Giants get walk off win with error in 9th to beat Diamondbacks 8-7

San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey goes deep in the fifth inning for his 14th home run of the season against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Oracle Fire Park on Tue Aug 10, 2021 (AP News photo)

by Marko Ukalovic

SAN FRANCISCO—Oracle Park may have to be rebranded as a theme park instead of a ballpark.

The San Francisco Giants certainly did their part in giving their fans a roller coaster of a ride in its 8-7 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday evening.

Kris Bryant came up in the bottom of the ninth inning with two man on base with two out. On the first pitch hit a hard shot to the right side of the infield. The ball caromed off Diamondbacks first baseman Christian Walker’s glove. By the time he was able to recover, his throw to first was not in time to get Bryant, whose walk off error allowed Lamont Wade Jr. to scored from third base sending the home crowd happy and the home team a big sigh of relief.

San Francisco has won three games in a row and maintained its four game lead over the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League West. Arizona has lost three games in a row and five of its past six.

The game didn’t look like it was going to have a dramatic ninth inning after the Giants scored four runs in the first inning off of starter Zach Gallen. San Francisco received three consecutive clutch hits with two outs with back to back doubles by Bryant and Mike Yastrzemski. Alex Dickerson completed the rally with an RBI single.

Giants catcher Buster Posey hit his 14th home run of the season in the fifth inning to what looked to have been an insurmountable lead.

Posey reached base in all five of his plate appearances, going 2-2 with three walks, three runs scores and a RBI. Yastrzemski had a nice rebound game going 2-4 with two RBI and a run scored.

San Francisco (72-41) starter Alex Wood cruised through the Diamondbacks lineup in the first five innings, only giving up one hit. However the wheels fell off the bus quickly for the veteran left-hander in the sixth when Arizona evened the game by putting up a five spot in the sixth inning.

Arizona (35-79) got the rally started when Gallen hit a double over the head of Dickerson’s head in left field. That seem to have rattled Wood as he gave up back to back doubles to Nick Ahmed and Ketel Marte. Carson hit an RBI triple that was just out of the diving reach of right fielder Wade Jr. Asdrubal Cabrera smacked a two-run home run to left center field, his seventh of the season, to complete the five-run inning.

Wood finished with five earned runs on six hits while striking out five batters and no walks.

“He was really effective until that inning,” said Giants manager Gabe Kapler of Wood’s outing. “He was also efficient. He had plenty of pitches to work with. They just started banging him around the ballpark a little bit and it happened pretty quickly.”

The Giants rallied for two runs in the bottom of the eighth when Brandon Crawford hit a double to score Posey, who walked to open up the inning. Sean Poppin came in relief of Joe Mantiply. His pickoff attempt of Yastrzemski bounced over the glove of Walker and down the right field line as Crawford scored easily to give the Giants a 7-5 lead.

“Crawford’s at bat with Mantiply (in the eight inning) stands out for me. (He) goes down 0-2 and hangs in there, battles through the at bat, and gets as big as any hit that we got all night,” said Kapler.

Veteran closer Jake McGee came in to close out the game in the ninth. The normally reliable closer struggled with his location and left the ball up numerous times during the inning where he allowed two hits and two walks to four of the first five batters. Ahmed’s sacrifice fly to left field tied the game at seven and ended the night for McGee, who blew his third save of the season.

Zach Littell recorded the final out in the ninth inning.

Gallen finished the evening going six innings giving up five earned runs on seven hits while striking out seven and walking one batter.

GAME NOTES: San Francisco left seven men on base. Arizona left four men on.

Giants third base coach Ron Wotus celebrated his 2000th win in a Giants uniform. The players and coaching staff toasted his milestone after the game in the clubhouse.

“I’m honor that they’re even acknowledging it with me as a coach and not a manager,” said Wotus. “I think it speaks volumes with the managers I have worked for here and the players that have come through here in the success of the organization has really put me in a position to have 2000 wins in this uniform.”

