Willy Adames 3-run bomb in the first inning was the difference in this game as the Giants held off a D'Backs comeback in the middle innings for a wire-to-wire win. Key Lines:
Willy Adames SS- 1 for 4, HR(28), R, 3 RBI. BA= .230. Adames made Zac Gallen RHP pay for walking the first two Giants batters by punishing a hanging curveball deeeeep into the L-CF seats. 3-run HR's win ballgames.
Patrick Bailey C- 1 for 2, HR(5), BB, R, RBI. BA= .218. Bailey hits his second HR in as many games. He admired this one a little almost like he expected it. It gave the Giants a valuable insurance run in the 5'th.
Robbie Ray LHP- 5 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 5 K's. ERA= 3.32. Ray fell short of a Quality Start but got credit for the W(11-6).
Matt Gage LHP- 0.1 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 0 K. ERA= 2.08. I wasn't sure why Melvin let Gabe face Ildemaro Vargas after giving up line drive singles to two of the first 3 batters he faced, but Vargas is a switch-hitter who bats much better from the left side, so it made sense. Unfortunately he singled in a run and advanced to 2B on a bad throw to the plate.
Joel Peguero RHP- 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K's. ERA= 0.00. Peguero came in with runners at 2'nd and 3'rd and 1 out. He struck out the next two batters to get out of the jam and then pitched to contact for 3 more outs in the 7'th inning. All the while he was throwing easy triple digits and looking quite calm in the process. His stuff and demeanor reminded me of Camilo Doval RHP, memba him? I wonder if the Yankees would be willing to trade Doval back for one, just one, prospect?
Ryan Walker RHP- 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K, Save(15). ERA= 3.86. If you were thinking "here we go again" after Walker gave up a hit and walk to the first two batters he faced, you weren't alone. He setttled down and got the Save but you have to wonder about a Closer who doesn't get a lot of K's.
The Win cuts the Giants deficit in the Wild Card race to just 2 games as the Mets lost to the Phillies again, 9-3.
Carson Seymour RHP tries for the sweep tomorrow afternoon against Eduardo Rodriguez LHP who comes in with an ERA of 5.22.
Yesterday's Closer discussion got me to meditating on my man, Frank Linzy from way back in the day. Linzy had a helluva rookie season for the Giants in 1965. He appeared in 57 games, all in relief.
9-3, 1.43, 81.2 IP, 21 Saves. He finished 13'th in the National League MVP voting(Willie Mays won) and 3'rd in ROY voting.
Not so fun fact: The Giants won 14 games in a row in early September 1965 to take a 4.5 game lead in the National League Pennant race. The Dodgers answered back with a 13 win streak of their own and won 15 of 16 games down the stretch to win the NL Pennant by 2 games over the Giants. The Dodgers went on to win the World Series 4 games to 3 over the Minnesota Twins.
We're about the same age and so I remember Frank Linzy well. Of course he was not a modern "closer" in any sense (position invented as I recall by Tony LaRussa with Eckersly). Linzy was the classic relief pitcher aka s fireman, and a good one too. He came in the game when there was trouble on the bases.
ReplyDeleteI seem to recall Linzy with an interesting straight-leg kick, as if his left knee were in a splint.
DeleteWe don't need catch the Dodgers, just like they didn't need to catch us in '21.
ReplyDeleteI kind of look at it like we're 3 back of the Mets, because tying the Mets does the Giants no good. I remember when the Giants were 10 games up in May, thinking, "If they just play .500 ball from here on out, they've got a shot..."
Not exactly, but this is kind of house money at this point. Nobody expects the playoffs. So whatever they do is good. Never looking past tomorrow (we need it, of course) but the two Dodgers series are the test...
Mets don't play LA but they have 2 more with the Phillies and 3-game series with Padres, Cubs, and Texas — 11 games with four winning teams.
DeleteThere is hope IF the G's can stand up to the Bad Guys.
SF could have Webb and Ray for 4 of the 7 games with them on normal 5-day rotation, and Verlander, too.
1965 was the year of the Roseboro incident. The Giants went on the win streak after Marichal was suspended but Willie Mays thought that the suspension cost them the pennant. Mays said that relievers had to work harder in Marichal’s absence. Marichal was also prohibited from traveling to Los Angeles for the Dodger series in September.
ReplyDelete...so you mean there's a chance? last thing i need at this point is to think these wacky Giants have a chance to make the playoffs. i am old enough to remember Frank Linzy and it's a weird thing when you hear a name for the first time in, say, 50+ years. -es
ReplyDeleteRemember the Giants' win streak in Ray starts to begin the season?
ReplyDeleteSF has won his last 5 starts since mid August.
Ditto Webb's last 5.
They are a formidable twosome, and Giants could have won 4 of Verlander's last 5 with a little run support.
We'll need a veteran option to compete with Walker in spring training. I would not spend stupid money on a closer.
ReplyDelete