It was an epic series in St. Louis topped by a great game tonight. The home crowd got the thrills with the series win, capped by Yadier Molina's 100th career homer. The Giants battled back from a 2-0 deficit to take a 3-2 lead in the top of the 7th but the Cardinals beat the youngsters in the Giants bullpen to prevail by a 4-3 score. Just when we gushed enthusiastically about lefty Josh Osich and righty Hunter Strickland they gave up the tying and go-ahead runs in consecutive innings. Welcome to the big leagues, lads. The Giants had plenty of chances and fought hard but couldn't quite pull it off. They scored 1, 2, and 3 runs in the three games. The Cardinals scored 2, 0, and 4 runs. I think you can do the math. It was frustrating in the end because the A's beat the Dodgers again in Oakland. The deficit stays at two games.
Two things were notable tonight. The first was the play by Juan Perez to take a home run away from Stephen Piscotty. It had to be one of the best catches of the year. Hell, as good a catch as a guy can make. He caught a ball that would have hit the top of the fence and gone out except that his glove was there before it came down. It wasn't just the long run, leaping climb up the wall, and two-handed basket catch. No, it was the effortless self-possession. He just knew he was going to make the play. It looked like he had worked on it before the game. "Hey Bam-Bam, hit me a few off the top of the right-centerfield wall, OK? I gotta work on my spectacular catches." Perez knew exactly where that ball was going and what he'd have to do to make the play and he executed it with grace and style. Way to go, Juan! It saved a run. Which brings us to notable item number two, Matt Cain. He got hammered in the first three innings and could have been behind by a lot more but he found a groove in the final three to conjure up a strong start. Matty even drove in the Giants first run with a long sacrifice fly to centerfield. That kind of result (6 IP, 2 R, 1 BB, 6K) is what we need to see the rest of the way.
Tough series coming up in Pittsburgh: four games starting tomorrow and spanning the weekend. Off-day Monday.
GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
Showing posts with label Perez. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Perez. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 19, 2015
Sunday, October 26, 2014
Maddy, Maddy, Maddy and Juan
RIP Oscar Tavaras. The young Cardinal outfielder apparently died today in a car accident in the DR. He as a rising star who had only a short season with the Cardinals.
Madison Bumgarner was spectacular. He threw the first shutout in a World Series game since Josh Beckett in 2003 for the Marlins. He earned his fourth career World Series victory. In 31 innings of World Series ball, he has given up a total of 1 run. Tonight, he threw 117 pitches, 84 of them were strikes. He allowed 4 hits and struck out 8. He allowed 1 runner to reach 2nd base. He did not walk anyone. When the game started, before Maddy settled down, I thought he looked tired. Not from watching him pitch, but just from the look on his face, as though he had a touch of the Giants flu. Shows how well I can read the taciturn lefty, as he gave up a single to Salvador Perez to start the 2nd inning and promptly retired the side on strikeouts. Madison Bumgarner is 25 years old.
The Giants scratched and clawed for their first 2 runs. The first came in the 2nd on a Pence single, a Belt bunt for a base hit (his first in his major league career), an Ishikawa sac fly and a Crawford ground out. The second came in the 4th, also on a Crawford single to score Pablo from 2nd base with 2 outs. Brandon Crawford also collected the final rbi in the 8th, scoring Juan Perez from 3rd.
The 8th inning was amazing. Pablo and Pence started off with singles off of the allegedly unhittable Kelvin Herrera, the first of the three-headed monster that the Royals use for the last three innings, usually when they are ahead. Then the Royals brought in Wade Davis, head #2. After Brandon Belt struck out, Juan Perez put a pitch withing inches of the top of the wall in center for a 2 run double, taking 3rd on the throw. Final score, 5 to 0. Hits up and down the lineup, only Gregor Blanco and Madison Bumgarner did not get a hit.
I like the look of things from here. True, we are going back to Kansas City. However, obviously, we are 1 game up. Second, we get to put Morse back in the lineup. Third, we have the following pitchers to use for multiple innings: Jake Peavy, Tim Hudson, Ryan Vogelsong, Yusmeiro Petit, and Tim Lincecum; the Royals can't match that. Fourth, the bubble of the three-headed monster has been pierced, and the Royals have to be soured on their other relievers. Finally, if you believe in momentum, we got it.
