If 6 Was 9

 SF 6  SEA 4

This game would have been more relaxing if the Giants would have stuck to the formula and scored nine runs instead of a mere six. It happens that six was just enough, although it took a comeback featuring a big two-run triple from Wilmer Flores with two outs in the 7th to pull off the win. Giants pitchers threw 181 pitches this afternoon but walked only four batters (and hit two) so that's an improvement over yesterday. Starter Tyler Anderson got knocked about for four runs in the 2nd and then kicked out in the 3rd for arguing balls and strikes. Wandy Peralta, Rico Garcia, Tony Watson, Tyler Rogers, and Sam Selman covered the final seven frames without yielding a run. The Mariners threatened in the 7th, 8th, and 9th but the 'pen held firm and sealed the victory. Peralta's three hitless innings in relief of Anderson was the key performance, I think.

Newcomer Luis Basabe had a hit, walked twice, and scored two, Mauricio Dubon had two hits and scored a run, Evan Longoria had two hits and a run batted in, and Darin Ruf launched a solo shot in the 1st to fill up the highlight reel. The Giants are a sparkling 16-4 against Arizona (8-2), Seattle (4-0), Texas (2-1), and LA-Anaheim (2-1). Unfortunately their final three opponents are Oakland, Colorado, and San Diego and they are a less than stellar 3-12 against them. So it will be a big challenge for the Giants to stay in the hunt in their final stretch. This weekend's series with the A's is at the Coliseum but the final two sets are at home where they have won 16 of 25, so maybe home cookin' will be the ticket.

Logan Webb goes Friday at 6:40 p.m., Kevin Gausman Saturday at 1:10 p.m., and Johnny Cueto Sunday, also at 1:10, all times Pacific.

GO GIANTS!

--M.C.

 

p.s. Mike Yastrzemski had to leave the game early with a calf injury, let's hope it is minor.

Three in a row!

SF 10  LAA 5

The Giants jumped on the Angels young lefty starter (Jose Suarez) for two runs in the 1st and then piled on four more in the 2nd off him and reliever Matt Andriese. The Giants added two more in the 3rd, one in the 4th, and another in the 6th off Julio Teheran. Wilmer Flores had three of the lineup's 12 hits and drove in four runs. Austin Slater had two hits and two runs scored as did Brandon Crawford who is looking better every day. Joey Bart was 1-for-4 with a double in his debut. Gabe Kapler pinch-hit Alex Dickerson for Darin Ruf in the 2nd inning (he was 0-for-1) to get a platoon advantage with the bases loaded and it worked as Dick walked to drive in a run. He drove in another with a sac fly in the 6th.

Kevin Gausman was charged with four runs in his 5-1/3 but struck out eight with only one walk. Sam Selman finished the 6th. Shaun Anderson made a bunch of new friends by throwing high heat to Mike Trout to open the 7th. Angels manager Joe Maddon flipped out after Anderson's pitch and you could hear him drop the f-bomb on the radio. The umpires issued the warnings and Trout promptly tripled, just missing a homer. He wound up scoring after Anderson loaded the bases with two outs and Wandy Peralta walked him in. That was the tensest the game got. Peralta got the strikeout to end the frame and then pitched a clean 8th. Jarlin Garcia threw 11 pitches (9 strikes) to close it out.

Just another routine Giants victory! 11-16 (.407) may not look like much but its better than the Royals, the Tigers, the Red Sox, the Angels, the Mariners, and the Pirates. The Arizona Diamondbacks come to San Francisco for three games, tomorrow night is at 6:45 Pacific.

GO GIANTS!

--M.C.

 

p.s. Logan Webb, Tyler Anderson, and Trevor Cahill this weekend.

Kicking Ass, part two

SF 7  LAA 2

The Giants played another outstanding ballgame tonight, besting the Angels behind some formidable pitching (13 strikeouts!) and a relentless attack (10 hits, two homers, two doubles). Johnny Cueto had to work hard (112 pitches) for his 17 outs, yielding four hits, a walk, and two runs, but he also whiffed eight. Andrew Suarez allowed the hit that drove in the second run, and Caleb Baragar had to come in to finish the 6th which he did with a strikeout. He added a clean 7th and Tyler Rogers struck out both Mike Trout and Albert Pujols to take care of the 8th while Tony Watson closed out the 9th on 13 pitches.

Wilmer Flores was the hitting star, Kap sat Brandon Belt to get the righty in against the lefty starter (Patrick Sandoval) and it paid off with two hits (one a 3-run homer) and four RBI. Austin Slater is not 100% and can't play the field so he led off tonight as the DH and chipped in two hits (one a two-run homer) and two runs scored. I especially enjoyed the late rally with the meat of the lineup (Solano/Yaz/Longo/Flores) carving out two runs in the 7th to make it 7-2 and take the pressure off the bullpen.

Kevin Gausman goes tomorrow at 6:45 p.m. Angels beat reporter Rhett Bollinger tweets that their starter for tomorrow is lefty Jose Suarez (that fact was re-tweeted by Andrew Baggarly, which was in the sidebar, which is why I have that feature there). The Giants came into tonight's game with a .268/.331/.455 line against southpaw starters and then they racked up six hits and five runs against another one! So, I think they like facing lefties.

--M.C.

The Texas Tromp Stomp

SF 9  TEX 2
Chadwick Tromp made his debut on Wednesday and struck out three times. Tonight he got two hits (including an RBI double) and two runs scored and also caught SIX different pitchers! It was a supreme bullpen effort, 5-1/3 innings with only two hits and no walks or runs and seven whiffs. And we can't forget the real game-changing blow in the 5th, a 3-run homer by Wilmer Flores that erased a 2-1 Rangers lead. It was all Giants after that. Darin Ruf was a beast, Mauricio Dubon seems to be finding his stroke, and Evan Longoria is obviously healthy. I note Brandon Belt sat against the lefty starter (Mike Minor). Dubon made a nifty play at short and then later made a couple of bad throws. It seems like the whole team is still figuring out how to play together. It's a challenge with all the shifts and the changes, although tonight Kap stuck with one crew, mostly. Steven Duggar subbed for Pence at the end, Hunter is still hitless for 2020.

The 'pen, after Logan Webb's 3-2/3, was Conner Menez (1-1/3), Shaun Anderson (1), Wandy Peralta (1), Tony Watson (1), and Sam Selman (1). Watson seemed to be back on track. Selman is up for the injured Sam Coonrod.

What a great win! Nine runs! Let's see some more of that.

Tomorrow's game is the same early start, 6:10 p.m. PDT. The Rangers have righty Jordan Lyles.

GO GIANTS!

--M.C.