking out seven and the San Francisco Giants defeated the Los Angeles Angels 4-2 at Angel Stadium Sunday.

With the victory, the Giants won their first series of the season, as they ended their road trip thru San Diego, Arizona and Anaheim with a 4-6 record.

Not only did Cueto pitch another great game, he saw his earned run average drop to a minuscule 0.35 and his consecutive game streak of allowing one run or less raise to four, he was also on the back end of a fantastic double play.

With the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the sixth inning, Luis Valbuena hit a grounder to Belt, who threw to Brandon Crawford for the first out and then threw to Cueto to complete the double play and you saw Cueto pump his fist and yelled in happiness.

Belt, who hit a home run for the fourth consecutive game to lead off the top of the fourth inning, set a major league record in the first inning.

After Joe Panik singled to left, Belt settled in at the plate and his duel with Angels starter Jaime Barria was one of epic proportions.

Belt fouled off 11 consecutive pitches from Barria, in the longest at-bat since records for pitches began in 1988. In all, Belt saw 21 pitches from Barria, breaking the record of 20 that was held by Ricky Gutierrez of the Houston Astros, who eventually struck out against Bartolo Colon of the Cleveland Indians.

All in all, the at-bat lasted 12 minutes and 45 seconds, as he ended up flying out to Kole Calhoun in right field.

In his three at-bats, Belt saw 38 pitches, as he singled in the top of the third inning and then launched a 410-foot home run off of Blake Palmer to lead off the fifth inning.

Cueto took a no-hitter into the bottom of the sixth inning, as he struck out Shohei Ohtani twice on the afternoon.

Ian Kinsler broke up Cueto’s chance at a no-hitter in the bottom of the sixth inning, then Ohtani singled to load the bases, but then Valbuena grounded into the double play that ended the threat.

Evan Longoria continues to find his hitting stroke, as he hit a two-run home run in the top of the third inning.

The Giants got on the board just prior to Longoria’s home run, as Panik scored from third base on a Buster Posey double play. Belt also scored on the Longoria home run.

Mike Trout put the Angels on the board in the bottom of the eighth inning, as he hit his major-league leading ninth home run of the season and third of the series. Trout’s two-run home run went to the opposite field off of reliever Cory Gearrin.

The Angels put runners on the corners with two outs and with Trout in the on-deck circle, but Hunter Strickland got Kinsler to fly out to Gregor Blanco for the final out.

Barrie, who threw those 21 pitches to Belt in the top of the first inning, went just two innings, as he loaded the bases with nobody out and was replaced by Noe Ramirez.

Barria gave up two runs on six hits, walked one and also struck out one, as he retired only six batters and threw a whopping 77 pitches.

In that first inning, Barria threw 49 pitches and was able to get out of the inning without allowing a run, as he loaded the bases on three singles; however, he retired Longoria and Pablo Sandoval to get out of the inning unscathed.

NOTES: Chris Stratton opens up the Giants’ homestand on Monday night against the Washington Nationals, as he takes the mound against former Oakland A’s pitcher Gio Gonzalez.

UP NEXT: Series opener between the Giants and Nationals is scheduled for Monday, April 23 at 7:15 pm PT.

Pujols gives Angels 4-3 win over Giants

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Photo credit: @usanews2017

By Jeremy Kahn

With one swing of the bat, the game between the San Francisco Giants and the Los Angeles Angels went from being tied to giving the Angels the lead for good.

Albert Pujols hit a two-run opposite field home run off of Derek Holland in the bottom of the sixth inning to give the Angels a 4-2 lead and they hung on to defeat the Giants 4-3 at Angel Stadium.

It was the 2,992nd hit of Pujols career, bringing him within eight of the magical 3,000 hit club and it was the 618th home run of his 18-year career.

The Pujols home run made a winner out of Garret Richards, who was facing the Giants for the first time in his major-league career.

Richards went six innings, allowing two runs on five hits, while walking one and striking out 11, as he raised his record to 3-0 on the young season.

All in all, on the evening the Giants struck out 17 times, including three times apiece by Pablo Sandoval, Brandon Crawford and Nick Hundley. This the second most strikeouts by the Giants in a game this season, as they struck out 18 times against the Los Angeles Dodgers on April 7 in a 7-5 14-inning win on a walk-off home run by Andrew McCutchen.

Brandon Belt gave the Giants a quick 2-0 lead in the top of the second inning, as he hit his fourth home run of the season.

Jefry Marte got the Angels within a run in the bottom of the second inning, as he solo home run off of Holland to get the Angels on the board.

