The Giants built a big lead for Matt Cain who pitched 7 strong innings. The bullpen looked like it might implode in the 8'th inning, but Santiago Casilla came in and quieted the Dodger bats and the Giants completed a sweep of the rival Dodgers. Key Lines:
Angel Pagan- 2 for 4, 2B, BB, SB(20). BA= .289. Pagan went 7 for 13 with a walk in the series. This was his 4'th multi-hit game in a row. He is hitting .395 over his last 10 games.
Marco Scutaro- 2 for 5, 2B. BA= .285. Scooter just keeps rapping out the hits.
Pablo Sandoval- 1 for 2, SF. BA= .298. I don't think Sandoval quite has his timing down yet, but he's produced some runs with hits and sac flies this series.
Hunter Pence- 0 for 3, BB. BA= .258. Pence looks as lost as Brandon Belt ever did up there. His front shoulder is flying open on every swing. Maybe he's always done that and gotten away with it, but it seems much more noticeable to me now than it's been in the past. Maybe because I'm watching him more closely, or it could be why he's hitting about .150 since July 4.
Joaquin Arias- 3 for 4, 2 2B, HR(3). BA= .280. How hot is Joaquin Arias and where would the Giants be without him? Can he play LF?
Matt Cain- 7 IP, 7 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 5 K's. ERA= 2.83. The run was because Hunter Pence was just as lost on RF as he was at the plate and got turned around on a flyball to the warning track by Andre Ethier, who might be my least favorite Dodger for some reason.
Santiago Casilla- 1.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K's. ERA= 3.09. Casilla came into a bases-loaded 1 out jam in the 8'th. He allowed 2 runs to score on a broken bat bloop hit by Luis Cruz who is leading a charmed life right now. The next batter, AJ Ellis hit a comebacker that Casilla was able to turn for a DP. He then allowed one harmless hit in the 9'th. It doesn't count as a Save, but yeah, Casilla saved it. He's pitched 3.2 innings in 2 games now. I have a feeling he's about to get his closer job back if he can keep the blisters away.
The win puts the Giants up by 2.5 games on the Dodgers in the NL West. The D'Backs swept a DH from the Marlins to move up by 0.5 games to 5.5 games back.
The Giants now come home to start a 4 game series against the Atlanta Braves with Tommy Hanson facing Barry Zito tomorrow night. Go Giants!
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There were 2 defensive plays that were memorable tonight for me.. How about that diving catch by Justin Christian in the 7th inning robbing Juan Rivera, hope Christian's wrist is ok.. The G's were leading by 5 at the time.. How about Brandon Belt saving a wild throw in the dirt by the Panda in the 3rd inning, by scooping a long hop moving to his right, thus saving a run.. Couldn't believe Belt came up with that one. Also Casilla's stuff looked really nasty tonight, like you said maybe the key for him is to avoid those blisters forming.. Giants better have their A game this weekend against the Bravos.. I think they come in losing 4 out of last 6 games so they might come in hungry for wins..
ReplyDeleteLG
Considering the pen, Buster is tender, Zito gets a start in the series...I'd honestly take a split with the Braves at home, take the off day, and gear up for some 2nd-Division teams.
Deletegotta face facts, pence's numbers were always inflated thanks to the parks he played in..giants should think long and hard before offering him an extension at year's end
ReplyDeletenice catch by jc...very important to note that giants run has come about as a result of improved d...hoping sabean notes this before he makes moves in the future
i think santi's blister is all better now
interesting that to most people the most exciting part of the game was seeing kunis and kutcher there
guber is great at marketing movies....mlb aint a movie
but it is interesting that colin hanks chose to attend a game his dad didnt go to
another tuff test starts tomorrow....the atl vs zito...eeegads
Hunter is definitely cold. Shouldn't make make too much of it. His home road splits are fairly even. Given, the NL Central is a Meateater's haven when it comes to hitting. No one is inking the guy for $100 mil just yet, so lets see how all of this plays out.
