Bucs Burn Giants

Boxscore
In the top of the 7th the Giants were trailing 4-2 with two outs and one on when Brandon Crawford hit a ball over the head of centerfielder Andrew McCutcheon, a feat in itself. It looked like a homer off the bat and when it bounced on the track it was at least a run and likely a triple. Alas, the ball went over the fence and into the stands and Andrew Susac, on first via a walk, had to turn around and go back to third base, taking a run off the board. Brandon Belt made the last out, stranding both runners. It seemed, at the time, emblematic of the game and the road trip. It finished 5-2 Pirates. I don't think the game was as close as the score--both Giants runs were gifted by poor fielding. Ryan Vogelsong got pulled in the 4th having allowed 11 baserunners. The three runs he gave up in the 1st were enough as the lineup could not get the big hit once again, and even when BCraw did it wasn't enough. Give Pittsburgh credit for being a good team and taking it to the defending champs.

Fortunately the Dodgers helped things out by losing again in Houston and the deficit is at 1-1/2 games. The Giants, mercifully, have an off-day tomorrow and open a home series, thankfully, against the Cubs and Cardinals on Tuesday. Matt Cain gets the call.

GO GIANTS!

--M.C.

VSC FTW

Boxscore
Ryan Vogelsong was Veteran Savvy Clutchness personified tonight in St. Louis. Struggling from the opening bell with a 30-pitch first inning torture-fest he dug deep into his reservoir of grit and got through it unscathed. He then added five scoreless frames after that and finished with an impressive 6  2  0  0  1  5 line (Game Score 72) to stymie the best team in baseball. Josh Osich and Sergio Romo were perfect in the 7th and 8th, Romo whiffing all three he faced. Javier Lopez' walk of Matt Carpenter to open the bottom of the 9th broke a streak of 15 consecutive batters retired by Giants pitchers. Beleaguered closer Santiago Casilla got the three outs he needed, two via the strikeout, to secure the save. He needed a strong outing and we fans certainly needed to see one from him. The Giants turned the tables on the Cardinals after a tough loss last night. It sets up an interesting rubber match tomorrow as the struggling Matt Cain is the listed starter.

With Hunter Pence ailing rookie Ryan Lollis got the start in left field and he delivered a two-out hit in the 8th--his very first--after a hit by fellow newbie Kelby Tomlinson. Only six hits on the night for the Giants, so way to go, FNGs! Long road to the bigs for Lollis. He's 28 and was a 37th-round pick in 2009. Cardinals starter Lance Lynn had some gnarly-looking stuff but was ultimately undone by his wildness. He walked six in 6-2/3 and three of those walks kept rallies going. With two on in the 5th Buster Posey walked and Brandon Crawford drove in the first run with a squibber that wasn't hit hard enough for a double play. In the 7th Madison Bumgarner pinch-hit for Vogie and naturally roped a single to left. What can't that man do? Gregor Blanco and Matt Duffy walked and Brandon Belt was hit by a pitch to score Bum and make it 2-0 and that's how it finished. It was a small-ball night!

That was the team's 16th shutout. They bump their August record to 9-8, their road record to 30-30, and are 19-11 (.633) since the Break.

GO GIANTS!

--M.C.

Giants Pitchers Get It Done

Boxscore
Ryan Vogelsong struck out eight batters in his five innings of work. Hunter Strickland got the next two frames and went six-up six-down with three strikeouts. Sergio Romo added two more in the 8th and Santiago Casilla tacked on one in the 9th for a team total of 14 whiffs. Vogie had to work hard, issuing four walks and throwing 94 pitches, but he brought some serious heat and went after the Nationals with élan. He kept attacking the zone, getting 13 foul ball strikes to go with his 17 called strikes and 12 swinging strikes, and the Washington lineup never got it going against him. Strickland followed him with overpowering stuff--both he and Romo made them look silly. Casilla, thankfully, got the save without too much trouble. Let's hope his struggles are behind him. It was a dominating performance by the staff and it nailed down a big win.

Gregor Blanco sparked two rallies that led to two runs. Blanco is often overlooked and I think he's a key contributor. In much the same way Vogie is under-appreciated and I love it when those guys show their mettle. The Giants scored two in the bottom of the first after Yunel Escobar led off the game with a homer. It stayed 2-1 until the 7th when the Giants added an insurance run. The 3-1 final got sweetened a bit with the Dodgers losing at home to the Reds to cut the deficit to 2-1/2 games.

