8-1 loss &
5-3 win in SF
After a disaster start from Jake Peavy on Friday night Matt Cain delivered not only six solid innings against the Cubs this afternoon but a two-run double as well. Jon Lester had the poorest start of his season so far: he left in the 3rd with his team trailing 5-1. It was the first time this year a Cubs starter has failed to go five innings. Buster Posey's two-run homer was the big blow. The Giants made the lead stand up despite the shaky bullpen. It took five guys to finish the final three innings. But after the thumping on Friday the team needed a big win and they hung on to get it. The pitching matchups were definitely in Chicago's favor: the Cubs have not lost the last 22 times Jake Arrieta has started, and Lester had been on a roll, too, allowing only 11 runs in his previous eight starts. Tomorrow the Giants get the advantage with Madison Bumgarner going up against Kyle Hendricks. It would be great to get a series win against the team with the best record in baseball!
But we are getting ahead of ourselves. It's nice just to savor a clutch win and especially gratifying that Matt Cain was on the hill for it. The Giants have not had much success from the no. 4 and no. 5 spots in the rotation. Things are looking better and better at no. 5 but no. 4 is still a question mark. You have to wonder how long the Giants will stick with Peavy if he can't find any consistency. Hard to say who would step in if that move has to be made. Weird lineup today--Kelby Tomlinson played LF and batted third, Gregor Blanco manned RF and Trevor Brown handled the catching duties. Hey, it worked!
Like I said MadBum goes tomorrow. It's the ESPN game, 5:05 Pacific.
GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
7 comments:
Yea!!! Looking gooooooood! As Freddie used to say. Looks like Cainer is rounding into his old form, both hitting as well as pitching. I'm ready to say he's back.
Yesterday could nave been the biggest win this year. The East Coast media has pretty much given the title to the cubbies already so I'm sure when Matt Cain completely out dueled one of their store bought studs it sent shockwaves through the fan base. Actually, besides Arrieta, who is currently inhuman, the cubs are looking very normal right now. Their wicked start has slowed and if we win today, they will have dropped three or four series in a row. I fully expect them to be around at the end but we are once again establishing that NO ONE will want to face us in the post season. A series win today with a dominant MadBum start will be something the cubs will not be able to shake off. They will know that we are laying in wait for them at the end.
And by then we will be better. Why ? Because a Peavy replacement will be found. Will we have to go out of house? What is up with Heston? He looked like he had great potential last year. A mechanical problem or is it confidence? Stratton, Blackburn, ????
The lineup was odd. I agree that Duffy has to be moved down. He is killing us at #3. Isn't Belt our best bet at that spot? His OBP right before Buster and Pence? Three lefies in a row at the top is weird but still I want more AB's for Belt and less for Duffy ( who looks like he is headed for a genuine sophomore slump. They are making the adjustment to his opposite field approach and so far it has shut him down! ). Yesterday was a tough lefty on the mound so no Belt, but maybe today we will see that change. It feels like Belt has made half as many outs as Duffy, especially with all those GIDP's.
I missed why no Pence yesterday. No Pagan either, but I never worry about that much. He takes time off regularly and I'm ok with that. I swear this last 7-10 day break was a "hamstring" that happened when he made a stupid base running mistake and came up lame to cover that error in judgment. Not enough to go on the DL ( what a coincidence! ) but enough to sit on the bench and fuck up our roster for week. Sound familiar? Angel has already done it once and it will probably happen a couple more times.
Both had hammy issues, Pagan expected back today, Pence isn't.
Pagan is the team diva. But every team needs one. He's the opposite of Pence, the team leader in grit. But even HE has to tend to his wounds! I like that the team can win even with a goofy lineup.
Cubs are loaded, man. But this is a good time to play them as they do indeed look a little vulnerable. If MadBum brings the goods it could be tough for them tonight.
Giants are on a roll! Let's hope they keep winning consistently. Last season there were too many ups and downs. Need to smooth that out.
Our nos 2-4, Panik, Duffy, and Posey, have been slumping (though Panik looks as though he may have begun un-slumping), and no one has been preternaturally booming at the plate. Our pitchers, yesterday Cain and today Bummy, are impersonating our big bats. We certainly don't seem to be playing over our heads. And yet, and yet, and yet, were we to play the rest of the season at the same percentage we're at now, we would end up with 95 wins. I've got to agree with JCP, if we can stay as healthy as we now are, NO ONE will want to face us in the post-season.
WAY TO GO GIANTS!!! MASSIVE WIN TODAY!!! IS THERE ANYTHING BUMGARNER CAN'T DO???
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