DeleteHe definitely looked like he was playing RF in a beer/softball league tonight on Ethier's fly in the 6th!
Giants problem is the pen. Maybe Casilla is all fixed. Hopefully. But the 8th was wobbly. A team shouldn't have to pause with a seven run lead in the 8th.
Clay Hensley's numbers are not bad. But I can't remember him ever pitching really well. So, I've missed a few things along the way.
In the middle of a 10-day run with no off days, Bochy has to be able to hand the ball to ONE pitcher with a 7-run lead, and rely on him to get 6 outs. We do not have that pitcher.
Here's to September Roster Expansion.
pen lost mota and wilson from the get go, they have done a yeoman's job. sept will bring some fresh arms, although not all of the ones we wanted as im sure both bochy and hembree will be shut down
Deleteforgot to mention hector, who called a great game and who is now comfortable enough behind the dish so that posey can easily take first or be rested...not too many teams have two legit starting catchers in their lineup
no matter what happens, this has been a very entertaining season with everyone contributing
another thing going on tomorrow is the final play in game for the little league ws....go petaluma
Hector is struggling at the plate, but has had a very nice year overall for a backup catcher. I hope they can work on him not stabbing at the ball so much, it does lead to a few less strikes methinks. I really like him.
DeleteGo Petaluma fo sho.
That San Antonio team is TOUGH. They can hit and have shutdown starters. Petaluma going to have their hands full. Go kids, go!
DeleteRe Pence. Yes, he has played in hitter's parks but his problems started at least a month before he got traded to SF and park effects do not fully explain the slump he is in now.
DeleteLove the, "Can't find my car in the Chavez Latrine parking lot" look on Donnie Baseballs face after the sweep.
ReplyDeleteThe Bums never had the lead for one inning, period, thanks to Pagan.
Casilla showed up just in time. Man it's good to watch power stuff sit the Bums down.
It would be nice to sweep the Braves too and gain position for the Wild Card, but I'll take 2-2. It's still a long season.
For July and this far into August, the Giants are just a .500 team at home. They have to get more dominate at home for the rest of the year.
ReplyDeleteI sure hope they didn't tell Pence his job was to come to the Giants and be a HR guy. I noticed in the last few series that the Giants have been hitting into the opposite field. Pence has to realize by now that AT&T is not like Houston or Philadelphia. I wish he would concentrate on just putting the ball in play rather than trying to knock the ball into the higher atmosphere.
It would be nice if Arias could play LF and keep that bat from chilling off. Sure would solve a lot of problems. Arias missed a hot shot grounder simliar to that Pablo had picked and made Belt do a very nice pick up at 1B but they got the man.
I sat up and behind the Dodgers dugout so I could see into the Giants' dugout. The Giants are worth the price to just watching their dugout. A bunch of caring guys with NO ethic separation. That alone made the 3 days worth it.
For the record, I wanted Pence in LF and Blanco in RF when Hunter first came to the Giants. Last night was the reason. Even the flies he caught, he seemed hesitant. imo
I wish these Hollywood stars would just stay home. Dodger Stadium has gotten better but their are still too many dipsticks. I can't believe a group out in LF were harassing Victorino. He's their own player. Yeah the real highlight was some guy taking the foul ball from the ballboy's glove while the ballboy was headed to give it to a little boy.
Good word slip opshuns, "NO ethic separation" or it could be "NO ethnic separation". Works both ways now. Either way the Giants seem to really enjoy playing for each other.
DeleteAlways glad to see Giants fans representing in LA.
Thanks MS, I did misspell it or a typo. It was more than an hour ago so I forgot it...lol
DeleteOh yeah, missed something.
ReplyDeleteSome of Pence's throws to the infield looked strange. It was like his whole body swung kind of stiff as he threw. I hate to say it, but it was kind of like my niece.
I noticed the same
DeleteGreat comments, everybody. Nothing here I disagree with particularly. Keep 'em coming.
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