Matt Cain matches up with über-ace Max Scherzer tomorrow night.

GO GIANTS!

--M.C.

On to July

Ryan Vogelsong wasn't sharp and the Giants got Latos-ed in Miami. They had a chance to un-swoon their June with a win: they finish the month 12-14. This team likes to tease us by inching ever closer to first place and then falling back. The Dodgers win instead and they hike their lead to 1-1/2 games. I say it all the time, but I'll say it again, if you had told me in March that the Giants would be within a few games of LA on the first of July I'd have been happy.

Buster Posey who homered in the 3rd, had a great sequence in the 6th when he hit a ball in the gap and went for two, much to the surprise of the outfielders. It took a spectacular head-first hook slide from our lumbering catcher to avoid the diving tag from second baseman Dee Gordon. Posey went to third on an out and then with beautiful anticipation dashed home on a wild pitch, just sliding under Latos' tag. He looked positively nimble there! It made a 4-2 game 4-3, giving hope, but that was all she wrote for SF. Just a reminder what a great ballplayer Buster is, as if we needed reminding. I was surprised Gordon's inside-the-park homer was his first. That guy should get one of those every month.

MATT CAIN PITCHES THURSDAY!!

Go Giants!

--M.C.

Vogelsong and Posey Lead Giants

Buster Posey gets his second grand slam in a week and Ryan Vogelsong looks sharp again and the Giants beat the Padres 6-0, the 12th team shutout, best in the majors. I whined about the Giants not scoring enough at home and the starters not being consistent enough and sure enough the Giants score a bunch and Vogie lays down a string of zeroes and they get a big win. It's a day game tomorrow, 12:45 start. Chris Heston gets the call.

GO GIANTS!

--M.C.

Vogie & Giants Whip Mariners

The Giants like to hit on the road, Felix Hernandez notwithstanding, and tonight in Seattle they clogged up the basepaths and pounded out seven runs. Ryan Vogelsong labored a bit in the first four innings with long counts and a lot of balls out of the zone but bailed himself out every time with a sizzling fastball that hit 94 on the gun. In the fifth and sixth he briskly overpowered the Mariners and got the first two outs in the 7th without breaking a sweat. Then they strung a few hits together and that was it, Javier Lopez came in to get the 21st out. Damn fine effort I say. Hunter Strickland and Jeremy Affeldt finished up. The Giants get a much-needed win: they are 6-10 in June. And they head south for a big weekend set with the Dodgers, who won tonight on a walk-off balk.

GO GIANTS!

--M.C.


p.s. That's the 11th team shutout which leads the majors.

p.p.s. Everyone in the lineup got a hit except Buster Posey who walked twice and scored a run and Brandon Belt who walked twice and scored two runs. Six different guys scored and five different guys drove in runs. Only two guys (Angel Pagan and Justin Maxwell) struck out.

Phils Take Finale

The Giants ran out of gas in Philadelphia this afternoon losing the getaway game by a 6-4 score. Ryan Vogelsong had pitched effectively for six innings but couldn't get it done in the 7th and the Phils took advantage of the matchups and avoided the sweep. With two on and two out Bochy went with southpaw Javier Lopez to face lefty Odubel Herrera who was hitting ahead of lefties Chase Utley and Ryan Howard. Ryne Sandberg pinch-hit righty Jeff Francoeur and he roped a double to drive in two and set up the win for the home team. Southpaw Jeremy Affeldt gave up a homer to righty Maikel Franco the next inning to put the icing on the cake. Giants got a run off Jonathan Papelbon in the 9th and had BCraw up with two outs as the go-ahead run but he struck out to end it.

Vogie's start wasn't pretty, but he deserved better. I didn't think they'd walk Francoeur to face Utley even with Lopez on the hill, but I did think they'd work that plate appearance very carefully. Unfortunately he got one up in the zone and Francoeur didn't miss and got his second big hit of the weekend. Two out of three ain't bad, I suppose, especially on the road, but I thought they might get a sweep against the lowly Phils. The Giants cranked out ten hits including four doubles and had a lot of chances (3-for-15 with RISP) but didn't get the back-breaking blow they needed. The Phillies hit two long balls, both solo shots, but the one by Herrera in the 3rd tied the score after the Giants had taken the lead with two in the top of the inning. Rookie Joe Panik upped his average to .316, tenth-best in the NL, with three hits.