Mike Trout tied up the game in the bottom of the third inning, as he launched a Holland pitched that landed in the Angels bullpen. It was the second home run of the series for Trout.

Sandoval got the Giants within one in the top of the eighth inning, as he drove in McCutchen, as he walked with two outs.

Mac Williamson reached on an infield single to get the top of the ninth inning started for the Giants, but Angels closer Kenyan Middleton was able to strikeout Crawford and Hundley, before he got Joe Panik to ground out to end the game. It was the fifth save of the season for Middleton, who went 1.1 innings, allowing one hit and struck out three.

Holland went six innings, allowing four runs on five hits, walking just one and striking out six, as he saw his record fall to 0-3 on the season.

NOTES: Johnny Cueto closes out the road trip on Sunday, as he takes the mound, looking for his second win of the season for the Giants. Angel Stadium will be the last of the current stadiums that Cueto will have pitched in his career.

Cueto will be opposed by Jaime Barria, who will be making his second career start and looking for his second straight win. Barria won his major-league debut against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Park on April 11.

Buster Posey was a late scratch to the Giants lineup, as he was scratched due to back tightness.

UP NEXT: The Giants and Angels conclude the series Sunday afternoon at 1:07 pm PT.

Samardzija and Williamson make memorable season debuts as Giants down Angels 8-1

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Photo credit: @SFGiants

By Jeremy Kahn

What a season debut for Jeff Samardzija after beginning the season on the disabled list with a pectoral strain.

Samardzija went five innings, allowing just two hits, walking four and striking out four, as the San Francisco Giants defeated the Los Angeles Angels 8-1 at Angel Stadium Friday night.

Mac Williamson, who was tearing up the Pacific Coast League was recalled earlier in the day after Hunter Pence went on the 10-day disabled list with a sprained thumb made the most of his season debut.

After striking out in his first at-bat, Williamson hit a towering two-run home run in the top of the fifth inning to help the Giants in the opener of their three-game series in a rematch of the 2002 World Series that the Angels came from a 5-0 deficit to win Game Six and won their only World Championship the next evening with a 4-1 victory.

Nick Hundley got the night started, as he hit his first home run of the season in the top of the second inning. Hundley drove in another run in the top of the eighth inning, as he hit a double off the left field wall.

Andrew McCutchen hit his second three-run home run of the season in the fifth inning, as the Giants broke the game wide-open, as they scored six runs in the inning. Austin Jackson also added a run-scoring in the frame.

Todd Heaney was cruising into the top of the fifth inning, despite the Hundley home run in the top of the second inning.

Heaney let the first five batters get to him, as Williamson hit a two-run home run and his night was done, when McCutchen launched that three-run home run.

Shohei Otani picked two of the five Angels hits, including the first hit of the game off of Samardzija in the bottom of the second inning.

Albert Pujols doubled off the left-center field wall for his 2,991sthit, leaving him just nine shy of the magical 3,000 hit club. The double by Pujols was his 623rdof his career, tying him for 11thplace in Major League history with Hank Aaron.

Mike Trout broke up the shutout in the bottom of the eighth inning, as he hit his seventh home run of the season off of Pierce Johnson.

NOTES: Derek Holland will try again for his first win of the season on Saturday night, as he takes the mound for the Giants, while Garrett Richards will make his first ever start against the Giants.

UP NEXT: The Giants and Angels will face each other in Game 2 Saturday night at 6:07 pm PT.

San Francisco Giants podcast with Michael Duca: No hitting, no offense for Giants in loss to Diamondbacks

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Photo credit: @SFGiants

On the Giants podcast with Michael:

#1 The San Francisco Giants continue to flounder on offense as they lose to the Arizona Diamondbacks 3-1 on Thursday night at Chase Field.

#2 Up and down, the San Francisco line up the hitters. You expect to connect have struggled against Arizona pitching namely Thursday starter Zach Greinke, who went seven innings, three hits and gave up a run kept the Giants’ lineup off balance.

#3 Pitcher Jeff Samardzija is scheduled to come back and pitch his first game of the season. Manager Bruce Bochy says Samardzija is on schedule and his rehab has been going smoothly.

#4 Madison Bumgarner had three pins removed for his pinky finger, which was fractured four weeks ago in spring training. Doctors say Bumgarner could be throwing in two weeks.

#5 Giants outfielder Hunter Pence said his thumb injury is preventing him from getting some good swings at the plate and holding him back. Pence has only one hit and 12 strikeouts in his last 20 at-bats.

