Game Wrap 7/30/2016: Giants 5 Nationals 3

The Giants got an immediate boost from newcomer Eduardo Nunez and 5 shutout innings from the bullpen to salvage a shaky start by Jake Peavy.  Key Lines:

Eduardo Nunez- 2 for 5, 2B, SB(28).  BA= .297.  Brandon Crawford was unavailable with a sore hand(although he did come in to play SS in the 9'th inning), so Nunez stepped in and batted leadoff despite a minuscule walk rate.  Of course, he came up with the bases loaded 3 times.  He did deliver a 2-run double in the 4'th to drive in the Giants first two runs.  He left 7 others on base, but hey, that's better than what the Giants have been doing with the bases loaded!

Buster Posey- 2 for 4, BB. BA= .287.  Maybe with Pence in the lineup, Buster won't be going up there as often needing to hit a HR to get the Giants back in the game.

Hunter Pence- 1 for 3, 2B, BB.  BA= .299.  Giants needed a good hitting OF a the trade deadline.  Maybe Pence is that guy.

Brandon Belt- 1 for 1, 3 BB.  BA= .282.  With Pence back in the lineup, maybe Belt can walk his way out of his slump?

Joe Panik- 1 for 3, SF.  BA= .251.  Panik got the Giants an insurance run with a bases-loaded sac fly.  Hey again!  That's better than what the Giants have been doing with the bases loaded!

Jake Peavy- 4 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 1 BB, 7 K's.  ERA= 5.47.  From the K's and BB's, Peavy was dealing but he'd thrown 78 pitches through 4 IP, and with with runners on base, Bochy lifted him for PH Mac Williamson who drew a walk to load the bases and set up Nunez' double.  Mad eventually scored on a groundout.

Bullpen- 5 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K's.  This bullpen is still capable of games like this where they win the game by shutting down the opposing team, not just for 3 or 3 innings, but 4 or 5.  New lefty Matt Reynolds started the 5'th inning buy walking Ben Revere, but he struck out Bryce Harper.  Hunter Strickland pitched 1.2 shutout innings.  Javier Lopez walked his 8'th LH batter this season(he's also hit one with a pitch).  Casilla got the 2-run Save(23).

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The Dodgers lost to the D'Backs 4-1, so the Giants were able to extend their lead in the NL West to 2 games.

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Matt Cain tries to salvage a series tie today facing Gio Gonzalez.

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Around the League:

Indians acquire Andrew Miller from the Yankees for prospects Clint Frazier and Justus Sheffield.  Apparently the Yanks like those two better than anything the Giants could have given them.  The Indians may also be close to acquiring Jonathan Lucroy, although Sheffield was rumored to be part of that trade too.

The Padres were able to get a net savings of about $25 M on Matt Kemp's contract by shipping him to the Braves for Hector Olivera, another guy with a bad contract.  The Padres immediately released the troubled Olivera.  So, why didn't the Braves just release Olivera themselves?  They get a net gain of about $3.5 M in the deal, although now they have to figure out what to do with Kemp.  My guess is Kemp is immediately on the trading block for another bad contract.

The Pirates waived a white flag on the season by shipping closer Mark Melancon to the Nationals for a couple of low level prospects.  Seems like the Giants could use Melancon and could afford a better trade package, but what do I know?

The A's shipped out Billy Burns to the Royals for aging prospect Brett Eibner in a head scratching move from the A's standpoint.