The team faces the Mets on Tuesday after an off-day tomorrow. Chris Heston gets the nod.

GO GIANTS!

--M.C.

Vogie and Giants Complete Sweep

That's 11 wins in their last 13 games if you are counting. The hirsute Ryan Vogelsong was a disaster, the de-whiskered version has been a beast. That's five consecutive starts of two runs allowed or fewer and five wins by the ballclub. Number 32 allowed 22 runs in his first five starts and only five since. One of those first five was a good one against the Dodgers, in the other four he failed to get past the 5th. If he can hit those spots low on the outside corner with his two-seamer he can get grounders instead of fly balls and it sets up his slow breaking stuff for swing-throughs. That worked well today--he got outs on the ground and key strikeouts as well. Walks have been a bugaboo but no freebies were issued this afternoon. That's three straight effective starts on the road in hitters parks. We know the Giants can keep the lid on things in their big yard so it's extra sweet to see them do it in the bandboxes. When Jake Peavy gets activated, I don't think he's going to bump Vogie.

Big blast today from Joe Panik right after the Brewers scored their only run. His two-run bomb came after Nori Aoki's leadoff single. Angel Pagan, hitting in the 7th spot, doubled and scored in the 9th for insurance. All the regulars, including Gregor Blanco, are positive WAR for the season and the lowest OPS of the bunch is Pagan's .728; the ML average is .709. The worst OBP in the lineup today was Matt Duffy's .333, he hit eighth (the ML average is .315).

Giants don't get a break until next Thursday--they come home for four against the Braves and three against the Pirates. Chris Heston gets the ball tomorrow night.

GO GIANTS!

--M.C.

p.s. Outstanding work, again, by the 'pen. My only concern is the usage--those guys are seriously racking up some innings! Let's hope Hunter Strickland can pick up some of the load. He looked good today and has done well (keeping fingers crossed!) since he was recalled to the bigs.

Comeback Win Makes Moms Smile

Ryan Vogelsong was all lined up to get a proper Caining this afternoon in San Francisco but the lads rallied in the 9th and walked off as winners. Mat Latos was the other hard-luck no-decision recipient as he kept the Giants from stringing anything together for seven innings, matching Vogie's sterling effort. The Sunday lineup had Buster Posey, Angel Pagan, and Brandon Crawford all on the bench but each made a pinch-hit appearance later in the game. Starting shortstop Matt Duffy got the game-winning hit and starting catcher Andrew Susac started the game-winning rally. Pinch-runner Joaquin Arias got deked and held at third by Ichiro on Gregor Blanco's long blast to right field after Susac's hit. That double should have tied the game but the Marlins obliged with a bases-loaded walk to Nori Aoki, who had another good day, to make up for it. Duffy's coup de grâce came quickly and the Giants got their 16th win to climb back to a .500 record.

Vogelstrong was the story once again and only an unfortunate sequence with Sergio Romo giving up the go-ahead run in the 8th marred the afternoon on the pitching side. Overall, on the 7-3 homestand, the Giants allowed 30 runs with 22 of those coming in three games. Otherwise it was four shutouts and two two-runs allowed games to get six of the seven wins. The first and final games were both walk-offs in the 9th. The Giants swept the Angels, took two of three from the Padres, and salvaged a split with the Marlins. Not a bad way to open the month of May. After an off-day tomorrow the team is on the road in Houston and Cincinnati and then back home for three with the Dodgers before hitting the road again.

GO GIANTS!

--M.C.

Vogetron Lives!

One could forgive Ryan Vogelsong for perhaps thinking he was pitching for his baseball life tonight. Not that the Giants have a lot of options, other than the inimitable Yusmeiro Petit, I mean the guys they got is the guys they got. And that means Vogie is getting the ball every fifth day, there is not a another Chris Heston in the minors ready to step in and be studly. A couple of fellows named Matt Cain and Jake Peavy are lurking just off stage, almost--we hope--ready to return to action. That's got to add a little heat to the sauce and to El Vogo's credit he stepped up with a huge effort against San Diego tonight. He channeled his inner bionic man, The Vogetron, and pounded the Padres with frisky fastballs early and slick sliders late and racked up seven zeroes. The infield kicked some serious ass with the bats and everyone made their plays and it added up to another excellent win. This is the kind of game we expect the team to play.