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

 

Belt homers, but Giants fall to Diamondbacks 3-1

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Photo credit: @SFGiants

By Jeremy Harness

Brandon Belt picked up where he left off on Thursday. Unfortunately, the rest of his teammates did not.

The San Francisco Giants could not follow up on their dramatic extra-innings win from the night before, and the Arizona Diamondbacks came back to claim the three-game series with a 3-1 win over the Giants inside of Chase Field Thursday night.

The solo home run that Belt hit in the top of the second inning would be the only real mistake that Arizona starter Zack Greinke made. The right-hander gave up only that one on three hits over seven solid innings.

Meanwhile, Ty Blach had a solid outing himself, but it was not enough to offset Greinke’s. The lefty went six innings and surrendered a pair of run on six runs, walking three and striking out four.

The Diamondbacks tied the game when Davis Peralta’s single scored Jeff Mathis in the third, and then they took the lead for good three innings later, when A.J. Pollock launched a solo homer into the stands in left-center off Blach.

After Blach exited the game, Ketel Marte took reliever Reyes Moronta deep with a solo homer in the bottom of the seventh.

The Giants’ bullpen was otherwise solid, as Moronta and Sam Dyson combined to give up only that one hit over two innings. Unfortunately, the G9iants could not come through at the plate, as Arizona’s bullpen picked up where Greinke left off.

Two Diamondbacks relievers gave up only a pair of hits over the last two innings and struck out four hitters.

The Giants begin a new three-game set Friday night. Game 1 between the Giants and Angels is scheduled for 7:07 pm PT.

Corbin throws a gem in the desert, Dbacks shutout SF Giants 1-0

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Photo credit: @SFGiants

By Jeremy Kahn

Patrick Corbin continues to show why he should be considered as one of the top pitchers in the National League.

Corbin threw a one-hit shutout, as the Arizona Diamondbacks defeated the San Francisco Giants 1-0 at Chase Field Tuesday night.

The left-hander threw exactly 100 pitches, as he allowed just a check swing single to Brandon Belt on the over shift in the top of the eighth inning. Corbin also walked just one and struck out eight.

Corbin was helped out by an outstanding diving catch by AJ Pollock on a Buster Posey lineout that kept the no-hitter intact and ended the seventh inning.

If thought Corbin pitched a great game, just looked at the game that Johnny Cueto, despite not being involved in the decision.

Cueto pitched seventh innings, allowing zero runs on just two hits, not walking a batter and striking out a season-high 11.

The lone run of the game came in the bottom of the eighth inning, as David Peralta hit a Tony Watson pitch threw the infield and into centerfield to score Jarrod Dyson with the only run of the game.

Dyson walked with one out, and went to second on a Corbin sacrifice bunt and then motored home on the Peralta single.

As for Corbin, he got stronger and stronger in the top of the ninth inning, as struck out pinch-hitter Gorkys Hernandez and Austin Jackson and got another pinch-hitter in Nick Hundley to line out to Peralta, who made a running catch to end the game.

The Giants have lost four out of the first five games on their three-city, 10-game road trip thru San Diego, Arizona and then Anaheim.

NOTES: Evan Longoria missed the game after he aggravated the left ankle that he first injured during spring training, and he may miss the next two games. Longoria was replaced in the starting lineup by Pablo Sandoval.

Chris Stratton looks for his second win of the season, as he takes the mound in the second game of the three-game series, while the Diamondbacks will send Robbie Ray to the mound, as he looks to continue his dominance of the National League West. Since August 30 of last season, Ray has won his last six starts.

UP NEXT: The Giants and Dbacks meet again Wednesday night at 6:40 pm PT.

San Francisco Giants-Arizona Diamondback preview: Cueto-Posey both off DL will be tonight’s battery; D-Backs alive and well first in NL West at 11-3

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San Francisco Giants’ second baseman Joe Panik celebrates with teammate Andrew McCutchen on March 29 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, Calif. Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI

By Jeremy Harness

The San Francisco Giants who lost three of four to the San Diego Padres to start this current road trip open a three game trip against the Arizona Diamondbacks strarting tonight with the Giants Johnny Cueto (1-0) starting on the mound after being on the disabled list since last week. Cueto had trouble throwing and was shelved after the Giants medical team said Cueto was at a 70% performance level but has recovered and is ready to throw at Chase Field tonight.

Also Giants catcher Buster Posey suffered a right thumb injury and is expected back behind the plate tonight. Posey’s bat is vital to the Giants core of the line up but with the injury and having to sit the Giants depended on their other sluggers in the line up Austin Jackson, Andrew McCutchen, Joe Panik, Evan Longoria, but all four struggled against Padres pitching during the four game series.

