Sunday, May 1, 2016

An Ace Steps Up

The San Francisco Giants shook off their 2 losses in New York, the first horrible, the second merely a defeat, and won the finale today by the impressive score of 6 - 1 behind Madison Bumgarner.  Noah Syndergaard, for the Mets, throws hella hard.  His sliders average 92 mph.  The Giants managed 8 hits though, led by Hunter Pence with a 4th inning 2-run homer and a 6th inning single that scored Matt Duffy.   Brandon Belt and Angel Pagan picked up rbi, and Buster Posey added an 8-inning solo home run for the 6th run.  Angel's rbi hurt, though, as he seems to have a slight left hammie strain.  Joe Panik was out with a slight groin strain.

The Giants needed an ace, and Madison was it.  He stepped up with a great game against Syndergaard, the ace of a very strong Mets' pitching staff.  Madison had control of his fastball, which seemed to be the root of his early season problems.  He gave us 112 pitches and 6 innings, struck out 7, walked 3 and allowed 6 hits.  Those hits were spread out well enough so that he held the Mets scoreless.  Derek Law followed him in the 7th, gave up the Mets's sole run in 2 hits and got 0 outs.  Javier Lopez had one of his classic 1 pitch, 1 out appearances, followed by Cory Gearrin (1 inning), Josh Osich (2/3 inning) and Santiago Casilla (1 inning).  Madison's era is falling, now at 3.03.

The Giants are now a .500 team.  That puts them in 1st place, at least temporarily.  The Giants have played 26 games.  Here is how it has gone, series by series:
Won 2/3 a
Won 3/4 h
Lost 2/3 a
Lost 2/3 a
Got Swept 4/4 h
Won 2/3 h
Swept 3/3 h
Lost 2/3 a
So, 5 for 7, then 2 for 10, then 5 for 6 before this Mets series.  Pitching needs to improve.  Matt, Jake and relief.  Also, Vin Mazzaro is now in the Giants' pen, Mike Broadway has been sent down.

4 comments:

M.C. O'Connor said...

Fuckin' A, Maddy was the Bomb!!

And the lineup did a great job against Syndergaard. Made him work. Created some chances, annoyed him with long PAs and pesky baseruning, just your basic Giants put-it-in-play and run like hell kinda offense. Hit it hard, hope for the best. Love it. That dude is a stud pitcher. Beating a guy like that is exciting!

M.C. O'Connor said...

Timmy's showcase is Friday.

campanari said...

Still in first place, now solely so, after the first Cincinnati game; and tied for third in the NL as to record over the last ten games. If our no. 2 ace--given his contract, not to mention his earring, the Ace of Diamonds (with farmer Bumgarner as the Ace of Spades)--Cueto, was a flop for one gruesome inning, he and the bullpen were sterling for eight innings out of the nine.

As to Lincecum's showcase, I hope he ends up with a job he loves, with the Marlners or the Angels . . .

nomisnala said...

There is still an outside chance that Lincecum could still end up a giant.