Tag: San Francisco Giants

San Francisco Giants hitter Wilmer Flores (right) swings for walk off single in the bottom of the ninth inning as Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh (left) looks on at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Sun Apr 6, 2025 (AP News photo)

Sunday, April 6, 2025

Oracle Park

Seattle Mariners 4 (3-7)

San Francisco Giants 5 (8-1)

Win: Camilo Doval (1-0)

Loss: Gregory Santos (0-1)

Time: 2:43

Attendance: 41,060

By Stephen Ruderman

SAN FRANCISCO–The Giants won their seventh their seventh in a row and swept the Mariners with a 5-4 win, as Wilmer Flores pinch-hit and won the game with a walk-off base-hit to right-center field, which staked the Giants to an 8-1 start and first place in the National League West.

Aaron Hicks, who is back in the rotation for the start of this season, took the mound for his second start. Hicks got Victor Robles to ground out to Willy Adames at short to start the game. However, with one out, Julio Rodriguez came to the plate, and just as he did with one out in the top of the first inning Friday, J-Rod hit a home run to give the Mariners an early 1-0 lead. However, this one was a no-doubter, unlike the cheapie he hit in the first inning on Friday.

Bryan Woo took the mound for the Mariners, and the Giants were unable to make anything of a two-out, two-strike double by Jung Hoo Lee in the bottom of the first. Aaron Hicks had to wiggle his way out of a two-out rally in the top of the second, and Woo threw a 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the second.

Cal Raleigh hit a home run of his own in the top of the third to make it 2-0, and after another 1-2-3 inning by Woo in the bottom of the third, there were some people who thought it was going to be one of those days for the Giants. However, these are the 2025 Giants, and as they would quickly see, today would not be one of those days.

Hicks finally settled down with a 1-2-3 top of the fourth, and Willy Adames led off the bottom of the fourth with a base-hit to left-center. You could definitely feel that the Giants were a-coming. after Adames’ base-hit. Lee took another nice two-strike swing for a base-hit to left, and the Giants were in business with runners at first and second with nobody out.

Matt Chapman flew out to right, but Heliot Ramos lined a base-hit to right that knocked in Adames and put the Giants on the board. Mike Yastrzemski came up and hit a home run to left-center, and just like that, the Giants were ahead 4-2.

Hicks followed that up with a scoreless top of the fifth. Adames helped with an incredible play to his left to take away a base-hit from J-Rod with one out.

The Mariners got runners to first and second with one out against Hicks in the top of the sixth, and Bob Melvin went to Randy Rodriguez. Ryan Bliss came up and lined a base-hit to left, and Luke Raley scored to make it 4-3. Unfortunately, to compound matters, the throw from left-fielder Luis Matos skipped off the glove of Patrick Bailey, which put the tying and go-ahead runs both in scoring position with just one out.

However, Rodriguez was not fazed, as he got out of the inning with the Giants still ahead. As for Hicks, he went five and a third, while giving up three runs and six hits. He walked one and struck out five.

Woo ended his day with a 1-2-3 bottom of the sixth. He gave up four runs and five hits, and he walked one and struck out six.

Tyler Rogers came in for the seventh, which was a bit surprising considering all five of his previous appearances came in the eighth inning. However, it was no problem for Rogers, who threw a 1-2-3 inning.

After Carlos Vargas pitched a scoreless inning for Seattle in the bottom of the seventh, the lefty, Erik Miller, was summoned by Melvin for the top of the eighth. Former Giant Donovan Solano and Mitch Garver both hit base-hits to start the inning, and the Mariners were in business right away Not to worry, however, as an infield fly and a 5-4-3 double play off the bat of Bliss took Miller out of the inning unscathed.

Eduard Bazardo threw a scoreless bottom of the eighth, and with the fact that Giants closer Ryan Walker had pitched the last two days, it was old closer Camilo Doval who got the ball for the ninth.

Victor Robles singled the other way to left with one out, and he got to second on a ground out by J-Rod. Melvin elected to intentionally walk Raleigh to get to the 2-for-13 Randy Arozarena. Doval got Arozarena to a 2-2 count, but Arozarena was able to beat a good slider at the bottom of the zone and line a double down the left field line to tie the game.

Doval got beat on a good pitch, and after the rough outings he had last season that led him to lose the closer’s job, it wasn’t unreasonable to fear that a big inning would be coming from the Mariners, especially after a walk to Miles Mastrobuoni. Doval then got Mitch Garver to pop out to third, and the game stayed tied 4-4 going to the bottom of the ninth, where the Giants were in a perfect position for another walk-off win.

Mariners Manager Dan Wilson brought in Gregory Santos for the bottom of the ninth. Santos walked Yastrzemski on four pitches to start the inning, and he fell behind 2-0 to Matos. After taking a strike, Matos reached on a fielder’s choice.