Giants are back over .500 for the first time since April 10th thanks to five wins in a row and eight straight at home. And speaking of rookie Chris Heston, he gets the ball tomorrow afternoon. Then the Marlins come in for four, they've won 10 of their last 13.

GO GIANTS!

--M.C.

Epic Exertions in Extras!

When Howie Kendrick made that full-extension leaping grab of Justin Maxwell's line drive with two outs in the 8th and the bases loaded I thought that was it for the Giants. Down 2-1, though, they rallied again in the bottom half as Casey McGehee singled to lead things off and Brandon Crawford smoked a triple to score pinch-runner Matt Duffy. With a runner on 3rd and no outs, it looked like the Giants might walk off with the win but LA closer Pedro Baez righted the ship and sent the game to extras. Santiago Casilla appeared ready to give it away in the 10th but struck out Adrian Gonzalez with two outs and the bases loaded to keep the tie. That was tense! In the bottom of the 10th, Maxwell got another chance to be the hero and he roped a no-doubt winner down the left field line to end it, scoring Angel Pagan. The team would not quit and kept scratching out chances and they finally paid off with a sensational come-from-behind victory.

Great work from starter Ryan Vogelsong who allowed two solo shots in six innings, retiring the last ten batters he faced. The 'pen kept it scoreless for the final four frames while LA's crew gave up two. With struggling FNG McGehee getting a big hit and struggling Vogie pitching well it was a good day for the ballclub. Did I mention the great Giants bullpen? A series sweep of the high-flying Dodgers was the perfect antidote to an otherwise ugly homestand. Now 7-10 after four wins in five games, the last two walk-offs, the home squad gets the thrill of a trip to Colorado for a weekend series. That place is goofy. Weird baseball happens there. They just played a 2-1 game--the Rockies beat the Padres today at Coors. What are they thinking?

Terrific afternoon of baseball for Giants fans and like I said just what was needed after the losing streak. Let's hope the 'mo' continues to flow.

GO GIANTS!

--M.C.

Brilliant!

The Giants kicked some serious ass tonight. I've had too many jars at the bar to give you a proper accounting of things, but that is why god invented ESPN. Go there, fer chrissakes, and read the damn summary and look at the beautiful fookin' box score. Despair was the story after last night's frustrating loss, but tonight the Giants rallied and served notice that they are a force to be reckoned with. Ryan Vogelsong looked like an absolute beast in the first two innings, but it all fell apart in the 3rd after a blown play at first base. Hey, give the Royals credit. They are a great club and if you give them a millimeter they will drive a damn Mack truck through that opening. Sound familiar? It should--the Giants worked that same magic on the Nats and the Cards. So, me buckos, if you aren't prepared for a 15-round heavyweight donnybrook then go the fuck home and drink some fecking herbal tea. This is the goddamn Series, it's serious business, and we have to be prepared for some hardcore counter-punching.

We arrived in Chi-town after 50 hours on the Amtrak and the goddamn Best Western--which advertised a bar and restaurant--feebed out big time and offered a pissant goddamn snack bar instead. Well, fuck those corporate penny-pinching arseholes! We wandered the 'hood an stumbled into Kitty O'Shea's, an Irish pub, just around the corner. Being a second-generation American of full-blooded Hibernian ancestry I knew it was home away from home. Irony of ironies, it was part of the damn Hilton. Maybe I should stop cheaping out and go for the four-star and higher when on the road. Ah well, that's another story for another time. We had some fun with the staff and drank pints of local brews and some superb Irish whiskey. We gabbed with a Royals fan, too. His mother was from KC and that meant a lot to me as my own mother is responsible for my love of baseball. Listen up: baseball fans are beautiful people. I would rather knock back brews with a proper Dodgers fan than some gobshite from San Francisco who'd rather watch football. Trust me on this. Cultivate a love of the game, man.

