I imagine the doggers are pretty tired of AT&T Park this season. There are several reasons for this:
1) It's cold,
2) Most spectators are not supportive of their efforts,
3) They don't score runs for like, 3 straight games,
4) Madison Bumgarner hits home runs off of their ace, and
5) They haven't won a single game.
That is, they haven't won a game in 6 tries at AT&T, for 7 - 2 record against LA half way through the season's match ups. Madison Bumgarner was on the mound today, and sometimes, in the batter's box. Can you say that a guy who throws a shutout struggled? Madison was missing with his sliders and curve balls to start the game, he got the sliders to start working about the end of the 2nd inning, and it was until the 4th when his curve balls were consistent. He walked 2 and gave up 7 hits, and an error put people on base when they should have been out of the fourth inning. He threw 107 pitches and was out of the game with one out in the 7th inning. Madison struck out 6. Clayton Kershaw, of course, was matched up against Maddy, and he seemed a bit more comfortable on the mound, although he also gave up 7 hits and 2 runs and was responsible for the baserunners that scored the other 2, and was tagged for the loss.
About those runs: Madison Bumgarner also hit the game-winning rbi, a rocket shot home run into the left field bleachers on the first pitch he saw from Kershaw in the 3rd inning. That was reportedly the first home run Clayton Kershaw had ever given up to a pitcher. Hunter Pence, who, for some reason, has a horrible track record against Kershaw, singled in Angel Pagan in the 4th. In the 8th, after Buster Posey had finally solved Kershaw for a hit, sending Pagan to 3rd base and ending Kershaw's afternoon, Pence hit an rbi single to score Pagan, that, had not Chris Hatcher deflected the ball as it bounced over the mound, might have been a double play. Brandon Crawford also singled in the 8th to score Posey.
Let us pause here to consider the bullpen. During these three games, we have seen some great starting pitching, but also: Machi, Lopez, Romo, Casilla, Machi, Lopez, Affeldt, Kontos, Lopez, Romo, and Casilla. 6 1/3 innings, 0 runs allowed. The doggers stranded 17 RISP. The Giants have won 6 straight games and 7 of their last 9. They are 14 - 5 in May. Did I mention that Madison Bumgarner hit a home run?
5 comments:
Let us all hope that the baseball gods do not have a June swoon in the making for the giants. Stay healthy Pagan.
If I remember right, someone investigated that and found there there is no June Swoon, but that another month was the month to beware (but no fun rhyming...).
Yeah, gotta love our bullpen. Shame on all the people who decried the re-signing of any of our supposedly fungible relievers, looking to save money by going cheap on relievers. I hate to think where we would be without our CoreFour.
There is StatCast stats on Bumgarner's homer, 105 MPH exit velocity! Also, did you see the happy Dogger fan catch the homer? I don't think he realized that meant they were down 1-0, he was so happy.
Hopefully they can keep the mo' going in that house of horrors in Colorado.
This is heady stuff. Beat LA, beat LA. Both Tims and both Brandons are looking great. Posey is hitting like Posey and Pence is a god.
And MadBum hit a homer.
Off Kershaw.
For so long Kershaw has overpowered the Giants, and even though he still pitches great baseball against them the team has figured out how to win. I think it was Boch and the Brian Trust who came up with "just make sure Madison pitches those games." That's 20-2/3 for Bumgarner v. LA and three runs allowed total, three wins for the ballclub, all against the Uber-Ace of the West. Fantastic stuff here at the one-quarter mark in the season!
I like the Giants defense, making the big plays and getting past any errors or mistakes. The 'pen once again was massive. Just a wonderful team effort to shut down a potent team and get the sweep. Let's keep it going!
Neither rain, nor smoke, nor dark of night shall stay the Giants from completion of their 7th straight win.
Nor, for that matter, Weiss, cold, Coors, ash, or 8 runs by relief staff.
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