Feels like the Giants have suffered more than a few brutal losses in this strange, truncated season, and today was certainly one of those. You can't mess with the baseball gods. If you get chances and continue to blow them they will make you pay. The Giants had the matchup they wanted with Kevin Gausman against Chi Chi Gonzalez. They jumped on him for two runs in the 1st but it felt like it could have been four, and they added another in the 2nd that felt like it could have been three. Missed opportunities! The lineup should have chased Gonzalez but he hung around and kept the Giants to three runs in 5-1/3 IP. Meanwhile the Rockies kept harassing Gausman with long counts and plenty of singles and he finally departed after six with a 3-2 lead. The bullpen couldn't hold it and it was 4-3 Colorado in the 8th but Brandon Belt tied it with a homer. Finally, in the 10th, the Giants held the line and did not allow the magic runner to score, but could not get it done in the bottom half despite a splendid opportunity. In the 11th the Rockies scored and held the line against the Giants and that was that.
It was a big chance for the home squad but a determined opponent and the wrath of the baseball gods did them in. Doubleheader with the Padres tomorrow, first game at 4:10, the second at 7:10 p.m. Pacific.
GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
3 comments:
I thought a key point in the game, and one I thought that might come to haunt us was the Early Belt AB when the giants were rallying and Denver's pitcher seemed a bit out of whack before he settled down. Belt had several strikes called on him that clearly were not strikes. Even the check swing strike was questionable as the game went on similar swings were called no swings. The two pitches called strikes by placement were both pitches not called strikes during the game especially the high strike. The inability to hit a sac fly and to hit into the DP was brutal. Longo to me despite his suburb fielding this year, has been pretty much a rally killer on offense the last two weeks. He did hit a key solo homer the other day, but he has blown a whole bunch of key RBI opportunities. I also give the Denver defense a lot of credit, as they played Slater's game ending DP, perfectly. It seems even without their all star giant killing third baseman, they did not miss a beat with their third base defense. Flores hit a shot that looked like a game ender, but a forcefield by some anti-giant baseball god kept the ball in the park. Let's face it, the giants were just snake bitten. They blew a few games to Colorado this year that looked like they were going to be giants wins. I did think the giants losing pitcher was a bit squeezed.
I was really concerned about Longo always hitting the damn ball on the ground and even though it took a big play by Story, once again it was hit on the ground! That situation needed a fly ball and it seems most Giants hitters are trying to elevate and hit fly balls anyway, I can't believe they could not get one there.
It's going to be hard to beat San Diego. That was the game to win.
We did the same thing the last time we played Denver in Denver. After having a nice win, we got off to a good start, only to fade as the fame went on and watch the evil Rockies come from behind. But, this time we played them without their all star third baseman. Yet defensively the seemed to not miss a beat at third. Unfortunately, Atlanta did not take care of the Marlins. I do think Denver's defense has to be given significant credit for their win. But still, I have to look at that game as an unnecessary gift from the giants.
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