The Giants will travel to Kansas City for Game Six. This team is marvelous. They have been up and they have been down but one thing they have is heart. They battle until the end and fight with all their might. After the agonizing, schizophrenic 2014 season, I had no idea what to expect for the post-season. When they blasted the Pirates in Pittsburgh in the Wild Card game I told my truelove that everything else was a bonus. Then they blew through the playoffs and found themselves in the Series for the third time in five seasons. Did we ever expect a Giants team to have that kind of run in our lifetimes?

I'm greedy. I want to balance the cosmic ledger (three wins versus three losses for the SF club in the finals). I want Bochy to join the pantheon (only nine managers in the history of the game have three rings). But it's not going to be easy. It's going to be the toughest challenge yet. So gird those loins, lads.

Madison Bumgarner tomorrow night.

GO GIANTS!

--M.C.

Comeback Attack

The Giants pulled off another dramatic victory tonight in San Francisco and are now one win from the World Series. Ryan Vogelsong saw his string of post-season brilliance end cruelly after three innings, having given up four runs, the last a no-doubt rocket from Kolten Wong. Vogie had five previous playoff starts and had allowed only four runs total in 30-1/3 innings. The Giants battled back and chased Shelby Miller in the fourth, closing the gap to 4-3 on hits from Buster Posey and Hunter Pence. It was up to the 'pens from that point and the Giants proved up to the task and allowed no runs over the final six frames. Yusmeiro Petit was the difference getting nine outs in ten batters, four by strikeout.

The Giants followed up that great effort in the bottom of the 6th with another magic rally. Juan Perez, fresh off yesterday's heroics, came off the bench to open the inning and walked. After a BCraw single Matt Duffy, pinch-hitting, bunted them over. Nice work from the youngsters once again, and it should be noted that bench stalwart Joaquin Arias led off the 3rd with a pinch-hit and eventually scored. It's a team game, man. The Cards brought the infield in and Gregor Blanco shot a grass-clipper right at Matt Adams at first but he took too much time to get the throw off and Perez scored with a nifty slide. The low, off-balance throw was late and short-hopped catcher Tony Cruz who dropped it for good measure.Then Joe Panik hit a hard grounder to the bag at first and Adams gloved it and got the force, turned and threw it off-line to second giving BCraw a chance to scoot home. Buster then delivered a single to make it 6-4 Giants. It was not a good sequence for the big lefty slugger.

Boch had his matchups ready the rest of the way: Affeldt got four outs, then Lopez for Adams after Machi didn't get his man (Holliday), then Romo for the 8th and Casilla for the 9th. St. Louis put a guy on in both of the last two innings and had two on in the 7th but this time Giants pitchers executed and got the big outs. It was a tremendous game, lots of action, lots of anguish, but ultimately joy. The Giants win by attrition--they get the line moving, put the ball in play, and keep the pressure on. They were one massive blow away from breaking the game open, but their relentless peskiness was more than enough. Buster tallied three runs batted in, Pence had two hits, Blanco scored twice, the team had 11 hits and six walks and only struck out five times.

The late afternoon start meant some funny light in the outfield. Both centerfielders muffed tough chances they would normally have hauled in. I think they should play baseball at a proper local time and I'm sick of east coast television ruling the damn world. Alas, another of my multitude of bitches about our media conglomerate masters. Even corporate domination of our very souls can't ruin my high, though. This was an awesome win. I can't find any fancy way to say it. The Giants pulled off a great goddam win and are all set up with their ace tomorrow in a potential clincher. In 2010 Tim Lincecum got the ball at home in Game Five up 3-1 against Roy Halladay and the Phillies who won and forced the series to six games. It didn't matter, as I recall, but I would have rather seen the team nail it down on the first try.

So that's it, Giants. Nail it down.

5:07 Pacific. MadBum.

Go team! Win!

--M.C.

