Mike Yastrzemski has a flair for the dramatic and he did it again with a walk-off, Splash-Hit home run in extra-innings to cap an inspiring comeback by the Giants to avoid a sweep. Key Lines:
Jung Hoo Lee CF- 3 for 5, 2B, 3B, R, RBI. Lee finished a homer short of a cycle and oh my! He is rapidly becoming a star!
Mike Yastrzemski RF- 2 for 5, 2B, HR(2), 2 R, 2 RBI. BA= .344. Another strong game for YtY who has emerged as an early leader. Stay healthy!
Wilmer Flores DH- 3 for 4, HR(5), 2 R, 2 RBI. BA= .273. Speaking of staying healthy, Wilmer emerges as the early favorite to break the Giants 30 HR drought.
Patrick Bailey C- 2 for 4, 3B, R, RBI. BA= .194. Bailey legged out a triple of his own. He is batting .263 over his last 7 games although 5 of his 6 hits on the season were in two games.
Tyler Fitzgerald 2B- 2 for 4, 2B, RBI. BA= .219. Fitz has been scuffling at the plate. Hopefully this is the start of more production.
Justin Verlander RHP- 5.2 IP, 5 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 3 BB, 9 K's. ERA= 6.92. It looked like a replay of the Home Opener and another early exit for Verlander as he breezed through the first two innings then hit a wall in the third. At one point Kruk and Kuip said he was within one batter of getting pulled but he somehow got out of the inning and went on to give up only an unearned run over the next 2.2 innings. Breaking down the disaster third inning it becomes apparent that Verlander was the victim of epically bad BABIP luck. Here is the sequence: Pop Out, Walk, ground ball single deflected by Matt Chapman, Fly ball double, single on soft groundball to Matt Chapman, double on a ground ball deflected by LMWJ, groundball single deflected by Tyler Fitzgerald, pop out, strike out. The run he gave up in the 6'th was unearned so more bad luck there. Overall an encouraging start for Verlander that bodes well for future starts.
Bullpen- 4.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 7 K's. Lou Trivino RHP got out of the 6'th inning then Randy Rodriguez RHP, Tyler Rogers RHP, Ryan Walker RHP, and Erik Miller LHP shut it down the rest of the way.
The Win improves the Giants record to 9-3 they trail the Padres in the NL West by 0.5 games.
Tomorrow is a travel day before the start of a brutal 10 game road trip against the Yankees, Phillies and Angels and 17 games in 17 days before their next day off on April 28.
Robbie Ray LHP gets the first start or the road trip Friday evening against Marcus Stroman RHP.
THIS!!! THIS is how they should have been approaching hitting in the first two games of the series. Squared up and drove balls. Worked the counts. Only twice did it appear that they were actively trying to hit homeruns. And those were the Flores shot and the Yaz walkoff. Guarantee that with each, they were lying in the weeds, looking for one specific pitch and location. Each on the first pitch. All others, they worked the counts. And ultimately rallied.
ReplyDeleteNot to say that I'm totally pleased. Lee was on third with none out, and they didn't score him. Ditto the next inning with second and third and none down
But, overall, they were properly approaching the game. For that, I give them kudos.
Wow, what a comeback..Down 6-1 on a getaway day the Reds already thinking they have the sweep in the bag...And the Giants never quit or gave up...gotta love it..and they did it with absolutly nothing from RAMOS and CHAPMAN..The bottom of the lineup was on fire...It takes a village, right?? ANother great day by the bullpen...I want another lefty though! On to NY!!!
ReplyDeleteSteveVA
What lefty would you want, and at what price?
DeleteLet me check with my MLB scouts and see who they recommend! But seriously, I can't answer that...I think they just need a lefty of decent calbre ((even if somebody from the system) to give MELVIN innings (either late or early) and flexibilty not wear MILLER out....Stretches like the upcoming one, 17 games in 17 days, another lefty might be of help against big bats with matchups. Maybe this happens later in the season if the giants are in the PO mix.
DeletesteveVA
If Doval's stock drops further I could see him getting replaced by Joey Lucchesi LHP
Deleteyeah, maybe Lucchesi can be that internal option,.....but We need for DOVAL to get his head out of you know where...either to help the Giants or keep his trade value at a decent level.
DeleteStevevVA
Just checked MLBTR's free agent list. Forever Giants Will Smith LHP, Drew Smyly LHP and Ty Blach LHP are still out there.
Delete....Don't know if any of them still have left arms attached to their bodies.....
DeleteSmith had a poor season for KC. Smyly seems to still have something in the tank. Blach had 6.94 ERA with Rockies.
DeleteWas 6.94 ERA with Rockies (in Colorado) good or bad?
DeleteTwo previous years in Colorado, ERA in mid 5 so it’s trending worse. Also, he’s 34 years old.
DeleteWhen do we begin worrying about LMWJ? Or are we past that?
ReplyDeleteHis vaunted OPB is in the dumpster (.146), his Ks are 33⅓%. and he's not getting walks (SSS).
Time for LHB Jake Lamb who is doing sort of well @ Sacramento (hitting against LHP as well as RHP)? Or Fitz @ 1B and LHB Brett Wisely @ 2B, although he's struggling in Sacramento?
Or see how Wade does against 2 RHP in Yankee Stadium before Carlos Rodon on Sunday?
The Giants are winning despite their poor hitting (6 players below the Mendoza Line and Chapman descending toward it @ .205 **) — that's more than half the team, 4 of the 7 are regulars. Flores and YtY are carrying the team with some help from Lee — whodda thunk?
Can their excellent pitching sustain them? They are throwing their best at NYY: Ray, Hicks, and Webb, winning 2 of 3 would be GREAT!
How 'bout a SWEEP?
** Chapman is hitless in his last 18 PAs with 2 Ws, 5Ks, and 0 RBIs.
I think LMWJ will be fine. His tertiary stats like Hard Hit%, Flyball% and Exit Velocity all look good. One of two things is going on: 1. The Giants encouraged him to be more aggressive and swing earlier in the count. 2. Pitchers are trying to take advantage of his patience and plate discipline by pounding the zone. Maybe some of both? The Eye Test says he his hitting balls hard that are getting caught. The stats tend to support that.
Delete