Go Giants!
Madison Bumgarner was spectacular. He threw the first shutout in a World Series game since Josh Beckett in 2003 for the Marlins. He earned his fourth career World Series victory. In 31 innings of World Series ball, he has given up a total of 1 run. Tonight, he threw 117 pitches, 84 of them were strikes. He allowed 4 hits and struck out 8. He allowed 1 runner to reach 2nd base. He did not walk anyone. When the game started, before Maddy settled down, I thought he looked tired. Not from watching him pitch, but just from the look on his face, as though he had a touch of the Giants flu. Shows how well I can read the taciturn lefty, as he gave up a single to Salvador Perez to start the 2nd inning and promptly retired the side on strikeouts. Madison Bumgarner is 25 years old.
The Giants scratched and clawed for their first 2 runs. The first came in the 2nd on a Pence single, a Belt bunt for a base hit (his first in his major league career), an Ishikawa sac fly and a Crawford ground out. The second came in the 4th, also on a Crawford single to score Pablo from 2nd base with 2 outs. Brandon Crawford also collected the final rbi in the 8th, scoring Juan Perez from 3rd.
The 8th inning was amazing. Pablo and Pence started off with singles off of the allegedly unhittable Kelvin Herrera, the first of the three-headed monster that the Royals use for the last three innings, usually when they are ahead. Then the Royals brought in Wade Davis, head #2. After Brandon Belt struck out, Juan Perez put a pitch withing inches of the top of the wall in center for a 2 run double, taking 3rd on the throw. Final score, 5 to 0. Hits up and down the lineup, only Gregor Blanco and Madison Bumgarner did not get a hit.
I like the look of things from here. True, we are going back to Kansas City. However, obviously, we are 1 game up. Second, we get to put Morse back in the lineup. Third, we have the following pitchers to use for multiple innings: Jake Peavy, Tim Hudson, Ryan Vogelsong, Yusmeiro Petit, and Tim Lincecum; the Royals can't match that. Fourth, the bubble of the three-headed monster has been pierced, and the Royals have to be soured on their other relievers. Finally, if you believe in momentum, we got it.
Go Giants!
Wednesday, October 15, 2014
Comeback Attack
The Giants pulled off another dramatic victory tonight in San Francisco and are now one win from the World Series. Ryan Vogelsong saw his string of post-season brilliance end cruelly after three innings, having given up four runs, the last a no-doubt rocket from Kolten Wong. Vogie had five previous playoff starts and had allowed only four runs total in 30-1/3 innings. The Giants battled back and chased Shelby Miller in the fourth, closing the gap to 4-3 on hits from Buster Posey and Hunter Pence. It was up to the 'pens from that point and the Giants proved up to the task and allowed no runs over the final six frames. Yusmeiro Petit was the difference getting nine outs in ten batters, four by strikeout.
The Giants followed up that great effort in the bottom of the 6th with another magic rally. Juan Perez, fresh off yesterday's heroics, came off the bench to open the inning and walked. After a BCraw single Matt Duffy, pinch-hitting, bunted them over. Nice work from the youngsters once again, and it should be noted that bench stalwart Joaquin Arias led off the 3rd with a pinch-hit and eventually scored. It's a team game, man. The Cards brought the infield in and Gregor Blanco shot a grass-clipper right at Matt Adams at first but he took too much time to get the throw off and Perez scored with a nifty slide. The low, off-balance throw was late and short-hopped catcher Tony Cruz who dropped it for good measure.Then Joe Panik hit a hard grounder to the bag at first and Adams gloved it and got the force, turned and threw it off-line to second giving BCraw a chance to scoot home. Buster then delivered a single to make it 6-4 Giants. It was not a good sequence for the big lefty slugger.
Boch had his matchups ready the rest of the way: Affeldt got four outs, then Lopez for Adams after Machi didn't get his man (Holliday), then Romo for the 8th and Casilla for the 9th. St. Louis put a guy on in both of the last two innings and had two on in the 7th but this time Giants pitchers executed and got the big outs. It was a tremendous game, lots of action, lots of anguish, but ultimately joy. The Giants win by attrition--they get the line moving, put the ball in play, and keep the pressure on. They were one massive blow away from breaking the game open, but their relentless peskiness was more than enough. Buster tallied three runs batted in, Pence had two hits, Blanco scored twice, the team had 11 hits and six walks and only struck out five times.
