Tugboat arrives!

SF 1  CLE 0

Matt "Tugboat" Wilkinson took the mound tonight as the opener. He pitched a 1-2-3 1st and pitched around a single-and-stolen base in the 2nd for a tidy debut. The bulky lefty from Canada made the jump from AA and faced his original organization. Tugboat came over in the Patrick Bailey trade. It was an auspicious start to the game and got better from there. Adrian Houser delivered a great long relief performance with five scoreless and Dylan Smith worked a two-inning save. It was the kind of pitching we haven't seen much of this season.

Rafael Devers doubled in the 4th and came home on a Victor Bericoto single and that was all the scoring. I was pretty sure the Giants were going to blow it in the late innings but they didn't. It's their ninth team shutout.

I think "Tugboat" is one of the best baseball nicknames ever. By the way he's listed as a right-handed batter despite being a southpaw. Madison Bumgarner was the same way. Of course Tugboat will most likely never swing a bat in the bigs. He turns 24 in December.

Go Giants!

--M.C.

 

p.s. Tonight's win was Game 126, the end of the seventh seasonal inning. There are a mere 36 games left in the season. This last stretch was a stinky 6-12 and the team is 52-74 (.417) overall. Here's the breakdown:

1st inning: 6-12

2nd inning: 8-10

3rd inning: 8-10

4th inning: 7-11 

5th inning: 9-9 

6th inning: 8-10 

7th inning: 6-12 

Atrocious pitching costs Giants

COL 13  SF 7 

We've seen a lot of bad baseball this season and today's performance was no exception. The lack of execution by the pitchers reached new levels of ineptitude. In the four-run 6th that decided the game the Rockies scored their first two runs without the benefit of a hit. Four walks, a wild pitch, and a hit batsman put them ahead. A two-run single with two outs (off the third pitcher of the inning) sealed the deal.

The fans were booing, and the team deserved it. Too many of the pitches thrown today were not competitive. The opposing hitters had it way too easy. It took five Giants hurlers 134 pitches to get through seven frames. Only 76 were strikes. They were Blade Tidwell, Sam Hentges, JT Brubaker, Riever Sanmartin, and Keaton Winn. The Rockies scored all their runs on only eight hits. They got TEN walks and whiffed just twice (through the 7th). Colorado didn't score in the 8th or 9th (Trent Harris and Jason Foley got the final six uneventful outs.)

Pitching coach Justin Meccage, assistant pitching coach Christian Wonders, and bullpen coach Jesse Chavez need to explain why they should be re-hired for 2027. And Director of ML Pitching Frank Anderson really has some 'splainin' to do. Too many times this year the pitchers have gone out there either unprepared or unable to throw strikes and get outs. I assume there is game-planning. Why can't they get it done? Should the whole lot of them be fired?

It doesn't get much worse than losing the season series to the Rockies. Tomorrow is an off-day, thank god. Then they go to Cleveland for three starting Tuesday.

--M.C.

 

p.s. The Giants wasted a good effort by the lineup. Seven runs on nine hits and four walks should be enough. Rafael Devers (25th HR and 30th 2B) had a big day. 

Webb and Giants win

SF 7  COL 1

The Giants batted around in the 4th to score six runs and break a 1-1 tie. Logan Webb had an easy day getting pulled after six and only 80 pitches. He whiffed seven against four dinky hits and no walks. Drew Gilbert had a nice day with three hits including a homer. Carson Seymour struck out three in his two innings of relief and Dylan Smith retired the side in the 9th on ten pitches.

It is quite the new crew out there these days. The bench is now Andrew Knizner (C), Buddy Kennedy (UT), Jonah Cox (OF), and Turner Hill (OF). The bullpen added RHs Trent Harris and Jason Foley.

This is a good time to see what the new kids can do. I really hope Gilbert can emerge as a legit CF. I think Bryce Eldridge is the real thing. How about Blade Tidwell and Carson Whisenhunt? Have we got something there?

Speaking of Tidwell, he gets the start tomorrow at 1:05 Pacific.

Go Giants!

--M.C.

