Flo and Yaz save the day

 SF 8  CIN 6 (10)

The Giants avoid a sweep with a dramatic walk-off win. Falling behind early by five runs they battled back and tied it in the 8th on Wilmer's homer. They won it in the 10th with a Mike Yastrzemski Splash Hit.

I was on Mount Shasta having my final skiing day of the season. It was a beautiful day and I missed the game entirely. I followed all of last night's disappointing 1-0 loss. Fortunately the bats awakened today.

Tomorrow is a travel day and they open a three-game set in Yankee Stadium Friday at 4:05 Pacific. Robbie Ray goes up against Marcus Stroman.

Go Giants!

--M.C.

Webb gets Cained

CIN 2  SF 0

I like to say it's not whether your guy pitched well, it's whether he pitched better than the other guy! In tonight's case—well, not quite. Logan Webb was awesome, throwing seven shutout innings (97 pitches) with TEN strikeouts, eight groundouts, four hits, and no walks. Unfortunately Hunter Greene matched him for seven and continued on until the ninth. The Giants finally forced him out after 104 pitches when Jung Hoo Lee singled and Matt Chapman walked with two outs. Heliot Ramos smoked a liner to left off reliever Tony Santillan but it was caught and that was that. Greene allowed four hits in his 8-2/3 IP, walked one (Chapman in the 9th), and whiffed seven. The Giants made thirteen flyball outs. Greene was still showing 99 mph at the end of the game.

Camilo Doval put two on in the 8th and both scored after Erik Miller came in. With Greene dealing the Giants didn't have much of a chance after that. Lou Trivino got the last four outs. It's too bad they wasted a great start and lost the winning streak. But winning seven in a row is a fine way to start the season. Let's see some more of that.

Landen Roupp gets his second start tomorrow night at 6:45 PT.

Go Giants!

--M.C.

Wilmer walk-off

SF 5  SEA 4

Wilmer Flores continues to be Mr. Clutch, driving in the winning run pinch-hitting in the bottom of the 9th to give the Giants a sweep of the Mariners. He tagged Gregory Santos' first pitch for a single to right to plate Luis Matos. That's seven in a row and their 8-1 record (.889) is the best in the NL West, edging LA (9-2, .818) and SD (8-2, .800).

Jordan Hicks was not as effective this afternoon after his great effort in Houston. He struggled with close pitches, Seattle hitters laid off and made him work. He allowed solo homers to Julio Rodriguez and Cal Raleigh. He got one out in the 6th before putting two on and getting pulled. Overall he threw 90 pitches but only 56 strikes. The Giants got a big lift in the 5th with a four-run rally, Mike Yastrzemski hitting a three-run homer. Randy Rodriguez finished the 6th giving up Hicks' third run but closing the door. It was 4-3 Giants and Tyler Rogers and Erik Miller kept the M's off the board until the 9th. Camilo Doval couldn't close it out, giving up the tying run, but a nice play in LF by Luis Matos saved the go-ahead run from scoring.

Yaz walked to open the 9th, Matos forced him at second. A foul fly ball to the right field corner from Patrick Bailey was caught spectacularly by Victor Robles. He got tangled in the netting and fell hard, and couldn't make a throw. Matos scooted around to third base. Robles was taken out of the game. Then Wilmer got his winner.

Logan Webb gets the start tomorrow night at 6:45 PT.

Go Giants!

--M.C.

Giants keep it rolling

SF 4  SEA 1

Robbie Ray was a little wild (5 walks) but managed to keep things under control for six innings, allowing just one run on a solo homer by Dylan Moore. A strong relief effort from Hayden Birdsong, who threw a scoreless 7th and 8th, set up the win. Ryan Walker got the save. Jung Hoo Lee and Matt Chapman did the heavy lifting with five hits and four runs between them.

The win vaunts the team into second place in the NL West as the Padres fall to 7-2. Jordan Hicks gets the ball tomorrow afternoon at 1:05 Pacific.

Go Giants!

--M.C.

Wild win in extras

SF 10  SEA 9  (11)

It was fitting that Willy Adames would play the hero this afternoon in San Francisco. FNGs always have to prove themselves even when they are already stars. Matt Chapman earned his pay last season and fans are hoping Adames will do the same. Today he had three hits and drove in the tying and winning runs. Not a bad way to say 'hello' to a new audience!

The Giants could have scored 20 runs today. And they could have just as easily booted the whole mess. It was one of those crazy, up-and-down contests that really could have gone either way. Thank goodness for home field advantage. Tyler Fitzgerald had a rough day at the plate and a rough day in the field but his speed in the bottom of the 11th provided the winning margin. Most guys would have been thrown out on that play.

Randy Rodriguez was brilliant in relief of Justin Verlander. He's another highlight. Heliot Ramos had three hits but all were singles and so his consecutive game XBH streak ended at six. LaMonte Wade, Jr. had three hits (two doubles) and that's good to see. Overall the Giants got 17 hits, plus six walks and a Mariners error, but were 6-for-28 (.214) with RISP. They left 16 guys on base!

It was quite a game—over four hours. The Giants used eight pitchers and 12 position players. The start to this season has been really fun. Let's hope they can keep the momentum going. Tomorrow's game is at 6:05 Pacific and Robbie Ray takes the hill.

Go Giants!

--M.C.

Four in a row

SF 6  HOU 3

The Giants keep their win streak alive with a sweep of the Astros in Houston. They tagged Framber Valdez with a couple of homers early in the game and held on to win. Valdez is an extreme ground ball pitcher and does not give up many dingers but Wilmer Flores took him deep in the 1st and Luis Matos launched one in the 2nd. That's the fourth for Flo and the first for Matos who started in place of Jung Hoo Lee. Heliot Ramos' two-run double made it 5-0 after two. Valdez lasted five frames, walking four and whiffing nine. The Giants would strike out 16 times today and the Astros would add 14 of their own.

Landen Roupp had the strikeout stuff going (8 in 4+ IP) but like Alvarez he also had four bases on balls. Those ultimately hurt him and he left the game in the 5th. Randy Rodriguez gave up a hit that probably should have been caught (the Giants blew a pop up play, too) to make it 5-3 but then shut it down. His performance probably saved the day. Hayden Birdsong followed with two scoreless despite two hits and a walk. Tyler Rogers dominated the 8th and Camilo Doval closed out the 9th. LaMonte Wade, Jr., hitless in his first five games, pinch-hit in the 8th and smacked a homer to make it 6-3, giving the team a little breathing room.

It's an impressive start to 2025. Last year the team won ONE road series (the last one of the season in KC). The home opener is Friday afternoon at 1:35 with Justin Verlander taking the hill.

Go Giants!

--M.C.

Webb goes seven

SF 3  HOU 1

His only blemish was a solo shot from Jose Altuve on a 3-2 count. Logan Webb threw 100 pitches and got six whiffs and nine ground outs with no walks and five hits allowed. Three double plays really helped but of course that's Webb's game. Willy Adames got the big hit, a two-run double in the 3rd, and Heliot Ramos hit a homer in the 4th. That's five straight games with an XBH for Ramos!

Tyler Rogers put two on with two out in the 8th but held on to the 3-1 lead. Ryan Walker closed out the 9th. The Giants struck out 13 times and had a mere four hits and four walks but made the most of them. Of the four there were two doubles and a home run. The Astros had seven hits including a homer but six were singles and no bases on balls. Tough pitching by both clubs tonight so that's a nice win for the good guys.

Landen Roupp goes tomorrow at 1:10 Pacific. Thursday is a travel day and they open at home on Friday.

Go Giants!

--M.C.