San Francisco recalled reliever Camilo Doval from Triple-A Sacramento. To make room for Doval, reliever John Brebbia was sent down to Triple-A Sacramento.

UP NEXT: The Giants and Diamondbacks conclude their two game series on Wednesday 8/11 at 6:45pm at Oracle Park.

San Francisco Giants podcast with Marko Ukalovic: Diamondbacks and Giants open two game series Tuesday; Wood to start for SF

San Francisco Giants pitcher Alex Wood gets the start on Tue Aug 10, 2021 at Oracle Park against the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks (mercurynews.com file photo)

On the Giants podcast with Marko:

#1 The San Francisco Giants (71-41) open a two game series against the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks (35-78) at Oracle Park in San Francisco Tuesday night. The last time the two teams met the Giants took three out of four from the D-Backs in Arizona.

#2 The Giants are coming off a winning series against the Milwaukee Brewers a tough first place customer in the National League Central. The Giants took two out of three from the Brewers over the weekend at Miller Park.

#3 The Diamondbacks last in the NL West some 36.5 games back of first place and have lost seven of their last ten games.

#4 Marko talk about the Giants designating Aaron Sanchez (1-1 ERA 3.06) for assignment and Steven Duggar .250 being optioned to Triple A Sacramento.

#5 The Diamondbacks will start Zac Gallen (1-6 ERA 4.62) and the Giants will go with Alex Wood (9-3 ERA 4.03) a 6:40pm first pitch at Oracle Park to open the two game series

Marko was filling in for Morris who does the Giants podcasts Mondays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

San Francisco Giants podcast with Jeremy Harness: DeScalfani will miss a start due to tired arm; plus more

San Francisco Giants starter Anthony DeSclafani will miss a start and was placed on the ten day Injured List due to a tired arm. Here DeSclafani pitches against the Los Angeles Angels in this Tue Jun 22, 2021 photo at the Big A in Anaheim (AP file photo)

On the Giants podcast with Jeremy:

#1 Jeremy talk about San Francisco Giants (69-40) pitcher Anthony DeSclafani he going to miss a start according to reports due to a tired arm.

#2 DeSclafani is listed on the ten day injured list he’s 10-5 ERA 3.28 how’s his absence impacting the pitching staff?

#3 Tommy LaStella returned to play third and second base on Thursday night in Arizona. LaStella was on the 60 day Injured List. LaStella went 1-5 in the Giants win over the Diamondbacks 5-4 Thursday.

#4 Jeremy on the personal side for Oakland A’s broadcaster Glen Kuiper of NBC Sports Bay Area he first had his brother Duane who does San Francisco Giants play by play on the same network have Chemo treatment and thankfully Duane had returned to do some television work after said treatment. Then Oakland A’s broadcaster and Glen’s broadcast partner Ray Fosse falls ill and had to leave the game in Anaheim on Sunday and will be getting treatment for cancer.

#5 The Giants are in Milwaukee for three games to face the Brewers at Miller Park for the Giants starter Logan Webb (5-3 ERA 3.33) and for the Brewers Corbin Burnes (6-4 ERA 2.46)

Join Jeremy Harness filled in for Michael Duca listen for Michael on the Giant podcasts each Friday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Giants come back in 9th and 10th innings to edge D-Backs 5-4

San Francisco Giants third baseman and centerfielder Kris Bryant hit for two doubles on Thu Aug 5, 2021 at Chase Field in Phoenix against the Arizona Diamondbacks which led to four runs in the ninth and a run in the tenth for a comeback win (photo from USA Today)

By Jessica Kwong

At Chase Field on Thursday afternoon, the San Francisco Giants (69-40) were scoreless and trailed the Arizona Diamondbacks (34-76) by four in the ninth inning. They mustered up four runs, tying the game and winning in a remarkable 5-4 comeback in the tenth inning.

The last time that San Francisco won a game when trailing in the ninth inning by four or more runs was when some of the best to every play the game, Barry Bonds, Will Clark and Matt Williams, were in the lineup.

