The kids were alright for the Giants as several made major contributions to a nice win over the Braves in a one-game makeup series. Key Lines:
Turner Hill PH/LF- 1 for 2, 2B, R, 2 RBI. BA= .273. In addition to auditioning younger players for potential roster spots next year, the rest of this season gives Tony Vitello a chance to show he can make good in-game baseball decisions. In this situation he had Christian Koss bunt runners at first and second with no outs over to 2'nd and 3'rd with one out. The Braves brought in a LHP to face Drew Gilbert. Vitello countered with Turner Hill who is also a lefty batter but has a much more favorable split against LHP's. Hill delivered with a loud double to the RF wall then scored himself on a 2-out single by Bryce Eldridge. Gutsy, stats-based move that paid off.
Rafael Devers DH- 1 for 3, HR(30), 2 BB, R, RBI. BA= .252. Devers reaches the 30 HR milestone for the 5'th time in his career. He has a serious shot to make it at least 35 for the third time. His solo HR came with one out in the top of the first inning.
Bryce Eldridge 1B- 2 for 5, RBI. BA= .263. Eldridge is 6 for 10 over his last two games, all singles.
Jonah Cox CF- 2 for 5, HR(4), R, 2 RBI. Cox is doing all sorts of good things. He drove in the Giants second run of the game in the 5'th inning with a bunt single with 2 outs. He then homered for an insurance run in the 9'th inning.
Osleivis Basabe 3B/2B- 1 for 4, HR(4), R, RBI. BA= .207. Basabe has had his ups and downs since being called up but he homered to lead off the 6'th inning and to tie the game at 3 and start the 4-run rally that gave the Giants the lead they would maintain to the end.
Andrew Knizner C(.222) and Nate Furman 2B(.158) had two hits each and each scored a run.
Anthony Molina RHP- 5 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 0 BB, 6 K's. ERA= 3.77. Molina was better than this line as he hummed a 97 MPH fastball past Braves hitters with aplomb. At one point he struck out 5 batters in a row. He also pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the 5'th while allowing just one run in an inning that was prolonged by a misplay of a ground ball to Basabe at 3B. And Molina looked like he was having fun out there in the process.
He was the much maligned player the Giants got back from the Braves in the Tyler Mahle trade but his performance over his past two appearances puts him in the discussion for a rotation spot next season and at worst he adds a high velocity arm which the Giants desperately need more of and can be used either in a SP or RP role.
Jason Foley RHP- 1.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K. ERA= 4.11. Foley has a 2.45 ERA over his last 7 appearances. He signed as a free agent but is arbitration eligible. I predict the Giants will resign him before having to decide whether to tender a contract.
Reiver Sanmartin LHP- 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K's, 3/0 GO/AO. ERA= 4.41. After a rough start, Sanmartin has really turned it around and has not allowed an earned run in his last 8.2 IP over 7 appearances. Change up is probably his best pitch but he has a nice sinker and slider to round out his pitch mix.
Dylan Smith RHP- 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K. ERA= 3.23. Smith caused Dave Flemming some anxiety by allowing the first two batters to reach base but he got 2 outs on a 5-4 GIDP then struck out the final batter of the game on a computer-assisted called strike.
The Giants move on to their regularly scheduled series against the Pirates in Pittsburgh with Logan Webb RHP facing Paul "Dad Bod" Skenes RHP in the first game tomorrow evening.