The Giants win their fourth game in a row (one against the Dodgers, three against the Rockies) behind some solid team pitching. Jordan Hicks gave up a solo homer in the 1st but only two hits after that and put up four straight zeros. He was pulled after five frames (72 pitches) and the team down 1-0. He wasn't throwing as hard as usual and I wonder if that was a red flag. They are being very careful with his workload. He's at 53 IP now and his career high is 77-2/3 in 2018. He had 65-2/3 last year. It seems like the right thing to do. Today it worked as four pitchers each pitched a scoreless inning: Sean Hjelle, Luke Jackson, Taylor Rogers, and Camilo Doval.
In the bottom of the 5th Marco Luciano walked and Curt Casali singled. Jorge Soler struck out but LaMonte Wade Jr. drove in a run with a single. Thairo Estrada grounded out but Matt Chapman singled in the go-ahead run. An error put Luis Matos aboard and allowed another run to make it 3-1 Giants. Heliot Ramos hit is first homer in the 6th to add insurance. It wasn't a double-digit extravaganza like the first two games but it was a crisp, workmanlike win and there hasn't been enough of those. Let's see some more.
They are off tomorrow and then play three in Pittsburgh starting Tuesday (3:40 Pacific). Logan Webb is listed as the starter.
Go Giants!
--M.C.
p.s. Giants claimed OF Ryan McKenna
4 comments:
It's great to have an offense. This team has become fun to watch, and not JUST because they have won lately. The team has some personality. Players are distinguishable. Batters are contributing by getting hits, not just swinging for the fence and being content to strike out. Ramos looks like he can play outfield pretty well, and is sporting a black socks over the knee look. Ramos and Chapman both have hit a ton. Ramos has made leaping catches against the fence and Chapman is the best 3rd baseman the Giants have seen in quite some time. Luciano has played a slick shortstop. Soler looks like he is getting on track. Casalli seems to have control of the pitching staff, to their advantage. Each of them seems, in interviews, like young, enthusiastic, real human beings. Also, I understand that Snell is scheduled to pitch in Pittsburgh.
Pirates (22-26) are in a similar spot. They are six back in third place. The Giants (23-25) are eight back in third place.
SF is -28 and PIT is -27 in run difference. It will be a tougher test than the Rockies.
I'm excited for all the young players. I hope guys like Matos and Ramos can stick. The team needs the infusion of energy. And it's a really young pitching staff.
Agree about Chapman. I really like the 5U-3 DP he turned against the Dodgers. He tagged the guy at third and then threw out Mookie Betts. Epic!
Matos catch was the number 2 play on the top 50 plays of the week. Yaz, and Ramos had numbers 24, and 23. I am still surprised to see a bunch of third basemen on plays of the week, making plays that Chapman makes every day. Also ESPN lists Estrada now, as a negative 5 WAR on defense. Just how does that metric work, as it does not seem to me to meet the eye test.
Soler, seemed to be coming around, but his last 2 at bats were brutal. He looked like a guy they took out of the stands and gave him AB's. He missed some balls by 2 feet, and swung at 2 balls that already bounced in the dirt. If he and Estrada would be more selective and find a way to get good pitches to hit, instead of getting themselves out so often, the team would benefit. I watched Soler last year on the fish, and he seemed to not be so "screwed up". We know if he gets a good pitch to hit, he can be very dangerous. Not sure what to make of Hick's velocity being down. Perhaps they will find a way to give him some extra days of rest, or maybe even have him examined. Let us see now if they can have a winning road trip. They are due.
Giants picked up another catcher, Donny Sands:
https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/sandsdo01.shtml
Post a Comment