Game Wrap 8/5/2017: Giants 5 D'Backs 4

The Giants showed some fight on 1997 team reunion night overcoming a 4-0 D'Backs lead in regulation play and pushing across the winning run in the bottom of the 10'th inning.  Key Lines:

Kelby Tomlinson PH/3B- 1 for 1, BB,  BA= .268.  Kelby started the game-tying rally in the 8'th inning with yet another PH single.  He took 3'rd on Crawford's single and scored on a Buster Posey GIDP.  He also drew an intentional walk in the 10'th and was erased on Brandon Crawford's GIDP, but that play sent Denard Span to 3B to set up Jarrett Parker's game-winning hit.

Pablo Sandoval 3B- 1 for 3, 2B.  BA= .216.  Pablo's return was a mixed bag.  His throwing error allowed the D'Backs 3'rd run to score in the 5'th, but his double into the left-center gap started the 3-run rally in the 7'th that got the Giants back into this game.  Bruce Bochy sent Buster Posey to PH rather than let Pabs hit from the right side in the 8'th inning.  Hey!  Pabs may be hitting .216, but he's hitting .333 with a .667 SLG% as a Giant, and the BoSox are paying 97.5% of his salary!

Jarrett Parker LF- 2 for 5, 2B.  BA= .267.  Parker followed Sandoval's double in the 7'th inning with one of his own which he drilled off the RF wall.  His 2-out groundball in the 10'th found a seam.  It was fielded in shallow R-CF by the 2B too deep to have a chance as Span scored on the IF single.  Parker added a diving, sliding catch down the LF line that had a lot of people remembering his encounter with the LF wall that broke his clavicle back in April.  Parker showed no fear and made the highlight reel catch.

Nick Hundley C- 3 for 4.  BA= .272.  Hundley had 3 hits but did not figure into the scoring.

Chris Stratton RHP- 5 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 4 K's.  ERA= 6.63.  Things did not look good when Stratton started the game by allowing a leadoff double followed by a walk, HBP, double.  He was saved by a relay throw from Parker to Crawford to the plate to nab the trailing runner on JD Martinez' double.  He then struck out Descalso to limit the damage.  After that, Stratton settled down to pitch 3 shutout innings.   He also did a nice job of limiting the damage from Pablo's throwing error by striking out Paul Goldschmidt and getting Descalso on a harmless flyball to strand 3 runners in the 5'th.

Kyle Crick RHP- 2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 2.60.  Crick pitched his way out of 2 jams.  After 2 singles, a Crawford throwing error and a Passed Ball put runners at 2'nd and 3'rd with 1 out and a run in, He struck out AJ Pollack and got Jake Lamb to pop out to end the D'Backs 6'th inning.  Lamb in particular has absolutely killed Giants RHP's over the years.  Then in the 7'th after both Denard Span and Hunter Pence lost JD Martinez' high fly for triple, Cricky got Descalso to pop out and Ketel Marte to fly out.  Oh, and he struck out Paul Goldschmidt to start the inning.

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Jeff Samardzija tries for a series win in the finale facing LHP Patrick Corbin.