Game Wrap 5/17/2025: Giants 1 A's 0(10 innings)

After a tense, 9-inning pitching duel between Landen Roupp and Luis Severino and several relievers, the Giants finally put together a "small ball" rally in the 10'th inning capped by a Wilmer Flores "balls of steel"(sorry, it's the only way I can think of to describe it) walk-off win.  Key Lines:

Instead of a "key" batting line we'll walk through the bottom of the 10'th inning:

Willy Adames SS was the designated runner at 2B.  Lamonte Wade Jr 1B tried to bunt him to 3B but fouled off twice to put him in an 0-2 hole.  He somehow worked his way back to a 3-2 count and drew a walk which didn't advance the runner at 3B but there were still no outs and Adames was still at 2B.  Patrick Bailey C came up and laid down a perfect sac bunt which advanced both runners to 3B and 2B respectively.  Now mind you, all this was while facing Mason Miller RHP who was throwing 102-104 MPH gas.  Tyler Fitzgerald tried to lay down and squeeze bunt but fouled it to the right of the 1B line and then struck out which meant it was going to take a hit or a wild pitch to score a run.  The lefty batting Mike Yastrzemski RF was walked intentionally to load the bases creating a potential force play at any base but it also left Miller without an open base bringing Wilmer Flores to the plate.  I don't quite remember if it was 0-2 or 1-2 but Wilmer fell behind in the count.  Miller was amping up to 104 MPH and things weren't looking too hopeful.  

But here's what I said about Wilmer in yesterday's Game Wrap:  ".....never panics at the plate...."  Let me repeat that:  Wilmer Flores never panics at the plate!  I have no idea how any hitter can lay off 2-strike pitches when the pitcher is throwing 104 MPH cheese but Wilmer was somehow able to lay off pitches outside the zone and swing at and get a piece of pitches in the zone.  He worked it back to 3-2 then took ball four below the zone for the walk-off walk.  As the late Vin Scully would say, "how about that?"  And kudos to LMWJ for essentially doing the same 3 batters earlier to make it all possible even if he didn't get the bunt down.  BTW, I'm guessing it's not so easy to get a bunt down on a 102 MPH fastball.

Landen Roupp RHP- 6 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 5 K's, 8/3 GO/AO.  ERA= 4.11.  Roupp matched goose eggs with Severino for 6 innings.  Roupp has all kinds of stuff but does not always command it.  He had good command of all his pitches tonight and more than held his own in a pitching duel.  Once it got to the bullpens I felt the Giants had the advantage.  They did, but just barely.

Bullpen- 4 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K's.  Randy Rodriguez RHP, Tyler Rogers RHP and Ryan Walker RHP threw a total of 20 pitches over 3 innings.  All but one were strikes.  Rogers got 3 outs on a total of 4 pitches.  Camilo Doval deserves special mention for stranding the designated runner in the top of the 10'th inning with a ground out and 2 K's.  He did allow a walk.

This game had all the makings for a crushing loss and coming out of it with a win is something the team may look back on as a moment of truth.

The Giants go for the sweep tomorrow afternoon with Justin Verlander RHP facing Jeffrey Springs LHP.

Addendum:  Sorry, I was pretty tired by the time I finished this post last night so forgot to mention the pitching rotation change.  Bob Melvin announced Jordan Hicks RHP will move to a bullpen role with Hayden Birdsong RHP moving into the rotation.  Hicks last start was a disaster start lasting only 2 batters and no outs into his third inning of work although his previous start was a Quality Start and his secondary stats indicate he pitched in terrible BABIP luck which historically means a positive regression is expected(although admittedly doesn't always happen).  It's possible that Hicks is relying too heavily on an outdated hard sinker/groundball approach and needs to diversify his pitch repertoire.  

Hayden Birdsong was electric in his most of his appearances but his ERA of 2.31 is outperforming his secondary stats and he's gotten roughed up in 2 of his last 3 appearances so the timing of this move is not as obvious as it might have been a two weeks ago.  Birdsong has more of a classic starter 3-pitch mix than Hicks and the Giants need to find out what they have in him for long term planning if nothing else.  He has the tools to be a future ace and the drama is a good problem for the Giants to have.