Wednesday, April 16, 2014

Game Wrap 4/16/2014: Giants 2 Dodgers 1

Ryan Vogelsong picked a great time to get his game together pitching 6 strong innings.  The Giants scratched out 2 runs in support and the bullpen shut it down the rest of the way.  Key Lines:

Pablo Sandoval- 2 for 4.  BA= .186.  The Dodgers walked Hunter Pence with 2 outs and a runner on 2B in the bottom of the 7'th so the LHP Howell could face the switch-hitting Sandoval from the right side.  Sandoval worked all offseason on his RH hitting and made them pay with the game-winning RBI single.

Buster Posey- 1 for 3, BB.  BA= .280.  Buster drove in the first Giants run of the game with a single up the middle.

Ryan Vogelsong- 6 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 2 K.  ERA= 5.40.  I thought Vogey might have turned a corner in the 3'rd inning of his last start against the Padres.  He continued the tougher pitching this game and came away deadlocked 1-1 with Paul Maholm after 6 IP.

Jean Machi- 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K.  ERA= 1.29.  The Giants bullpen outpitched the Dodgers pen once again and Machi was a huge part of it tonight getting through the 7'th with the tie game intact.

Sergio Romo- 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K, Save(4).  ERA= 1.29.  Romo struck out the LH hitting Adrian Gonzalez then Matt Kemp for the last 2 outs.  He had to be pumped!

Hanley Ramirez was struck on the hand by a Ryan Vogelsong 90 MPH fastball and came out of the game. X-rays were reportedly negative.

Vogey picked Matt Kemp off 1B in the 2'nd inning.  Mattingly appealed and the call on the field was upheld.  From the replays I saw, it looked like Kemp might have been safe, but they were definitely inconclusive so upholding the call on the field was the right call for the replay ump.

The Win improves the Giants record to 10-5 and gives them sole possession of first place in the NL West, 1 game ahead of the Dodgers who fall to 9-6.  The Padres defeated the Rockies 4-2 to take over 3'rd place, but remain 3 games behind the leaders.  The Rockies fall to 3.5 games behind in 4'th place.  The D'Backs lost again, this time to the Mets, 5-2.  Their record now stands at 4-14 and they are 7.5 games behind the Giants in last place.

Madison Bumgarner goes for the series sweep tomorrow facing Hyun-Jin Ryu.  The Giants are already guaranteed a series win and can come out of the series no worse than tied for first place.  I liken these first two games to trench warfare or "hugging the belt", both wartime metaphors for a strategy that neutralizes a seemingly superior opponent.  Love it!

7 comments:

  1. Giants torture is BACK!

    DocB, I thought Kemp was out on the pick-off play. But that just goes to show you how close the call was and that the replays were definitely inconclusive to overturn.

    4.5 mins is too long for replay review.

    Bringing the broom to the park tomorrow. SWEEP DA BUMS!!!

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    1. To me, on some frames it looks like Belt hit Kemp's elbow before his hand hit the bag, and on others, it looks like a tie or maybe even that his hand touched the bag first. Definitely inconclusive, though.

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    2. 4.5 minutes is way too long and unfair to whoever is the pitcher in that situation. should be able to decide its inconclusive in a much quicker fashion...and i wonder if the bums have a coach looking at replay, cuz im not sure i wouldve challenged on that call

      best vogey has thrown in a year


      im sure he is kicking himself for walking the pitcher, but the pitch that gordon hit for a triple wasnt all that bad...mightve caught a bit more of the plate than vogey wanted...gordon has def improved as a hitter

      hicks got att'd...hit a very long out that wouldve been a dinger in most other parks....and he has gotta run extra defensive drills

      machi is a much better athlete than his body type would let on

      giants have beaten the bums in 9 of last 11....thats pure ownage

      a sweep would be nice...have a feeling it wont happen

      bacci

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  2. Ownage indeed! Here's to hoping that Monterey's broom brings the Hometown Heroes a sweep. As Shankbone noted again the other day, Ryu is tough.

    Quick question on Panda's game-tying RBI: on the web, it looked like he reached down and pulled a another Wee Willie Keeler impression. Is that what you gents observed?

    NWGiantsFan
    DtF!!!

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    1. The broom in question has been to 15 sweeps in 25 tries over the last 30+ years. Family heirloom and Bums buster. So, we got that going for us...

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    2. It looked like Pablo consciously took a little bit off of his swing and just tried to put the barrel on the ball. I take that as a positive sign wherein he regarded the situation and adjusted accordingly - a sign of maturity.

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  3. Good job by the Giants so far in the series.

    If each game were an independent probabilistic event, then what happened the last game should have no bearing on the next game. (And the same with each pitch and each at bat). But human nature being what it is, the Bums will try hard (or harder) to avoid a sweep. (And a pitcher - not a thrower - will set up a batter by a previous pitch or pitches, and a batter will adjust from one bat to another at bat, or in the midst of one at bat).

    I am still rooting for a sweep though.

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