With Posey back tonight against the Diamondbacks the Giants who have Jackson, McCutchen, Panik, and Longoria should have a potent line up. The Diamondbacks in their own right have been one of the hottest teams in the Majors, they had a three game win streak going up until Sunday night when they ran into the Los Angeles Dodgers and got whipped 7-1.

In that game in Los Angeles Diamondbacks pitcher Zack Godley who beat the Giants on Thursday the 12th didn’t have the same fortune with the Dodgers. On Sunday he lasted only four innings giving up five hits, giving up six runs, walked six batters and struck out four.

Tonight at Chase Field the Diamondbacks start Patrick Corbin (2-0) ERA 2.45 this is Corbin’s sixth year with the Diamondbacks and the thing that Giants manager is concerned with is Corbin getting off to a great start and keeping hitters off balance when San Francisco needs to touch up Corbin early and get him out of the game early. This will depend soley on the abilities of Jackson .250, Panik .304, and with McCutchen .203 and Longoria .204 both struggling to take advantage and do some of the things that they weren’t able to do in San Diego and get runners on base early and move runners into scoring position.

Notes: Posey who is 15 for 18 for .313 knows how to hit left handed pitching can see the ball well coming out of the pitchers hand could give the left hander Corbin a challenge his handy work will be needed when facing Corbin especially with runners on base. How well Posey comes off this thumb injury only tonight will tell and Posey mainly was hurting when swinging the bats.

Bochy said, “He’ll be fine Tuesday, in the past, there were a couple of times we’ve had to do this get him a day and he’s fine. If we let it go, then it gets to the point he needs more time.” Bochy really wanted to have Posey catch Giants pitcher Tyler Beede who was sent down to triple affiliate Sacramento after he got lit up by the Padres on Sunday going three plus, six hits, five runs, three walks, and six strike outs. Bochy said he would have liked for Beede to have been throwing to Posey but Posey had to sit out with the thumb injury and Nick Hundley took over the catching duties.

Giants vs. Diamondbacks tonight at 6:40PM at Chase Field Jeremy Kahn will have game recap coverage tonight from Chase Field in Phoenix.

Jeremy Harness covers Giants baseball for http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

 

 

San Francisco Giants podcast with Morris Phillips: Beede goes back down to the minors, Giants look to who can start next

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photo from nbcsportsbayarea: Tyler Beede’s first stint in the big leagues is over after his second start, and the coaching staff has advice as heads back to the minors.

On the Giants podcast with Morris:

#1 The Giants’ Tyler Beede is headed back to the farm. He was demoted after Sunday’s game after going three-plus and scattering six hits and five runs.

#2 Beede looks at the experience as positive and wants to work on a few things and hopes the phone rings again and hopes this was more than a cup of coffee.

#3 Catcher Buster Posey sat out Sunday’s contest, resting his sore right thumb. Posey took a swing during the series and didn’t feel the same strength that he would normally feel and had to sit down. Posey is expected back by Tuesday night in Arizona.

#4 The Giants and Beede got ripped in the contest, but the relief staff also wasn’t able to hold it together. This has to be a concern for Giants manager Bruce Bochy.

#5 The Giants continue this road trip to Arizona starting Tuesday night. The Diamondbacks continue to roll now at 11-3 and in first place in the NL West.

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

 

Lucchessi, Padres take series with 10-1 blowout win over Giants

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Photo credit: @SFGiants

By Jeremy Kahn

It seems that the San Diego Padres once again have the San Francisco Giants’ number, and former Giants catcher Hector Sanchez is not on the roster.

After Oakland native Tyson Ross beat the Giants on Friday night, it was another East Bay native to get to the Giants on Sunday in the series finale.

Joey Lucchesi, who grew up in Newark and went to Chabot College in Hayward was dominant and the Padres defeated the Giants 10-1 at Petco Park.

Lucchesi pitched six strong innings, allowing just one run on five hits, not walking a batter and striking out nine, as his earned run average dropped to 1.66.

The left-hander is now 2-0 on the season, as the Padres took three out of four from the Giants, who have dropped three in a row.

Brandon Belt gave the Giants an early 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning, as he hit a sacrifice fly that scored Nick Hundley from third base.

That lead would last for Tyler Beede and the Giants until the bottom of the third inning when Christian Villanueva gave the Padres the lead for good, as he hit a double that scored Freddy Galvis and Franchy Cordero.

