The Giants missed out on two chances to score the go-ahead run in the top of the 9'th inning only to have the D'Backs win in a walk-off in the bottom of the inning. Key Lines:
Brett Wisely 2B- 2 for 4, 2B. BA= .350. Wisely has the hot hand and will likely continue to play as long as he maintains it. He batted leadoff tonight and reached base twice in 4 PA's scoring one of the Giants 2 runs.
Matt Chapman 3B- 2 for 4, 2B. BA= .238. Chapman drove in a run with the double but figured into the lost opportunity in the 9'th. He singled with one out. After Michael Conforto struck out, Heliot Ramos singled to fairly deep left-center field. Chapman was running on the play and made a big turn at 3B then slammed on the brakes. Was that his call or the 3B coach? We'll never know for sure if he would have scored had he kept going but it sure looked like it as the throw was weak and barely made it to the cutoff man. It looked like the right call when Jorge Soler was initially called safe at 1B on an offline throw on a chopper down the 3B line with Chapman scoring but the call was overturned on replay and the run did not count. And that's how it goes when you are in a losing streak.
Heliot Ramos RF- 2 for 3, HR(4). BA= .295. Ramos' HR tied the game at 2 and his single possibly should have driven in the go-ahead run. That run might not have been enough anyway as the D'Backs scored 2 on the bottom of the 9'th but there is a huge difference between pitching the 9'th with a lead and in a tie game.
Spencer Howard RHP- 4.2 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 0 BB, 3 K's. ERA= 2.08. Erik Miller opened the game and pitched a scoreless first inning but Lourdes Gurriel Jr greeted Howard in the second with a HR. Eugenio Suarez hit a one-out triple and scored on a single by Blaze Alexander. Can someone remind me again why it makes Howard's job easuer to come in after an Opener?
The Giants fall to 9 games behind the Dodgers in the NL West but remain just 0.5 games off the Wild Card pace.
Kyle Harrison LHP tries to be the stopper tomorrow Blake Walston LHP
As expected, Blake Snell LHP went on the IL with an adductor strain. Michael Conforto OF returned from the IL.
these are the games ownership is going to be watching very closely on. if we are scuffling at the break, zaidi may need to prepare to pack his bags after the season. this should be a winnable stretch of games and if we don't take care of business, it may be time to give kim ng a call.
ReplyDeletewhy the lefty opener for Howard? Joc at #3...Marte is switcher...that's "why," not saying i buy it
ReplyDeleteNot to put the onus on him, but Soler only had runners on base in the 9th inning, 2 of them, and, as we've become accustomed, he failed even when the D'backs tried to help with an errant throw.
ReplyDeleteInterestingly, that was a walk-less and error-less game.
Isn't the theory of the Starter is to have the Bulk-inning reliever, go more than 3 innings and only face the "power" hitters once?
It is a given that the GM/POBO/MGR take the hit when players fail to perform.
ReplyDeleteThe Giants have 5th highest payroll in the NL and are in serious contention for the 5 or 6th playoff spot. Milwaukee is the only NL team with a lower payroll that is seriously outperforming them – the Brewers have been able to maintain a steady lineup and have not been decimated by injuries.
Zaidi has a crescendo of critics here on Doc's blog (although there are also some calmer heads), on The Athletic (brutal commenters), and even some other normally positive Giants sites.
That 2 of 2024's 5 major signings have spectacularly failed to help in any way and a 3rd is gone after just 37 games played adds high octane fuel to FZ's detractors, never mind the injuries that have decimated the team.
It's easy to be critical when the team hits a rough patch, and the manager can't find a working lineup, but remember: there are more than 100 games left to play, the Giants have recently shown that things can go their way, and it has been quite interesting to see so many first- and second-year young players contribute.