Ty Blach and Clayton Kershaw have faced each other twice in a season that has consisted of 8 games. That's a lot to ask of a youngster - Ty might still be a rookie if not for his time filling in for Madison Bumgarner last year. In 2 games, here is how things stack up:
Ty Blach: 11 IP (6 today), 7 hits, 1 run, 6 BB, 1 - 0.
C. Kershaw: 13 IP (7 today), 14 hits, 2 runs, 2 BB, 0 - 1. Kershaw has a bunch more strikeouts.
That's pretty good pitching from Ty considering his opponent. The Giants are 3 - 3 against LA, with one game postponed, scheduled to be played as a Saturday doubleheader the next time they meet at the end of April. The Giants had a good shot to take this, especially once Kershaw was replaced by a relief pitcher in the 8th. But failure to get a bunt down, and no extra inning magic (for the Giants) meant a 2 - 1 loss and a split with LA.
The doggers picked up a run in the 4th, and an 8th inning Hunter Pence single followed by a perfect Kelby Tomlinson bunt for a hit put runners on 1st and 2nd. Buster Posey pinch hit for 8th inning pitcher Josh Osich, Kershaw was lifted for JT Chargois, and Posey singled to right for the Giants lone rbi. Austin Jackson, unable to put a bunt down, hit into a double play and Joe Panik flied out. Hunter Strickland held down the 9th, but LA scored in the 10th and the Giants were unable to come back against Kenley Jansen.
So the Giants are 4 - 4. Not setting the world on fire, but holding their own, and playing some pretty good, tough, emotional baseball. LA has their ace and closer. We do not. Giants take on the dbacks tomorrow. They are 7 - 2.
2 comments:
Jackson was credited with 14 sacrifice bunts in 2011 but never more than 3 in any other season of his career. Seems like he wouldn't bunt much in an AL lineup, just in general. I wanted him to swing away there, I don't usually argue with Boch on tactics, but I thought he should have been hitting. As it was he failed to sacrifice twice and hit into a DP with a two-strike protective swing. But I would have accepted the DP risk and traded a chance at a run-scoring hit instead of trading an out for 90 feet. The Giants mounted no threat in the 9th which I thought was pretty weak, I thought they should have at least put a scare into the Dodgers there.
But it was a good game. The two teams have been evenly matched, and if you can do that with the defending champs you are doing OK. The Giants got a good start from Blach and Posey's big hit to tie it up was great. The fielding looks much improved, Jackson looks solid overall in center as do McCutchen in RF and Longoria at 3B.
Arizona has the hot hand right now, this should be an intense series. Holland tomorrow, then Cueto, then . . . TBD.
The game ended on an erroneously called strike to Brandon Belt. It was above the strike zone. Belt knows the zone as well as anyone, better than the umpire, but in the end, it's not Belt's knowledge that matters. Unfortunately, the ump's zone was kind of unknowable. That pitch was a ball at other times during the game.
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