The late afternoon start meant some funny light in the outfield. Both centerfielders muffed tough chances they would normally have hauled in. I think they should play baseball at a proper local time and I'm sick of east coast television ruling the damn world. Alas, another of my multitude of bitches about our media conglomerate masters. Even corporate domination of our very souls can't ruin my high, though. This was an awesome win. I can't find any fancy way to say it. The Giants pulled off a great goddam win and are all set up with their ace tomorrow in a potential clincher. In 2010 Tim Lincecum got the ball at home in Game Five up 3-1 against Roy Halladay and the Phillies who won and forced the series to six games. It didn't matter, as I recall, but I would have rather seen the team nail it down on the first try.
So that's it, Giants. Nail it down.
5:07 Pacific. MadBum.
Go team! Win!
--M.C.
The Giants followed up that great effort in the bottom of the 6th with another magic rally. Juan Perez, fresh off yesterday's heroics, came off the bench to open the inning and walked. After a BCraw single Matt Duffy, pinch-hitting, bunted them over. Nice work from the youngsters once again, and it should be noted that bench stalwart Joaquin Arias led off the 3rd with a pinch-hit and eventually scored. It's a team game, man. The Cards brought the infield in and Gregor Blanco shot a grass-clipper right at Matt Adams at first but he took too much time to get the throw off and Perez scored with a nifty slide. The low, off-balance throw was late and short-hopped catcher Tony Cruz who dropped it for good measure.Then Joe Panik hit a hard grounder to the bag at first and Adams gloved it and got the force, turned and threw it off-line to second giving BCraw a chance to scoot home. Buster then delivered a single to make it 6-4 Giants. It was not a good sequence for the big lefty slugger.
Boch had his matchups ready the rest of the way: Affeldt got four outs, then Lopez for Adams after Machi didn't get his man (Holliday), then Romo for the 8th and Casilla for the 9th. St. Louis put a guy on in both of the last two innings and had two on in the 7th but this time Giants pitchers executed and got the big outs. It was a tremendous game, lots of action, lots of anguish, but ultimately joy. The Giants win by attrition--they get the line moving, put the ball in play, and keep the pressure on. They were one massive blow away from breaking the game open, but their relentless peskiness was more than enough. Buster tallied three runs batted in, Pence had two hits, Blanco scored twice, the team had 11 hits and six walks and only struck out five times.
The late afternoon start meant some funny light in the outfield. Both centerfielders muffed tough chances they would normally have hauled in. I think they should play baseball at a proper local time and I'm sick of east coast television ruling the damn world. Alas, another of my multitude of bitches about our media conglomerate masters. Even corporate domination of our very souls can't ruin my high, though. This was an awesome win. I can't find any fancy way to say it. The Giants pulled off a great goddam win and are all set up with their ace tomorrow in a potential clincher. In 2010 Tim Lincecum got the ball at home in Game Five up 3-1 against Roy Halladay and the Phillies who won and forced the series to six games. It didn't matter, as I recall, but I would have rather seen the team nail it down on the first try.
So that's it, Giants. Nail it down.
5:07 Pacific. MadBum.
Go team! Win!
--M.C.
Tuesday, October 14, 2014
Busted Bunts Beat Birds
A fresh southerly breeze kept Travis Ishikawa's titanic blast in the 1st from being a grand slam. Instead the ball was blown back on to the field, confusing not just the announcers (and me) but rookie right fielder Randal Grichuk. It went for a bases-clearing double and the Giants finally had a big hit with men on base. The Cardinals chipped away at Tim Hudson the rest of the afternoon, finally tying the game in the 7th on Grichuk's bomb that hit the pole in left. Boch might have stuck with Hudson a little too long there, but it wasn't that bad of a pitch, maybe a bit up but certainly on the inner edge of the zone. Credit the youngster for a great swing in a big spot. Rookie nemesis Kolten Wong had done the rest of the damage earlier with three RBIs on a double and a triple--he was victimized by the San Francisco wind as well on the triple, off the bat it looked like a homer. John Lackey looked terrible in the 1st when the Giants whacked him around with two outs to take a 4-0 lead, but he was dominating over the next five frames and made the lineup look silly. Fortunately the Giants bullpen kept the lid on things, I was especially impressed by Santiago Casilla getting three outs in the 9th on nine pitches. He just keeps putting up zeroes! Pablo Sandoval made a great grab on a grounder by Matt Holliday in the top of the 10th to save a run and that gave the home team another shot at a walk-off win.