Just prior to the Villanueva double that put the Padres on top in the bottom of the third, Galvis walked for the second consecutive at-bat and then Cordero singled. Villanueva cleared the bases with a double.

Cory Spangenberg lengthened the Padres lead in the bottom of the fourth inning, as he doubled to center field to score Chase Headley, who walked just prior to the Spangenberg double.

The Padres broke the game wide open, as Jose Pirela hit a ground-rule double that scored Spangenberg and then Galvis singled in Pirela to give the Padres a five-run lead.

Things did not get any better for the Giants, as Villanueva hit a solo home run in the bottom of the fifth inning.

Cordero added a single in the bottom of the sixth inning that scored Pirela to lengthen the Padres lead up to 7-1.

Pirela got back in on the act in the bottom of the seventh inning, as he hit a two-run triple and then scored the final run of the game for the Padres, when Cordero reached on a fielding error by Joe Panik. Galvis walked just prior to the Panik error.

It was not a good second start for Beede, who lasted just 3.2 innings, allowing five runs on six hits, walked three and struck out six, as he lost for the first time in his major-league career.

Evan Longoria continues to put the ball on the bat, as he went 2-for-3 on the afternoon, while Nick Hundley also picked up two hits for the Giants.

NOTES: Buster Posey sat out the game with a sore thumb, and should be back in the lineup on Tuesday night, as the Giants open a three-game series against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field.

Jeff Samardzija, who is currently on the disabled list with a strained right pectoral muscle will likely make another rehab start. Samardzija threw 62 pitches in just 2.2 innings for the San Jose Giants on Saturday night. In those 2.2 innings, Samardzija gave up six runs on hits, walking two and striking out five.

Johnny Cueto is expected to be activated from the disabled list and will start for the Giants on Tuesday night against the Diamondbacks. Patrick Corbin will go for the Diamondbacks, as he looks to raise his record to 3-0 on the season.

UP NEXT: The Giants have a day off before traveling to Arizona to take on the Diamondbacks. Game 1 is scheduled for Tuesday at 6:40 pm PT.

Renfroe, Padres escape with 5-4 win over Giants

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Photo credit: @SFGiants

By Jeremy Kahn

Hunter Renfroe gave the San Diego Padres the win on one swing of the bat and sent the San Francisco Giants to their second straight loss.

Renfroe hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the seventh inning, as the Padres defeated the Giants 5-4 at Petco Park Saturday night.

His eventual game-winning home run came just one inning after he came up with a huge outfield assist that saw Joe Panik be tagged out at the plate by catcher A.J. Ellis.

Panik tripled to get to third base with one out in the inning, and then Andrew McCutchen hit a fly ball to Renfroe, whose throw was cut off by Christian Villanueva, who in turn threw to Ellis, who tagged Panik. Replay showed it looked like Panik got underneath the tag; however, after a two-minute and 41-second review, the play was upheld.

Following the Renfroe home run off of losing pitcher Cory Gearrin, the Padres loaded the bases; however, Tony Watson was able to get out of the jam, as he struck out two and got a lineout to Brandon Crawford at shortstop to end the inning.

Adam Cimber pitched two strong innings to pick-up his first major league win, as he gave up a hit and struck out three.

Brad Hand picked up his sixth save of the season, and struck out Hunter Pence to end the eighth and then struck out the side for the Padres second straight win.

After falling behind in the bottom of the first inning, Evan Longoria tied up the game with one swing of the bat, as he hit a two-run home run off of Padres starter Clayton Richard in the top of the fourth inning.

Crawford hit a triple of his own and then scored on an Austin Jackson single to give the Giants their first lead of the game.

McCutchen lengthened the lead to 4-2, as he hit his second home run of the season in the top of the fifth inning.

Jose Pierla got the Padres within one at 4-3 in the bottom of the fifth inning, as he hit a double off of Derek Holland. The Padres loaded the bases, but Reyes Moronta came on to replace Holland and got Chase Headley to ground out to end the inning.

Renfroe gave the Padres a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning, as he hit a sacrifice fly and Villanueva hit his first home run since April 3 to lengthen the Padres lead to 2-0 at the end of the first inning.

Holland pitched 4.2 innings, allowing three runs and four hits, while walking two and struck out four

Richard went five innings for the Padres, as he gave up four runs on seven hits, walked three and struck out three.

NOTES: Tyler Beede makes his second major league start on Sunday afternoon, while the Padres will send Joey Luchessi to the mound.

UP NEXT: The Giants and Padres conclude their series Sunday afternoon at 1:10 pm PT.