Patrick Bailey came up, and things were about to go nuts. Bailey hit a towering fly ball down the right field line that this writer thought was going to be a walk-off bomb into the water from his view in the press box. While it came close to clearing the 24-foot-high Willie Mays wall in right, Mariners’ right-fielder Victor Robles ran like the wind to his left to make a spectacular catch, as he went hard up against the netting and tumbled back into play.

Robles was down and in severe pain. He rolled the ball back towards the infield, which allowed Matos to advance 180 feet all the way to third. Trainers from both teams came out to check on Robles, who held his left arm in agony as he was carted off the field on a stretcher.

While Robles was being tended to, Melvin challenged whether it was a catch, but it was confirmed that Robles’ feet were over the field of play as he caught the ball. The Mariners then challenged that Robles had gone out of play after the catch, which was quite clear. As a result, Ramos was sent back to second, as a fielder going out of play after a catch is only a one-base award.

The loss of 90 feet would not be an issue. Wilmer Flores pinch-hit for Christian Koss, and he lined a base-hit to right-center that easily scored Matos to win it.

The Giants are now off to just their fifth 8-1 start in franchise history, and their second in San Francisco. The other was their wire-to-wire 100-win season of 2003, a season that ended quite painfully might I add.

Camilo Doval should have been rewarded for his slider with a strikeout and the save, but Arozarena had other plans. Instead, Doval was rewarded with his first win of the year, Gregory Santos took the loss.

Terry Francona’s Cincinnati Reds will come into town for three games starting tomorrow night. The Giants took two out of three from the Redlegs to start the season in Cincinnati, and they will hope for the same magic and success this week in their own ballpark.

It will be an opening day rematch on the mound in the series opener tomorrow night. Giants’ ace Logan Webb (1-0, 3.00 ERA) will get the start, and he will be opposed by Reds’ right-hander Hunter Greene (0-1, 2.25 ERA). First pitch will be at 6:45 p.m., which has been the custom for night games on mondays through thursdays at Oracle Park since 2019, but six years later, I am still not used to it.

Oh yeah, before I forget, the Giants are first place. Have a good day, folks!

San Francisco Giants Matt Chapman stands on second base after hitting an RBI double in the bottom of the sixth inning against the Seattle Mariners at Oracle Park San Francisco Sun Apr 6, 2025 (AP News photo)

On the San Francisco Giants podcast with Stephen Ruderman:

#1 Matt Chapman hit two double for RBIs on Saturday night and that help contribute to the San Francisco Giants to pick up their second win in this three game series against the Seattle Mariners and now are on a six game win streak.

#2 In a pre game ceremony on Saturday Chapman received his fifth Gold Glove Award from his 2024 performance at third base.

#3 Jung Hoo Lee contributed also with a double for a run in the fourth inning. In the fifth inning both Lee and Chapman hit doubles which helped give the Giants a two run lead.

#4 Giants pitcher Robbie Ray now 2-0 started Saturday and allowed one run, four hits, walked five hitters, in six innings of work. Ray was the 2021 AL Cy Young Award winner when he pitched in Seattle.

#5 M’s and Giants conclude this three game set Sunday at Oracle Park starting pitcher for the M’s Bryan Woo (1-0 ERA 1.50) for the Giants Jordan Hicks (1-0 ERA 0.00) how do you see this match up, also will the Giants be able to sweep this one or can the Mariners put their should into this one and avoid losing this series?

Stephen Ruderman is a San Francisco Giants beat writer for http://www.sportsradioservice.com

San Francisco Giants Matt Chapman (26) swings for a fourth inning RBI double against the Seattle Mariners at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Sat Apr 5, 2025 (AP News photo)

Seattle (3-6) 000 010 000. 1. 7. 0

San Francisco (7-1). 002 020 00x. 4 10. 0

Time: 2:27

Attendance: 40,886

Saturday, April 5, 2025

By Lewis Rubman

SAN FRANCISCO–Your San Francisco Giants continued on their winning ways. with this evening’s 4-1 victory over. the struggling Seattle Mariners. The brisk game was quite a change from Friday afternoon’s grueling 11 inning slugfest and its plethora of missing opportunities.

Starting pitcher Robbie yielded Seattle’s only run, which was earned, and came on Dylan Moore’s 411 foot homer to center in the top of the fifth. The Giants’ lefty allowed three other hits while earning the win, which left his record at 2-0, 3.18. 54 off his 88 offerings were deemed strikes Hyram Birdsong allowed two hits in as many innings, and Ryan Walker gave a hit while blanking the visitors in the ninth to earn his third save of the young season.

Jung Hoo Lee went three for four, including a pair of doubles. Matt Chapman also hit a couple of two baggers. He looked elegant in the field and drove in two runs to raise his batting average to .310 on this, his bobblehead day. Héliot Ramos’s eighth inning single gave him at least one hit in each of San Francisco’s games this season.

