Homer Happy!

SF 5  PHI 4  (10)

Logan Webb was brilliant, striking out ten in 8+ innings and allowing only four hits without a walk. The problem? Three of the hits were solo homers. Down 2-0 on blasts from Nick Castellanos and Rhys Hoskins, Wilmer Flores knotted it up in the 6th with a two-run no-doubter off Phillies starter Kyle Gibson. After Webb finished off the 8th with a flourish, and got a handshake from Gabe Kapler, Evan Longoria hit a homer to give the Giants a 3-2 lead. In a move I didn't see coming and was totally against Kap let Webb start the 9th. It didn't go well. Kyle Schwarber tied it with a homer. Dominic Leone finished the frame and the Giants sent Stuart Fairchild out to second base to start the 10th. After Donovan Walton struck out, Curt Casali launched one deep to left field and the Giants were up 6-4. The Phillies got their runner home in the bottom half on a grounder and a fly out off Camilo Doval, but the closer got the whiff to end it.

A satisfying win in Philadelphia, certainly. That's a tough lineup. Webb did a great job, as did the bullpen. Jakob Junis gets the start tomorrow at 3:45 Pacific.

Go Giants!

--M.C.

Sunday's six salvages series

SF 6  CIN 4

The Giants were staring into the abyss of a sweep at the hands of the worst team in MLB when they broke out for six runs in the 8th inning this afternoon in Cincinnati and hung on to win. A two-out RBI single from Joc Pederson was followed by a cathartic three-run homer from Evan Longoria and the Giants went from down 2-0 to up 4-2. Brandon Crawford kept it alive with a walk, Thairo Estrada singled, and Luis González drove them both home with a double. They needed all of it because Camilo Doval gave up a two-out, two-run homer in the 9th but also managed to get the third out and seal the deal. The bullpen has been a real adventure, wouldn't you say? Alex Cobb pitched well, striking out eight in six frames, and giving up only two runs (and it really should have been one) on four hits.

On Friday night the Giants were feeble against hard-throwing rookie Grant Ashcraft and the Reds wore down a wonky Carlos Rodón and won 5-1. It was a weird game that got even weirder when Kap tried to put in a recently re-activated Jake McGee and was told he wasn't on the lineup card! José Álvarez was summoned and he gave up two runs. Kap said "we fucked up" in the post-game interview. Yeah, that's about right. They bleeped the f-word of course.

On Saturday the Giants went 3-for-16 with runners in scoring position and had the game-tying run thrown out at the plate to end the game. Alex Wood gave up a three-run homer in the 1st but then he and Dominic Leone and Tyler Rogers followed with eight scoreless only to lose 3-2. It was a very frustrating game to say the least.

Today they managed to win despite the silly start time (0830 PDT). It looked bad for most of the morning--the Giants got their first hit in the 7th--but it turned out OK. It's been a rough month. Despite the 11-14 record they have 25 wins which is better than 18 of the 30 teams! Hey, I'm looking for positives here. Tomorrow they play in Philadelphia at 1:05 Pacific and Logan Webb takes the hill.

Go Giants!

--M.C.

Giants slug out a win

SF 9  NYM 3

The Giants faced a rookie starter (Thomas Szapucki) in the getaway game and clobbered him for nine runs. It was enough. They held on to beat the Mets and take the series. Jakob Junis had another good outing. With Anthony DeSclafani on the shelf the veteran righty has become a key rotation member. Junis was an under-the-radar signing in March.

Evan Longoria hit two home runs, Mike Yastrzemski added one (he's slashing .309/.409/.500), and Joc Pederson hit his 11th. After five straight losses it's good to see the Giants bounce back against a tough opponent. They are short-handed (Donovan Walton and Stuart Fairchild started yesterday and Mike Papierski started yesterday) and the pitching, especially in relief, has been woeful this month, but they still have the tenth-best record (24-19, .558) in MLB.

They go on the road for the next ten days with three in Cincinnati starting tomorrow afternoon (3:40 Pacific) followed by three in Philadelphia and four in Miami.

Go Giants!

--M.C.

Epic win stops streak

SF 13  NYM 12

The Giants got pasted 13-3 in the series opener on Monday night but came out swinging last night and took an 8-2 lead against Chris Bassitt after five. The highlights were homers: a three-run shot from Tommy LaStella and two two-run bombs from Joc Pederson. Logan Webb was effective but had to throw too many pitches against the pesky Mets lineup and the bullpen took over for the final four frames. Jarlin Garcia pitched a scoreless 6th but Dominic Leone gave up a two-run homer in the 7th to make it 8-4. It seemed like the Giants would be OK but Tyler Rogers had his worst inning ever in the 8th, giving up seven hits and seven runs on 25 pitches. Camilo Doval had to come in for the last two outs (and he gave up two hits!).

The stunned Giants went to the bottom half down 11-8 and quickly made two outs but they put two on for Joc Pederson and he delivered. His massive homer tied the game and made history. He's only the third player to hit three at the SF ballpark and the first to hit three multi-run homers. Joc said after the game that his long conversation with Barry Bonds earlier in the day was the key to his performance.

John Brebbia came out for the 9th and sure enough the Mets took a 12-11 lead and the Giants faced another potential loss. With only three outs remaining Wilmer Flores singled but was erased by a La Stella double play ball. A walk to Yaz kept it alive and a single by Darin Ruf moved him to second. Joc Pederson singled for his 8th RBI and tied the game. Brandon Crawford followed with a single to score Ruf and the Giants had their best win of the year.

It has been an ugly May for the orange-and-black. The team is 9-12 and they've allowed 135 runs. Last night's win snapped a five-game losing streak. The Mets and Padres are good teams but the Giants can do better. Let's hope the epic victory last night is a harbinger of change.

Jakob Junis this afternoon (12:45 Pacific).

Go Giants!

--M.C.