Game Wrap 9/25/2020: Giants 5 Padres 4; Padres 6 Giants 5

The Giants split one of those 7-inning apiece doubleheaders against the Padres in Oracle Park with one game officially a home game and the other a roadie due to prior postponements and the crazy schedule.  

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Game 1:  The Giants got a Quality Start from Tyler Anderson and home runs from Brandon Crawford, Wilmer Flores and Mike Yastrzemski to build a 5-1 lead then held off a late rally by the Padres to take Game 1 5-4.  Key Lines:

Mike Yastrzemski RF- 2 for 3, 2B, HR(10). BA= .290.  First start after a long DTD injury, YtY didn't miss a beat.  His 2-run splash hit HR was the blow that chased Padres starter Chris Paddack.  

Wilmer Flores DH- 2 for 3, HR(10).  BA= .267.  Flores is kryptonite for LHP's but he's not helpless against RHP's.  He'd homered off Chris Paddack in San Diego earlier in the season and as Kruk and Kuip like to say, "ownage is ownage."  Flores took Paddack deep again to lead off the 4'th inning to put the Giants ahead and start the winning 4-run rally.

Brandon Crawford SS- 1 for 3, HR(7).  BA= .267.  Crawford's bat has gone quiet of late, but he got the Giants their first run with a HR to dead CF.

Tyler Anderson LHP- 1 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 4 BB, 4 K's.  ERA= 4.37.  Anderson worked in and out of trouble all evening but kept the Padres at bay into the 7'th when he came out after a leadoff ground-rule double to Jurickson Profar.  Reminder: Giants control Anderson's contract through arbitration for 1 more season. 

Tony Watson LHP- 1 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 0 K. ERA= 1.00.  The Giants bullpen is gassed and it was do or die with Watson.  He held on, barely.  A throwing error by Watson on a tapper by Manny Machado did not help, but again, all's well that ends well.

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Game 2:  The Giants looked like they were headed for a doubleheader sweep after Wilmer Flores crushed a 3-run HR off Drew Pomeranz in the 6'th inning to take a 5-3 lead but Trent Grisham matched that effort with a 3-run dinger in the 7'th, a walk-off because the Padres were officially the home team in game 2.  Key Lines:

Wilmer Flores DH- 1 for 3, HR(11).  BA= .268.  The Giants were trailing 3-2 going to the 6'th inning.  Drew Pomeranz got two quick outs before losing control of the strike zone and putting 2 runners on base.  That brought up Flores who was born for this situation.  First, Pomeranz is a lefty and as Kruk mentioned on the TV broadcast, Flores likes to ambush first-pitch fastballs and Pomeranz throws mostly fastballs.  The first pitch was very high, an easy take, but Flores was ready for the second pitch fastball that came right down the pipe.  He timed his swing perfectly and sent it waaay back into the bleachers down the LF line.  It was dramatic and were it not for the crushing ending, this HR would rank right up there with the Brian Johnsons as a pivotal moment in Giants history.

Jeff Samardzija RHP- 3 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 0 BB, 1 K.  ERA= 9.72.  Shark made his comeback from the IL and got through the first two innings, but fell apart in the 3'rd with Fernandon Tatis Jr's 2-run HR the big blow.  This may well have been Shark's last start as a Giant.  It's been a mixed bag but overall they probably could have made better use of the $90 M they've paid him over the last 5 seasons.  I am sure FZ is very relieved to see that contract come off the books.  

Sam Coonrod RHP- 0.1 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 1 BB, 1 K.  ERA= 9.82.  Coonrod has dominant stuff but gets a wild hair up his nose.  He was flying open on the fastball sending sailing up and away to the arm side.  He never got it under control so had to rely on his 90 MPH changeup as his only pitch.  He got one in the middle of the strike zone to Grisham for the walk-off.  Crushing!

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The doubleheader split left the Giants at .500, 29-29 and in sole possession of 8'th place in the NL which is a playoff spot if they can hang on over the last two games of the season.

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Gabe Kapler has not announced the SP for tonight's game.  TBD will face Zach Davies RHP in the penultimate game of this shortened, crazy season.