A nifty tag at home plate on a reversed call on replay by Joey Bart C was the difference in this game and preserved the shutout for Alex Wood LHP and three relievers.
Wood carried a 2-hit shutout into the 7'th inning and got the first batter, but allowed a single to Brandon Drury 1B which brought Kap out to bring in John Brebbia RHP. Brebbia promptly allowed a double down the LF line to Ha-Seong Kim SS and it like the shutout and lead were gone just like that. The relay throw and Drury arrived at home plate at the same time. Bart put down a tag and held onto the ball but the ump called Safe. Bart immediately signaled for a replay and the Giants reviewers agreed. The replays on TV seemed less than conclusive but it looked like maybe Drury's hand was in the air over home plate until after the tag. Apparently an angle in review room confirmed that and the call was reversed to an out. That was the play of the game.
Bart also went 1 for 3, BB and is looking like he owns the team. On the BB, it looked like Blake Snell LHP was pitching around him. As Katie Belt put it on Twitter: When did Joey Bart become the best player on this team?
Thairo Estrada 2B stays hot with a 2 for 3, SF game. Estrada looking like a definite keeper for next season.
This may be the game Camilo Doval RHP established himself as a frontline Closer. Protecting a 1-0 lead, he had to face Soto, Machado and Bell. He barely broke a sweat as Joey Bart kept calling for the new 2-seamer even though it is clearly a very tough pitch to catch. The final pitch hit 103 MPH on the TV gun. To my eye, Joey Bart has taken the charge with Doval and managing him through the tough spots.
I'll say it again, getting Joey Bart established is the one essential goal of this season for the Giants. Getting Doval established as the Closer would be not far behind on the priority list.
*************************************************************************************
Churn Watch:
Evan Longoria 3B was reinstated from the IL and DH'd this game(he scored the only run of the game). Bryce Johnson OF was optioned back to AAA Sacramento.
*************************************************************************************
Alex Cobb RHP tries to clinch a series win tomorrow evening against Joe Musgrove RHP.
ReplyDeleteI just got back from two weeks in Canada where I did not watch any baseball and what a great game to watch. A 1-0 game like this separates true fans from the rest. Every pitch counted. The defense was critical. The umpire's strike zone was a side story to the game. Then the critical tag at the plate by Bart from the perfect Crawford tag was watched over and over. Hopefully, this is the start of the Giants turning the page and taking their game to the next level.
zzzzzz
ReplyDeleteborrrr-ing, except the out at the plate (IMHO)
Was the top of the 4th exciting?
Single
Single, runner to 2nd
Single, runners to 2nd and 3rd (Longo legs left in dugout)
Bases loaded, no outs, big inning coming!
Fly out, runners advance from 2nd and 3rd
Walk, bases loaded
Strikeout, bases loaded
Smash to first, maybe the most exciting play of the inning
Team LOB: 8, With RISP: 1 for 7 but didn't score a run!
Total runners left on base: 15! 5 by Gonzalez
Crawford showed some signs of his better days