And walk off as winners they did. The Giants have some serious power bats like Buster Posey, Hunter Pence, and Pablo Sandoval but they can't seem to get--so far--home runs out of them. Brandon Belt, another slugger, delivered of course an epic dinger in DC, but the long ball has not been part of the Giants equation in this series. Well, if the homers ain't happening then you've got to find something else. Brandon Crawford led off the bottom of the 10th against Randy Choate and worked a walk. BCraw is 0-for-the LCS but has two walks in two appearances against the St. Louis lefty. Juan Perez, who'd put down a beautiful bunt against Trevor Rosenthal before Duffy's Dash in Game 2, could not put one down on two attempts. Boch took off the bunt sign with two strikes and the youngster ripped a liner to left for a single. Rock on, Juan! With runners on first and second all the world knew that next batter Gregor Blanco would attempt the sacrifice, and he put down a perfect one that Choate had to field lumbering toward the third base line. The veteran southpaw (he's the same age as Huddy) heaved his throw into right field and BCraw came home to a jubilant welcome.
It was another amazing back-and-forth battle between two great teams. The Giants keep coming up with goofy ways to score. And the 'pen was up to the task today, thank goodness. We also saw good glove work all around which, as we've seen, can be the difference in these tight contests.
Ryan Vogelsong gets the call tomorrow at 5:00 pm.
GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
And walk off as winners they did. The Giants have some serious power bats like Buster Posey, Hunter Pence, and Pablo Sandoval but they can't seem to get--so far--home runs out of them. Brandon Belt, another slugger, delivered of course an epic dinger in DC, but the long ball has not been part of the Giants equation in this series. Well, if the homers ain't happening then you've got to find something else. Brandon Crawford led off the bottom of the 10th against Randy Choate and worked a walk. BCraw is 0-for-the LCS but has two walks in two appearances against the St. Louis lefty. Juan Perez, who'd put down a beautiful bunt against Trevor Rosenthal before Duffy's Dash in Game 2, could not put one down on two attempts. Boch took off the bunt sign with two strikes and the youngster ripped a liner to left for a single. Rock on, Juan! With runners on first and second all the world knew that next batter Gregor Blanco would attempt the sacrifice, and he put down a perfect one that Choate had to field lumbering toward the third base line. The veteran southpaw (he's the same age as Huddy) heaved his throw into right field and BCraw came home to a jubilant welcome.
It was another amazing back-and-forth battle between two great teams. The Giants keep coming up with goofy ways to score. And the 'pen was up to the task today, thank goodness. We also saw good glove work all around which, as we've seen, can be the difference in these tight contests.
Ryan Vogelsong gets the call tomorrow at 5:00 pm.
GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
Thursday, September 11, 2014
81-65 with 16 to go
The Giants did what they needed to do which was sweep the lowly Diamondbacks and move within two games of the Dodgers ahead of the big weekend series. Both clubs have 16 games remaining with six head-to-head matches. I'm sure it will be a thoroughly nerve-wracking three weeks! Once again the team got contributions from the whole lineup--all the starters got on base at least once, eight different guys got hits, and five different guys scored runs. Since the Break the Giants have the highest-scoring offense in the NL and the fourth-best in baseball. I think we all knew this team could hit and it was just a matter of time before they found their mojo again. We watched some pretty feeble displays from the hitters for a long stretch (like June and July) so it's great to see them whacking the ball all over the Park. The Dodgers aren't the D-Backs and will present a much tougher challenge so it will be fun to see how the club responds.
Ol' Boch had the quick hook today for Jake Peavy who struck out eight in 5-2/3 but allowed six hits and a run on 92 pitches. It was 3-1 at the time and the right move. I particularly liked that Juan Perez came in on the double-switch and stroked an RBI double and later scored! Teamwork, baby. Peavy was a little peeved when he was pulled, you could see him shaking his head and saying "unbelievable" but after that weird rain-delay start in Detroit and yielding a double and a triple in the 6th it was perfectly believable the skipper would go to the 'pen. Peavy is a crackup to watch with all the muttering and twitchy mannerisms. With that horrid beard he looks like someone you would run away from on a dark street. Another good effort today, though. He's certainly filled in quite well for Matt Cain.