Giants Keep Rolling

While the Arizona Diamondbacks are certainly a stinko team they still win 41% of their games. So it's not like they are pushovers. They're in the major leagues and it takes a major league effort to beat them. And beat them the Giants did. I love it when the rook gets the big hit, and tonight Matt Duffy in a pinch-hit spot in the 7th roped an opposite-field double to make it 2-0 and the Giants were on their way. Ryan Vogelsong bounced back from a horrid start in Colorado and gave the team 6-2/3 scoreless. He was wild (five walks), but effectively so (two hits), and got some help from his fielders as well. Is he the most under-rated or perhaps most under-appreciated man on the Giants roster? Ho-hum, just another clutch effort by the grizzled vet, his tenth quality start at home. Josh Collmenter matched him for six but the D-backs 'pen gave it up. Everyone in the Giants starting lineup--all eight guys--got on base via a hit or walk. And Duffy delivered in the ninth spot! It takes a village, man, but I want to mention one villager in particular: Gregor Blanco. His game has really picked up and with his glove work and speed on the bases he has been a huge contributor down the stretch. The injury to Mike Morse has given him a chance to shine and he's seized it. That's what it is all about, making the most of your moments. We've certainly seen that from Joe Panik, maybe Young Duffy will be the next one with the hot hand. A new hero everyday, that's what I say.

Jake Peavy tomorrow afternoon.

GO GIANTS!

--M.C.

Vogie, Giants Throttle Brewers

Ryan Vogelsong kept the Brewers quiet for seven innings, giving up only two runs on four hits and one walk while striking out seven. It was his sixth start of the month and his best since his two-hitter in New York on the first. Vogie wasn't content with studly pitching--after a dose of chin music from Brewers starter Wily Peralta to lead off the 2nd he roped a liner to right to and eventually scored. It was an impressive nine-pitch battle that oozed with grit and VSC. The Giants were up 3-0 after the 1st and scored in the next four innings as well, pounding out 19 hits on the night. Buster Posey had five all by himself including a triple. Joe Panik had four and Angel Pagan and Hunter Pence banged out three apiece. Gregor Blanco had three RBIs, two on a homer, his second in two nights. Mike Morse was on base three times via a HBP, walk, and single. The only starter without a hit was Brandon Crawford but he did manage a walk and also drove in a run. George Kontos got the last six outs with a minimum of fuss. It was a complete rout--the final was 13-2.

It was a great night for the Giants. We've been hoping to see a playoff-caliber team emerge here in crunch time as every series from this point forward is crucial. Tonight they looked like champions against a tough foe. By the way that's five good starts in a row, one for each guy. Let's hope they can keep that going.

Jake Peavy goes tomorrow night.

GO GIANTS!

--M.C.

Disaster Inning Sinks Giants

It was the right move to bring in a rested Jeremy Affeldt in the 6th in relief of Ryan Vogelsong. With one out and no one on it should have been an ideal situation for the lefty who consistently gets strikeouts and ground balls. And has been a top-flight reliever since joining the team in 2010. Alas, he couldn't get anyone out and the Nationals poured it on and turned a 6-3 deficit into an 8-6 lead (the final result was 14-6). Maybe with Gregor Blanco in left instead of Mike Morse, Bryce Harper's double is an out instead, but Boch didn't have the luxury of a defensive replacement with Angel Pagan getting the day off. In the end, Morse's misplay mattered little as the stalwart 'pen finally faltered. Sometimes you make the right move but get the wrong result. Washington is suddenly on fire, winning 12 of 13 and streaking their way to the best record in the NL. The Giants found that out the hard way this afternoon. They've never hit Stephen Strasburg before, and shockingly lit him up early and chased him after four, but it didn't hold up. The lineup flashed both power (two homers, double, triple) and situational hitting (two sac flies) but it was all for naught. Vogie is starting to get some real run support these days--the team has been shut out in five of his starts and had zero on the board when he left on four other occasions.

I have a rule about reading too much into one game. That is, I don't like to do that. Especially in baseball where any team can have a rotten game, weekend, or road trip and still be a contending club. But this game was a soul-crusher. Seeing them come home after taking two of three from a first-place team would have been wonderful. Even if they had lost two of three I would have been OK if the games were close. Hold your own against good teams and thump on the bad ones is an excellent way to win a division (q.v. OGC's latest). Now the onus is on the Giants to stomp the Rockies this week at home where they are 32-32 for the season and have not played well lately (4-8 in the last two homestands). The Giants have already scored more runs in August (92) than they did in July (85) and should pass their June total (93) easily. They also have seven games left in the month and with 10 wins have tied their June total and are only two from July's, so you have to like that trend. They gave up an astonishing 116 runs in June and improved that in July to 92. Today's ridiculous game pushed their relatively stingy 68 runs allowed up to 82, but that's still not too bad. I'm trying to see the positives here and look for improvement! Maybe I'm reaching, but after a horrid, gut-punching loss like this one I need a lifeline.