Víctor. Robles ahd Dylan Moore. had two hit games for the Mariners, who used three pitchers in their losing effort. Bryce Miller (0-2, 5,73) started and took the loss, going 5-1/3 frames and allowing all four Giants runs. All of them were earned, and they came on seven hits and three free passes. Trent Thorton allowed a hit in his 2/3 of. an inning pitched, and Jesse Hahn allowed two hits in two innings.

Sunday, at 1:05pm PDT the M’s Bryan Wood (1-0,1.50) will toe the rubber for Seattle against their hosts’ Jordan Hicks (1-0, 0.00). After that, Cincinnati comes to town.

San Francisco Giants starter Justin Verlander deals against the Seattle Mariners in the top of the first inning for the Giants home opener at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Fri Apr 4, 2025 (AP News photo)

Friday, April 4, 2025

Oracle Park

Seattle Mariners 9 (3-5)

San Francisco Giants 10 (6-1)

Win: Spencer Bivens (1-1)

Loss: Carlos Vargas (0-1)

Time: 4:03

Attendance: 40,865

By Stephen Ruderman

SAN FRANCISCO–For the second year in a row and the third time in the last four years, the Giants won their home opener on a walk-off, as Willy Adames came up with the Giants down to their last out and lined a base-hit the other way to score two, and gave the Giants a thrilling 10-9 win to cap off a sloppy 11-inning thriller.

The Giants have always had the pageantry going for their home opener, but this year was a bit different. A week from today is the 25th anniversary of the first regular season game of what was then Pacific Bell Park. With the Giants on the road next Friday, they honored the 2000 team during the introduction of the 2025 Giants.

Several members of the 2000 Giants were on hand: 2000 National League Manager of the year Dusty Baker; Pitching Coach Dave Righetti; Bench Coach Ron Wotus; Kirk Rueter, who made the start in the first game against the Dodgers on April 11; Rich Aurilia; Russ Ortiz; Mark Gardner; J.T. Snow; Marvin Benard; and Barry Bonds were introduced.

The 2025 Giants were then introduced, and new San Francisco mayor Daniel Lurie threw out the first pitch. It was a bit smoggy in the morning, but that had cleared by the time of the ceremonies, and it was time for Baseball on a beautiful day on the shores of McCovey Cove.

Justin Verlander, who last pitched at Oracle Park in Game 1 of the 2012 World Series when he gave up the first two of Pablo Sandoval’s three home runs in that game, would take the mound for the Giants. Verlander received a nice ovation during the pregame introductions, which I assume was due to him coming to the Giants and not giving up the two home runs to Pablo, though there probably was a fan or two who applauded for the latter.

Verlander got Victor Robles to pop up to begin the game, but Julio Rodriguez hit an opposite-field cheapie to the first row atop the 24-foot Willie Mays wall in right-center field to give the Mariners a 1-0 lead. I have still yet to determine whether Rodriguez used the abomination known as the “torpedo bat.” Whether it was a cheapie or not, and whether or not J-Rod is using the torpedo bat, it would just be the start of an insane afternoon at the ballpark.

The Giants got the run back against Mariners’ starter Luis F. Castillo in the bottom of the first inning. LaMonte Wade Jr., who came into today’s game 1-for-19 on the young season, roped a double down the right field line, and he scored on a two-out infield hit off the bat of Matt Chapman.

Verlander settled down with a 1-2-3 top of the second, and the Giants again pounced off Castillo in the bottom of the second. Wilmer Flores lined a base-hit to left, and Patrick Bailey reached on a bunt single.

Tyler Fitzgerald laid down a bunt to move the runners over to second and third, but Castillo bobbled the ball, and the Giants had the bases loaded with nobody out. Wade then came up and lined another double to right, and this scored a pair to give the Giants a 3-1 lead.

Verlander ran into trouble in the top of the third, as the Mariners loaded the bases with one out. Randy Arozarena walked to make it 3-2, and Jorge Polanco lined a base-hit up the middle to tie it at 3-3. That did it for Verlander, who threw 65 pitches through two and third innings.

Randy Rodriguez got out of the inning without any further damage, and then he proceeded to throw a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the fourth.

Castillo was also done early, as he was pulled after throwing a scoreless bottom of the third.

Tayler Saucedo was the new pitcher for Seattle in the bottom of the fourth. Willy Adames reached on an infield hit with one out and stole second. Jung Hoo Lee grounded a base-hit up the middle, which scored Adames to put the Giants back ahead 4-3.

Mariners Manager Dan Wilson pulled Saucedo for Collin Snider, who walked Chapman to move Lee to second. That brought up Heliot Ramos, who continued his hot start with a base-hit to right. Lee Scored, and the Giants were up 5-3.

