This was supposed to be a story about Madison Bumgarner, ideally one in which he would dominate the doggers and the Giants would put a dent in the playoff and division championship hopes of LA. Instead, it was a just OK Madbum and too, too much of the same old, same old 2018. Too little offense. LA 3, Giants 1 in our park.
Madbum threw 6 innings, he had to pitch around an error and a hit in the 1st, but held LA scoreless. By the end of the 2nd, he was already at 40 some-odd pitches, and had given up another hit. LA scored in the 3rd, and then Justin Turner hit a 2-run shot in the 5th. Madison was done after 6, with 6 strikeouts, 1 walk, 7 hits, 3 earned runs and 112 pitches. Duane Kuiper reported that he had asked Madbum when during the year his mechanics felt best, and Madbum said it was at the end of spring training. That was right before he got his hand broken.
Todd Hundley launched a home run over the Chevron car in left in the bottom of the 2nd. Of course, no one was on base. The Giants loaded the bases with 1 out in the 4th, but grounded into a double play. The Giants grounded into 5 double plays on the night, including in the 8th and 9th inning. So that effectively erased all their hits except the Hundley home run (although the Giants actually were the beneficiaries of 3 walks and 1 error). No matter, it was a punk effort that came up short. It is going to take better than pretty good pitching to win with this offense.
I was going to post some numbers and thoughts about Madbum, but it's late, and I'll get to that later.
Showing posts with label Hundo. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hundo. Show all posts
Friday, September 28, 2018
Tuesday, August 14, 2018
Giants Slide Past Dodgers
SF 2 LA 1
If the Giants want to serve notice to the rest of the NL West that they are indeed contenders there's no better way than to beat the Dodgers in LA. For the second straight night they rallied in the 9th inning for a stirring win and have put themselves in position for a sweep. And a sweep is what it will take. At this point in the season the Giants have to think about winning streaks. The Dodgers have been vulnerable since their ace closer Kenley Jansen went on the disabled list--tonight's defeat was their 5th in a row--and they've had a hard time finding his replacement, giving up runs in the 9th in their last four games.
Alen Hanson gets the hero's wreath for delivering both RBI hits, one from the right side (off Alex Wood in the 2nd) and one from the left side (off Kenta Maeda in the 9th). Nick Hundley and Yasiel Puig got into it in the 7th and both were ejected. It seemed that Hundley took exception to Puig's antics (gee, that's news) and gave him an earful to which Puig responded by throwing punches. The Giants weren't happy that Hundley had to go and felt it was Puig's problem all the way, but the umps had their say and that was that. Fortunately the Giants won the game and the Dodgers couldn't boast about how the fight fired them up. They did come back in the 8th to tie it up after being behind 1-0 all night, but that only set up the Giants last at-bat heroics. Brandon Belt returned from the DL and entered the game when Hundley left (Buster was at first and had to move to catcher) and wound up getting a hit and scoring the winning run. Nice to see him back.
Derek Holland goes tomorrow night. The Dodgers have struggled lately against lefty starters, let's hope that continues. GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
If the Giants want to serve notice to the rest of the NL West that they are indeed contenders there's no better way than to beat the Dodgers in LA. For the second straight night they rallied in the 9th inning for a stirring win and have put themselves in position for a sweep. And a sweep is what it will take. At this point in the season the Giants have to think about winning streaks. The Dodgers have been vulnerable since their ace closer Kenley Jansen went on the disabled list--tonight's defeat was their 5th in a row--and they've had a hard time finding his replacement, giving up runs in the 9th in their last four games.
Alen Hanson gets the hero's wreath for delivering both RBI hits, one from the right side (off Alex Wood in the 2nd) and one from the left side (off Kenta Maeda in the 9th). Nick Hundley and Yasiel Puig got into it in the 7th and both were ejected. It seemed that Hundley took exception to Puig's antics (gee, that's news) and gave him an earful to which Puig responded by throwing punches. The Giants weren't happy that Hundley had to go and felt it was Puig's problem all the way, but the umps had their say and that was that. Fortunately the Giants won the game and the Dodgers couldn't boast about how the fight fired them up. They did come back in the 8th to tie it up after being behind 1-0 all night, but that only set up the Giants last at-bat heroics. Brandon Belt returned from the DL and entered the game when Hundley left (Buster was at first and had to move to catcher) and wound up getting a hit and scoring the winning run. Nice to see him back.
Derek Holland goes tomorrow night. The Dodgers have struggled lately against lefty starters, let's hope that continues. GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
Monday, August 13, 2018
Nick the Stick
Nick Hundley has been a very valuable pick up for the Giants.