Jake Peavy gets the ball tomorrow night in San Francisco.

GO GIANTS!

--M.C.


p.s. Great games today from Gregor Blanco and Travis Ishikawa and three hits for BCraw who looks like he might be reversing--finally--a long hitting slide. Interestingly, his OPS has gone up each year since his debut. We'll see if he can finish the year on a high note.

102

That is all the pitches that it took Ryan Vogelsong to get his first 9 inning complete game of his career.  In 2011, he threw a 6 inning, rain-shortened complete game against the Cubs.

This is about as inspirational a win as the Giants could have hoped for, and if they can be sparked by a gritty performance, this has to qualify.  The game went by quickly - 2:06 because both the Giants and the Mets often closed out their bats in only a few pitches.  However, the Giants threw 5 runs up and the Mets managed 1 on Lucas Duda's solo home run.  Ryan Vogelsong gave up 2 - count 'em - 2 hits in 9 innings, the first in the 6th, and the second, Duda's home run, in the 8th.  Ryan only gave up 1 BB.  Brandon Crawford and Hunter Pence both tripled, in the same inning!  Matt Duffy at second, a call up from AA Richmond, got a hit and an rbi in his first ML game.  Lucas Duda, whose real name is Octavia Devon Duda (you can see why he goes by Lucas) is a Metropolitan favorite and  the leading home run hitter on the Mets.  Should he serve his entire career with the Mets, they might honor him with a special ceremony, O. D, Duda Day. 

Pre-Mad

Well, no one has posted here about Vogie's game and last night's loss to the Cardinals, 2 - 0, so I guess I will.  It might seem devastating in the wake of that dreadful June, but I don't really feel that way.  Adam Wainwright, one of the best pitchers in the major leagues, shut us down.  Our # 5 pitcher, Ryan Vogelsong, only allowed 2 runs and our relief did a pretty good job (actually, Romo was excellent in the 9th and was the only pitcher warmed up if the Giants would have scored).   So I think that today's game will be much more telling.  We have our #1 starter on the mound.  According to the Chronicle (Henry Schulman) Gregor Blanco will not be batting lead-off, at least not when Belt returns on Friday.  Hunter Pence will take his spot.  I think this is an excellent idea.

In other news, Marco Scutaro is making progress, playing in the Arizona rookie league and gradually increasing the number of innings played.  Angel Pagan is going to get another epidural injection in his lower back today.

Holy Shit, they won one!

The Giants scored enough runs to outlast the snakes last night.  Vogie was not his best, but effective enough.  
Vogie scraped and scrapped through 5, gave up 4 runs, but the game was won by Giants' relief.
Affeldt: 1 2/3 innings, no runs, 2 hits
Machi: 1/3 inning, no runs, 1 BB
Casilla: 1 inning, no runs, 2 K
Romo: a little scary, 2 hits, but popped up Goldschmidt to end the game.

Hitters.
Buster: 2 hits, 2 runs scored
Hunter: 2 hits, 2 runs
Pablo: 3 hits, 2 rbi
Tyler Colvin: 1 hit, 3 rbi
Also, hits for Blanco, Morse, Crawford, Adrianza.  Final score: 6-4.
Joe Panik, in his first major league at bat, drew a walk.  Now that monkey is off the backs, let's play like Giants.

Taken behind the woodshed . . .

 . . . for an old-fashioned whuppin'. Stephen Strasburg was as good as advertised, quieting the Giants with both power and precision. Ryan Vogelsong was hit hard early but finished six only behind 4-1. With Baseball Jesus on the mound it looked grim for the home squad. I was surprised when they let Vogie start the 7th especially with Denard Span raking him the first two times. He promptly fell apart and George Kontos put some gas on the fire and that was that. Final tally was 9 hits and 2 walks over six--that's a 1.8333333 WHIP.

Madison Bumgarner tonight against Doug Fister. You remember Doug Fister pitching against Madison Bumgarner in San Francisco before, don't you?

GO GIANTS!

--M.C.