Austin Slater hit a go-ahead, two-run homer in the 8th to rescue the Giants from ignominious defeat in Arizona. It was a prodigious blast, well over the stands in center field, and it came on the heels of a 4-for-40 slump. Flemm reported it as 482 feet, and that figure is on the ESPN highlight clip. But according to the Statcast website it "only" went 463 feet! I don't know why there's a discrepancy, but it matters little. It was a huge hit by a guy that hasn't had many lately. Slater was in the game after pinch-hitting for Alex Dickerson in the 5th. Dick had a walk, a hit, and a run scored off D-Backs starter Jake Faria. Slater grounded out against lefty reliever Joe Mantiply, then homered in his next at-bat against another lefty, Ryan Buchter. The Giants "matchup-madness" strikes again.
It was a frustrating night. Thirteen men left on base, 2-for-14 with RISP. They probably should have scored ten runs. Sammy Long lasted only four innings, unable to hold a 4-0 lead. Arizona took advantage of an error and some dink hits to take the lead in the 5th against two Giants pitchers, Zack Littell and Jose Alvarez. Tyler Rogers looked a little shaky but Dominic Leone and Jake McGee were solid in the final three frames.
6:10 game time this evening. Anthony DeSclafani gets the call.
Happy Fourth and Go Giants!
--M.C.
6 comments:
The dodgers have already beat the Nationals on July 4th, and the Pads are leading 5-0 behind two Machado homers. Did Machado make the all star team? If not he needs to be on it. Duvall continues to rake against the Braves. Some good match ups today, including the Cubs/Reds game. Bums it turns out swept the Nationals in Washington DC. and went 7-0 vs. the Nats this year. With a lefty pitching tonight against the giants, it will be interesting to see the lineup the giants field tonight.
Posey-Solano-Flores-Ruf-Estrada-Slater-Davis (not necessarily in that order) gives you seven righties!
The Padres today leading 5-1 and they had two outs and two strikes on their hitter, when an apparent called strike 3 was called a ball. Since that time the Padres have scored 6 runs and are still batting. Melencon was up with the 4 run lead, I doubt he will pitch now. The Dodgers used their closer today with a 4 run lead.
Tonight's lineup: Slater CF, Estrada SS, Yaz RF, Posey C, Ruf 1B, Flores 3B, Solano 2B, Davis LF, DeSclafani P. That's all RH hitters except Yaz.
Arizona is starting lefty Caleb Smith.
Just to change the subject slightly, but is there some reason why the giants' pitchers are having so much trouble getting opposing pitchers out? Even American league pitchers who never hit accept in interleague games played in N.L. parks are hitting giants pitchers. And today, after retiring the first 8 batters, Desclafani walked the pitcher on 5 pitches. A guy who is 0 for 11 with 10 K's. It seems like an epidemic.
I have wondered almost the same thing as nomisnala, not with opposing pitchers’ getting hits but with their getting walks. Two reasons for the walks have occurred to me: keeping the opposing pitcher from resting in the dugout, icing his arm, saving his stamina rather than having to dash off and trot back when the batter hits a foul; and hoping that the opposing pitcher will do a lot of reaching for pitches out of the zone, thereby reducing the number of semi-accidental hits. Both of these hypotheses distinguish walks from hits. I haven’t noticed that opposing pitchers get more hits in Giants’ games.
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