Giants run out of late-inning magic

ARI 4  SF 3  (11)

Once again the RISP bug bit: 0-for-9 in those spots with eight men left on base. That's with only five hits (and five bases on balls) in eleven innings. It's amazing that either team scored at all as the D-backs had a mere five hits as well. Things started promisingly but the lineup could not get the big hit and that let Arizona back into the game. They scored the Manfred Man in both the 10th and the 11th and that was the difference.

It's Alex Cobb and Zac Gallen tomorrow night at 6:45 Pacific.

Go Giants!

--M.C.

 

p.s. Giants picked up A.J. Pollock for "cash considerations" presumably to be Mike Yastrzemski for the next few weeks. An AAA player (utility infielder) named Mark Mathias was part of the deal, he will require additional cash or a PTBNL (player to be named later).

Epic win in extras

SF 4  BOS 3 (11)

The Giants went 4-for-18 today with runners in scoring position, this after last night's 1-for-13, yet 5-for-31 (.161) was still good enough to produce two wins! It was a low-scoring series as the pitchers really took charge. Today Scott Alexander opened with a scoreless 1-2/3 and Ross Stripling followed with 4-1/3 scoreless of his own. He took a 2-0 lead into the 7th but gave up a homer to the first batter he saw (Adam Duvall). Lefty Taylor Rogers finished the frame but his brother righty submariner Tyler Rogers got dinged for two in the 8th (Justin Turner HR). The Giants tied it up in the bottom half and Camilo Doval took care of the 9th.

It was another frustrating day as the Giants left 14 men on base (12 yesterday) and once again could not seem to get the big hit. Fortunately young Tristan Beck was dominant in both the 10th and the 11th. The Red Sox never sniffed a run. In the bottom of the 11th Casey Schmitt was hit by a pitch and Brandon Crawford bunted for a single to load the bases (Patrick Bailey was the Manfred Man). Joc Pederson poked one through into right field and the Giants finally had their clutch knock. Back-to-back walk-off wins should get the home crowd excited, right?

That was an excellent series win against a tough foe. The team showed resilience and determination. Both LA and Arizona lost so the 58-48 Giants are in 2nd place, two behind the Dodgers and two ahead of the Diamondbacks. The next four games are at home against those D-backs (Friday is an off-day). Monday's game (6:45 p.m. PT) will close out the month of July (they've gone 11-12, 9-7 since the Break).

Go Giants!

--M.C.

Walk-off win evens series

SF 3  BOS 2

Camilo Doval blew the save and the lineup was 1-for-13 with runners in scoring position but the Giants managed a win nonetheless. A strong opening from Ryan Walker (2-2/3 IP, 1 H, 3 K) and superb long relief from Sean Manaea (4-2/3 IP, 2 H, 5 K) helped the Giants cling to a 2-0 lead. Tyler Rogers got the final two outs of the 8th before Doval's unfortunate 9th. It really should have been 5-0 or somesuch as the Giants had multiple chances throughout the game to add on and they could not get the big hit. The Red Sox got two in the 9th to tie it but a big swing by J.D. Davis on the first pitch from Kenley Jansen in the bottom half launched one off the fair pole for a walk-off win.

The Giants scored in the 1st on a leadoff single from Austin Slater and a double from Wilmer Flores (who had three hits total). Davis singled Flores to third base but the rally died there. It was a harbinger of things to come! Marco Luciano singled to open the 6th and came around to score on Slater's grounder but that was it until Davis' game-winning homer.

The rubber match is tomorrow afternoon at 1:05 Pacific. Starters have not been listed.

Go Giants!

--M.C.

Bats can't back Webb

BOS 3  SF 2

Marco Luciano got his first major-league hit and that's always a fun thing. Let's hope he gets a lot more. He was hosed in the 7th in a crucial spot by some poor umpiring. He correctly looked at two close pitches that were out of the zone but both were called strikes and it killed the rally. The Giants sent four rookies to the plate in that sequence. A spectacular play at second base by Justin Turner saved a run. If that ground ball had gone through it might have changed the outcome. The lineup just could not get much going--a familiar refrain these days.

The Red Sox got the big hit they needed in the 8th. Logan Webb departed with a man on second and one out and the team trailing 2-1. Lefty Taylor Rogers was summoned for lefty Jarren Duran who was replaced by righty Rob Refsnyder. He hit a grounder through the six-hole to drive in what was to be the winning run.

It was a frustrating loss to be sure. Today's game is a Fox Saturday broadcast at 4:15 Pacific.

Go Giants!

--M.C.