Lou Trivino was the new pitcher for the Giants in the top of the fifth. Unfortunately, the Mariners tied the game again, as Jorge Polanco hit a two-run home run to right.

Snider retired the first two men he faced in the bottom of the fifth, but Wade, who already had a pair of doubles, barely beat out a triple to right. The Mariners challenged the call by Third Base Umpire John Libka, but the call was upheld. Adames then lined a double to left, and just like that the Giants retook a 6-5 lead.

Camilo Doval, who was the Giants’ closer until last August, and who had gotten the save on Sunday in Cincinnati, was summoned for the top of the sixth. Doval got J.P. Crawford looking on a cutter on the outside corner to start the inning, but Victor Robles and Rodriguez both singled and stole third and second respectively on a double steal.

Cal Raleigh was now at the plate, and he hit a ground ball to second that went under the glove of second-baseman Tyler Fitzgerald. Robles and Rodriguez scored, and the Mariners were now back ahead 7-6. Arozarena lined out to first for the second out, but Raleigh, who had stolen third, scored on an infield hit by Jorge Polanco, and that made it 8-6.

Eduard Bazardo, who finished the bottom of the fifth was back out in the bottom of the sixth. Matt Chapman had an immediate response with a home run to left-center to make it 8-7.

Ramos reached on an infield hit, and Mike Yastrzemski moved him over to third with a base-hit to right. Wilmer Flores struck out, but Patrick Bailey got Ramos in when he grounded into a fielder’s choice.

The Mariners loaded the bases against lefty Erik Miller in the top of the seventh, but Miller was able to get out of it without any damage. Gabe Speier then came in and followed that up with a 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the seventh.

Tyler Rogers threw a scoreless top of the eighth for the Giants, and Trent Thornton did the same for the Mariners in the bottom of the eighth.

Bob Melvin brought in his closer, Ryan Walker, for the top of the ninth. It was a luxury Melvin had with his team at home, and Walker rewarded his skipper with a scoreless top of the ninth.

The Giants had already won two of their last three home openers with walk-off hits. Austin Slater infamously sent Darin Ruf on the move with a walk-off double down the left field line in the season opener against the Miami Marlins on April 8, 2022. In the Giants’ home opener against the San Diego Padres on April 5, 2024, Thairo Estrada sent everyone home happy with a walk-off double to left-center.

The Giants were in prime position to make it three walk-offs in four years against Gregory Santos in the bottom of the ninth. Patrick Bailey doubled to lead off the inning, and Christian Koss pinch-ran and got to third on a wild pitch. Unfortunately, the Giants were unable to come through, and we went to extras for some Manfred Ball.

Spencer Bivens survived a Manfred-induced jam in the top of the 10th, and Andres Munoz did the same for Seattle in the bottom of the 10th.

Julio Rodriguez was up with the bases loaded and two outs against Bivens in the top of the 11th. Bivens’ first pitch to J-Rod was a cutter that sailed to the backstop, and Luke Raley scored to give Seattle a 9-8 lead.

Wilson brought in Carlos Vargas for the bottom of the 11th, and Wilmer Flores was the Manfred runner at second for the Giants. Luis Matos pinch-ran for Flores and advanced to third on a soft ground out by catcher Sam Huff.

Tyler Fitzgerald walked on a nut-cutter 3-2 slider right on the outside that Home Plate Umpire Sean Barber did not give to Vargas. Fitzgerald stole second for the Giants’ fourth stolen base of the game, but Wade struck out looking for the second out.

The Giants were down to their final out, just as they were on March 27 in the season opener in Cincinnati. That brought up the new Giant, Willy Adames, with a chance to be the hero. Like Wade, Adames was off to a rough start, but came up to the plate 2-for-6 on the afternoon.

Adames lined the first pitch he saw into right field for a base-hit. Matos scored to tie the game, and as Third Base Coach Matt Williams waived in Fitzgerald, Mariners’ right-fielder Victor Robles double clutched, and that allowed Fitzgerald to slide in ahead of the tag. The game was finally over, and the Giants won it 10-9.

When all was said and done, Spencer Bivens got the win, and Gregory Santos was saddled with the loss.

It was another incredible hard-fought win for the Giants, who are off to their first 6-1 start since 2010.

Adames went 3-for-7, and Wade went 3-for-6. Ramos had another big game, as he went 3-for-5, but he also struck out for the 12th time already this season. Patrick Bailey very quietly today.

With their four stolen bases today, the Giants have 10 stolen bags through their first seven games. For those of you wondering, it took the Giants 22 games to steal 10 bases last season. The only other time the Giants have stolen 10 bases in their first seven games in their history in San Francisco was in 1960.

The Giants will try and make it 7-1 tomorrow, as they will send Robby Ray (1-0, 5.06 ERA) to the mound. Bryce Miller (0-1, 4.76 ERA) will make the start for Seattle. First pitch will be at 6:05 p.m.