Madison Bumgarner vs Clayton Kershaw in Los Angeles. These guys are supposed to be (along with Greinke, who has more wins this year than Madbum and Kershaw combined) the elite pitchers in the NL West, but the stadium was half-empty. LA. It was much as advertised. Kershaw threw his best game of the year in 18 starts. Madbum struggled, although pitched well. He gave up 2 runs, a weird play that took Brandon Crawford out of the game on a collision with Gorkys Hernandez on a bloop hit that scored 1, and a Justin Turner home run that scored the second. He threw 97 pitches in 6 innings, gave up 7 hits, struck out 4 and walked 2. Kershaw threw 8 full innings, striking out 9, walking none and giving up 4 hits. A couple of those hits scored Steven Duggar who joins the list of Giants who manage somehow to get hits off of Kershaw (he had 2). So the score going into the 9th, after Sam Dyson and Ray Black pitched a scoreless 7th and 8th, respectively, was 2 - 1 LA.
Kenley Jensen is on the DL. With 1 out, d'Arnaud singled. Posey singled. Longoria hits into a fielder's choice, Posey out at 2nd. 2 outs. Slater works the count, but is hit by a pitch to load the bases. Hundley is brought in to pinch hit. On the first pitch, he lines a shot to right field, scoring 2 for the Giants lead. Gorkys singles to score Slater, and then steals second. Duggar should have been out, but the doggers muff the play and Nick Hundley scores, only to bounce around the dugout like a little kid. Will Smith gets the save, the Giants win, 5 - 2.
So the Giants climb back to .500. They aren't really a factor in the NL West race right now, and they aren't really a factor in the Wild Card race, but for tonight, at least, they rocked just like old times.
Madison Bumgarner vs Clayton Kershaw in Los Angeles. These guys are supposed to be (along with Greinke, who has more wins this year than Madbum and Kershaw combined) the elite pitchers in the NL West, but the stadium was half-empty. LA. It was much as advertised. Kershaw threw his best game of the year in 18 starts. Madbum struggled, although pitched well. He gave up 2 runs, a weird play that took Brandon Crawford out of the game on a collision with Gorkys Hernandez on a bloop hit that scored 1, and a Justin Turner home run that scored the second. He threw 97 pitches in 6 innings, gave up 7 hits, struck out 4 and walked 2. Kershaw threw 8 full innings, striking out 9, walking none and giving up 4 hits. A couple of those hits scored Steven Duggar who joins the list of Giants who manage somehow to get hits off of Kershaw (he had 2). So the score going into the 9th, after Sam Dyson and Ray Black pitched a scoreless 7th and 8th, respectively, was 2 - 1 LA.
Kenley Jensen is on the DL. With 1 out, d'Arnaud singled. Posey singled. Longoria hits into a fielder's choice, Posey out at 2nd. 2 outs. Slater works the count, but is hit by a pitch to load the bases. Hundley is brought in to pinch hit. On the first pitch, he lines a shot to right field, scoring 2 for the Giants lead. Gorkys singles to score Slater, and then steals second. Duggar should have been out, but the doggers muff the play and Nick Hundley scores, only to bounce around the dugout like a little kid. Will Smith gets the save, the Giants win, 5 - 2.
So the Giants climb back to .500. They aren't really a factor in the NL West race right now, and they aren't really a factor in the Wild Card race, but for tonight, at least, they rocked just like old times.
Sunday, May 13, 2018
Twenty!
SF 5 PIT 0
The Giants finally notch their 20th win of the season by blanking the Bucs. It was Derek Holland's best start so far (6-1/3IP 4H 0R 5W 7K, GSc 67) and the lineup backed him with a 13-hit attack that included five extra-base hits (homers by Gorkys Hernandez and Nick Hundley and three doubles by the Brandons). Every starter had a hit except Evan Longoria (and Holland). It was a good effort this afternoon in Pittsburgh and stopped a sickening six-game skid. It wasn't merely a losing streak, it was a getting clobbered streak. Reyes Moronta, Will Smith, and Hunter Strickland finished up. That's the way they draw it up: solid start, big hits, clean defense, stout relief.
The Giants are home tomorrow night against the Cincinnati Reds. Chris Stratton takes the hill.
GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
The Giants finally notch their 20th win of the season by blanking the Bucs. It was Derek Holland's best start so far (6-1/3IP 4H 0R 5W 7K, GSc 67) and the lineup backed him with a 13-hit attack that included five extra-base hits (homers by Gorkys Hernandez and Nick Hundley and three doubles by the Brandons). Every starter had a hit except Evan Longoria (and Holland). It was a good effort this afternoon in Pittsburgh and stopped a sickening six-game skid. It wasn't merely a losing streak, it was a getting clobbered streak. Reyes Moronta, Will Smith, and Hunter Strickland finished up. That's the way they draw it up: solid start, big hits, clean defense, stout relief.