It will be Madison Bumgarner tomorrow night against Hyun-Jin Ryu in the biggest game of the season. They'll keep getting bigger after that regardless of the result.
GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
Ol' Boch had the quick hook today for Jake Peavy who struck out eight in 5-2/3 but allowed six hits and a run on 92 pitches. It was 3-1 at the time and the right move. I particularly liked that Juan Perez came in on the double-switch and stroked an RBI double and later scored! Teamwork, baby. Peavy was a little peeved when he was pulled, you could see him shaking his head and saying "unbelievable" but after that weird rain-delay start in Detroit and yielding a double and a triple in the 6th it was perfectly believable the skipper would go to the 'pen. Peavy is a crackup to watch with all the muttering and twitchy mannerisms. With that horrid beard he looks like someone you would run away from on a dark street. Another good effort today, though. He's certainly filled in quite well for Matt Cain.
It will be Madison Bumgarner tomorrow night against Hyun-Jin Ryu in the biggest game of the season. They'll keep getting bigger after that regardless of the result.
GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
Wednesday, June 4, 2014
Giants Outslug Reds
Speed demon Billy Hamilton wreaked havoc on the basepaths last night, and got three hits tonight, two of which did not leave the infield. And after a beautiful Vogie-to-Posey-to-Panda caught stealing sequence in the 3rd, the Reds scored two runs on a solo homer and back-to-back doubles. It's a funny game, this baseball. Hamilton runs like the wind and never crosses the plate. He makes an out at third and his team scores two runs!
Tony Cingrani kept the Giants off balance until the fateful 6th when he finally threw one to Mike Morse's liking and the big righty smoked it for a homer. His pitch count climbing, Brandon Hicks followed with a single and Juan Perez played hero with a two-run bomb right after that to take the lead. Four pitchers (Guiterrez, Lopez, Machi and Romo) made the lead stand and the Giants had a comeback win. Ryan Vogelsong deserves the most credit, though, as he labored early in the game and fell behind but in his doggedly determined way kept racking up the outs and pitched into the 7th. The Giants made three errors, two induced by Billy Hamilton, yet prevailed. B-Craw mishandled a ball in the 8th to put a runner on, but the strikeout from Lopez and a--what else?--double play grounder from Macho Machi ended that threat. Romo had a perfect 9th and the deed was done.
Giants pull off another road win to improve to 19-12 in gray. Only the 18-11 Dodgers and 20-10 A's are better. Early getaway day game tomorrow with Pitcher of the Month for May Madison Bumgarner getting the start. Matt Cain comes off the DL Friday at home against the Mets. Juan Perez is on the roster because of Cain's injury and you have to love a guy making the most of his chance to shine.
GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
Tony Cingrani kept the Giants off balance until the fateful 6th when he finally threw one to Mike Morse's liking and the big righty smoked it for a homer. His pitch count climbing, Brandon Hicks followed with a single and Juan Perez played hero with a two-run bomb right after that to take the lead. Four pitchers (Guiterrez, Lopez, Machi and Romo) made the lead stand and the Giants had a comeback win. Ryan Vogelsong deserves the most credit, though, as he labored early in the game and fell behind but in his doggedly determined way kept racking up the outs and pitched into the 7th. The Giants made three errors, two induced by Billy Hamilton, yet prevailed. B-Craw mishandled a ball in the 8th to put a runner on, but the strikeout from Lopez and a--what else?--double play grounder from Macho Machi ended that threat. Romo had a perfect 9th and the deed was done.
Giants pull off another road win to improve to 19-12 in gray. Only the 18-11 Dodgers and 20-10 A's are better. Early getaway day game tomorrow with Pitcher of the Month for May Madison Bumgarner getting the start. Matt Cain comes off the DL Friday at home against the Mets. Juan Perez is on the roster because of Cain's injury and you have to love a guy making the most of his chance to shine.
GO GIANTS!
--M.C.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)