Carson combo

SF 4  HOU 1

Carson Whisenhunt delivered another strong start, allowing just one run in 5-2/3, and that was followed by six outs from Carson Seymour. (The Giants don't have Carson Ragsdale anymore.) That was enough to keep the Astros subdued and give the home squad a chance.

Six of the Giants nine hits came from the final four spots in the lineup (Gilbert, Basabe, Kavanaugh, Koss). Way to go, Youth Brigade! Also, Bryce Eldridge hit his 12th homer.

It was one of those games we thought we'd see a lot of this season. Unfortunately we only see them play well about once a week! 

Today is the getaway game at 12:45 Pacific, tomorrow is an off-day, and the Rockies come to town for three starting Friday.

Go Giants!

--M.C. 

Webb gets Cained, Giants lose

DET 3  SF 1 (10)

The Giants wasted a great start from Logan Webb who gave up a single run on a double play ball in eight innings of work. A double play ball ended things in the bottom of the 9th for the home squad, that was their best chance of winning the game. They also blew a two on, no out situation earlier in the game. What seemed like a taut pitchers' duel on a beautiful Sunday afternoon was really just another cruel exercise in finding new ways to lose.

Mike Krukow says he's retiring from broadcasting at the end of the season. He certainly had a great run in San Francisco both as a player and an announcer. Thanks for all the goofiness, Kruk. Good luck!

The Women's Pro Baseball League is now a real thing. They have a San Francisco club and Matt Williams is the manager. Something to keep an eye on.

The Astros are in town for three starting tomorrow night at 6:45 PT.

Go Giants!

--M.C.

Bullpen gets it done

SF 5  DET 2

The Giants used JT Brubaker as a 1st-inning opener and he gave up a run. Then they brought in Adrian Houser for some long relief and he gave up a run. But that was it. The Tigers failed to score the rest of the way. They got 11 hits and four walks but stranded 12 runners and were 1-for-12 with RISP.

Houser threw four scoreless after the 2nd inning and Keaton Winn (2/3), Sam Hentges (1-1/3), and Dylan Smith (closed the 9th) finished the job. It was nail-biting as the Detroit lineup is very tough and they kept the pressure on but this time it all worked out.

The Giants got homers from Rafael Devers (a two-run bomb in the 1st) and Willy Adames (solo shot in the 5th), plus a big two-out, two RBI hit in the 2nd from Jung Hoo Lee. The pitching made it stand up.

Today's game is the Fox Saturday broadcast (4:15 Pacific). Go Giants!

--M.C.

Lee leads Giants

SF 5  TEX 1

Not to take anything away from Logan Webb who delivered six scoreless innings, but Jung Hoo Lee had a career night. He hit two homers and added a sac fly, plus he stole a base and added two nice catches. The depleted bullpen relied on 2/3 from Keaton Winn, 1-1/3 from San Hentges, and a rocky 9th from Tristan Beck bailed out by Reiver Sanmartin. Beck got an out but allowed a solo homer and a walk. Sanmartin got the double play to end it.

After the carnage of the trading deadline, it was nice to see the team put together a solid win.

So the Giants part ways with Luis Arraez and Robbie Ray, which was expected. That they got some decent minor-league talent in the process is a win for the club. If you saw how cheaply Detroit sold their ace to LA you'll understand what I mean. Caleb Killian goes, as does Erik Miller. Both are talented but like everyone else on this staff, inconsistent. Heliot Ramos goes as well, he's been in the SF organization since he was 17! I'm happy he gets to go to the Yankees. Tyler Mahle, we hardly knew ye.

Of the players obtained, Marcelo Mayer goes to the 40-man but is on the 10-day IL. Anthony Molina is on the 40-man but goes to AAA. Miguel Mendez goes to AA. Kaeden Kent, Ramon Marquez, Henry Lalane, and Marty Gair go to High-A. Joniel Hernandez goes to Rookie League. Other than Mayer and Molina there aren't any major leaguers but beefing up the system is, as I said, a good outcome for the team.

5:05 tomorrow and 11:35 for Wednesday's getaway game, all times Pacific.They are off Thursday and back home for the weekend against the Tigers.

Go Giants!

--M.C.