The Giants are home tomorrow night against the Cincinnati Reds. Chris Stratton takes the hill.
GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
Wednesday, May 2, 2018
Giants Blast Past Pads
SF 9 SD 4
Nick Hundley (4 H, 4 R, HR, 2B, 3 RBI) was the hitting star but had lots of help from The Brandons (Belt 2 H, 2 R, 2 W, RBI; Craw 2 H, 3 RBI) and Austin Jackson (2 H, 2 W, 2 RBI). In fact, it was a fine performance by the lineup overall as they put runs on the board in the 1st, 3rd, 4th, and 6th innings. Note I said "runs." Derek Holland put together five innings with 87 pitches and held on to the lead, allowing three runs on four hits. The bullpen delivered shutout frames from Pierce Johnson, Will Smith, and Cory Gearrin. DJ Snelten got two outs in the 9th but yielded a run and Sam Dyson had to finish up but it was a good team effort. I am excited by Will Smith's return, I think he is an important piece of the puzzle.
A great win today against a pesky foe. That makes four series-wins in a row (Angels, Nats, Dodgers, Padres). This is good. I like this. Despite the injuries the club is responding impressively and grinding out tough victories. The upcoming road trip is ten games long (Atlanta, Philly, Pittsburgh) and will be a real test. The team is 6-8 on the road so far in 2018 and have only seven home games (versus 18 away games) remaining in the month of May.
Chris Statton faces the Braves Mike Foltynewicz on Friday, 4:35 Pacific. GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
Nick Hundley (4 H, 4 R, HR, 2B, 3 RBI) was the hitting star but had lots of help from The Brandons (Belt 2 H, 2 R, 2 W, RBI; Craw 2 H, 3 RBI) and Austin Jackson (2 H, 2 W, 2 RBI). In fact, it was a fine performance by the lineup overall as they put runs on the board in the 1st, 3rd, 4th, and 6th innings. Note I said "runs." Derek Holland put together five innings with 87 pitches and held on to the lead, allowing three runs on four hits. The bullpen delivered shutout frames from Pierce Johnson, Will Smith, and Cory Gearrin. DJ Snelten got two outs in the 9th but yielded a run and Sam Dyson had to finish up but it was a good team effort. I am excited by Will Smith's return, I think he is an important piece of the puzzle.
A great win today against a pesky foe. That makes four series-wins in a row (Angels, Nats, Dodgers, Padres). This is good. I like this. Despite the injuries the club is responding impressively and grinding out tough victories. The upcoming road trip is ten games long (Atlanta, Philly, Pittsburgh) and will be a real test. The team is 6-8 on the road so far in 2018 and have only seven home games (versus 18 away games) remaining in the month of May.
Chris Statton faces the Braves Mike Foltynewicz on Friday, 4:35 Pacific. GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
Tuesday, May 1, 2018
Comeback!
SF 6 SD 5
The Giants snatch victory from the jaws of defeat with a stirring, two-out, three-run, 9th-inning rally against Padres closer Brad Hand. Austin Slater, leading off, was hit by a pitch. Gorkys Hernandez and Andrew McCutchen struck out and Buster Posey walked. A single from Evan Longoria plated Slater and Brandon Belt followed with a walk. A single from Nick Hundley plated both Posey and Longoria and that was that. The Giants had taken a 3-0 first inning lead but a leaky Jeff Samardzija (5 IP, 2 R, 88 pitches) got pulled early and Reyes Moronta got battered for three runs in the 6th and the Padres were up by two. It looked bleak for the home squad but Cory Gearrin, DJ Snelten, and Pierce Johnson held the line and gave the lads a chance for a comeback. It was one of those games:
The Giants snatch victory from the jaws of defeat with a stirring, two-out, three-run, 9th-inning rally against Padres closer Brad Hand. Austin Slater, leading off, was hit by a pitch. Gorkys Hernandez and Andrew McCutchen struck out and Buster Posey walked. A single from Evan Longoria plated Slater and Brandon Belt followed with a walk. A single from Nick Hundley plated both Posey and Longoria and that was that. The Giants had taken a 3-0 first inning lead but a leaky Jeff Samardzija (5 IP, 2 R, 88 pitches) got pulled early and Reyes Moronta got battered for three runs in the 6th and the Padres were up by two. It looked bleak for the home squad but Cory Gearrin, DJ Snelten, and Pierce Johnson held the line and gave the lads a chance for a comeback. It was one of those games:
The Giants finish the month of April 13-13 and with a 2-1 March are 15-14 overall. They've won two of five against San Diego and have two more in the homestand before an off-day Thursday. They go to Atlanta Friday and follow that with four in Philadelphia and three in Pittsburgh.
GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
p.s. Joe Panik needs thumb surgery and will be out six weeks. The chart is from FanGraphs.
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