Game Wrap 6/4/2014: Giants 3 Reds 2

The Giants got 2 2-out HR's and 3 runs in the 6'th inning to back another Vogelstrong pitching performance and even the 3 game series with the Cincinnati Reds in their ballpark.  Key Lines:

Michael Morse- 1 for 4, HR(12).  BA= .288.  Tony Cingrani was throwing fastball after fastball between the belt and the letter and the Giants hitter were swinging and missing.  It was Morse's K on 3 swinging strikes in the 4'th inning that convinced me that this game needed less of my involvement in it, so I went and wrote a blog post instead of watching.  I guess if you throw enough belt and letter high FB's, you'll make hitters look bad in this league, but the law of averages eventually catches up.  Morse hit a 2 out HR his next time up to finally get the Giants on the scoreboard.  

Juan Perez- 2 for 4, 2B, HR(1).  BA= .120.  Perez came into the game hitting .067 or something ridiculous like that.  Cingrani wasn't fooling him though as he hit a bounder over the head of the 3B for a double in his first AB then hit a 2 out, 2-run HR in the 6'th to put the Giants ahead to stay.  I should also mention that Brandon Hicks got a big hit once again when he followed Morse's HR with a single to LF to set up Perez' shot.  The 3 runs were all that Vogey and the bullpen needed.

Ryan Vogelsong- 6.1 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 9 K's.  ERA= 3.39.  Vogey was sharp in the first 2 innings then gave up a series of hits in the 3'rd and looked like he was on the ropes.  He got out of that, then struck out Todd Frazier with 2 on and 2 out in the 4'th inning.  He cruised after that putting on one his pitching clinics in the process.  Vogey has gone 3-1 with a 1.71 ERA over his last 8 starts since his disastrous outing in Colorado 4/21.  All 8 of those starts have lasted 6 IP or longer with 6 of 8 QS all allowing 2 runs or fewer.  In the 2 non-QS's he allowed 4 runs in each.  That is good pitching!

Sergio Romo- 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K, Save(18).  ERA= 3.38.  Romo retired the Reds in order for the Save but did so on 3 pop-ups.  You had the feeling that the hitters were expecting the pitches to drop and when they stayed up, they go under them.  The inning left me unconvinced that Romo has solved his slider command problems.

The Dodgers just lost to the White Sox again, 2-1.  That puts the NL West leading Giants up on the second place Dodgers by 8 games.  The 3'rd place Rockies, who suddenly can't seem to beat anybody got pounded by the D'Backs 16-8 to fall 9.5 games off the pace.  The Padres topped the Pirates 3-2 to remain 11.5 games behind the Giants while the D'Backs remained 14 games behind in last place.

Madison Bumgarner goes for the series win tomorrow afternoon(9:30 AM PDT) facing Mike Leake.  Leake and pitchers like him are historically tough on the Giants and it's Getaway Day, but you have to think Bummy has a great chance to bring home another series win and a resoundingly successful road trip.