In the ninth, the first five Giants hitters reached against relievers Taylor Clarke and Tyler Clippard. Then LaMonte Wade Jr. finished turning things around for San Francisco with a two-out, two-strike, single to tie the game.

Giants third baseman Kris Bryant, who was responsible for the game-wing RBI, said, “We had no business winning that game.”

“Their starter really shut us down for what looked like could have been nine innings,” Bryant said. “But I’ve been a part of a few teams that do well later in the game with their backs against the wall and this team definitely has it.”

At the start of the ninth, Bryant, Brandon Crawford and Alex Dickerson chased Clarke from the game with three consecutive hits. Clippard stepped up and Donovan Solano and Brandon Belt contributed a hit and a single.

Giants manager Gabe Kapler said, “for most of the game, we didn’t see that strength, that relentlessness.”

“But all it takes is one inning,” he said. “We always talk about how important the big inning is and that really is about grinding out one at-bat after the other and we saw a lot of those late in the game.”

With Thursday’s victory, the Giants improved to 69-40 at the top of the NL West, four games ahead of the defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers and seven-and-a-half games over the San Diego Padres.

The Giants start a three-game series against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on Friday. First pitch is at 5:10 p.m.

— _

Giants Take Game Three in Diamondback Series 7-1

San Francisco Giant starter Kevin Gausman throws to the Arizona Diamondbacks line up in the first inning at Chase Field in Phoenix on Wed Aug 4, 2021 (AP News photo)

Giants Take Game Three in Diamondback Series 7-1

By Barbara Mason

Wednesday night the San Francisco Giants and the Arizona Diamondbacks clashed in Game three of their four game series. The Giants took game one 11-8 in 10 innings. Arizona answered in game two winning that game by the score of 3-1.

Giant starter Kevin Gausman set the tone by throwing six innings giving up six hits and one run and delivering eight strike outs. Gausman pitched well enough that he could have gone the distance. He was followed by relievers Jay Jackson, Tony Watson, and Jose Alvarez who shut the D-Backs hitters down for the rest of the game.

The Giants and Diamondbacks had a slow offensive start in the first three innings for both teams. The Giants broke through in the fourth inning when Donovan Solano homered giving San Francisco the slim lead 1-0.

The Giants would extend their lead in the sixth inning when two Arizona errors allowed 2 runs. Tommy LaStella and Alex Dickerson both scored in thanks to those error. Arizona would score a run in the inning when Cabrera singled driving in David Peralta and after six innings the score was 3-1 in favor of San Francisco.

The Giants broke this game wide open in the seventh inning scoring four runs. Buster Posey doubled, and Dickerson hit a homer with two runners on base. Posey’s doubled allowed Lamonte Wade Jr. to score and after seven complete innings the Giants had a 7-1 lead.

There was not much going on for either team in the eighth inning. Going into the ninth inning, the Giants were three outs away from the win. San Francisco dispatched the Diamondbacks in short order and came away with the 7-1 win.

Tomorrow San Francisco will try to win game four and win this series. First pitch is 12:40 PM.

Arizona Levels the Series winning 3-1

Arizona Diamondbacks starter Madison Bumgarner throws to the San Francisco Giants line up in the top of the first inning on Tue Aug 3, 2021 at Chase Field in Phoenix (AP News photo)

Arizona Levels the Series Winning 3-1

By Barbara Mason

In last night’s game the San Francisco Giants held what many would have called an insurmountable lead.They were coasting 7-1 after scoring five times in the top of the fifth inning which included a grand slam. The Diamondbacks had other ideas, however, and letting the Giants run away with this game was not among them.

Arizona tied up this game in the seventh inning at eight apiece. It took extra innings but San Francisco prevailed 11-8. A Posey double, a duggar single and a Solano sacrifice was all it took.

For Game Two Madison Bumgarner was on the mound for Arizona. He pitched through seven innings and was having an excellent game. The Diamondbacks were facing Johnny Cueto who pitched through six innings.

Tuesday night the teams met for Game Two of the four game series. Arizona took a 3-0 lead in the second inning when Nick Ahmed doubled and Asdrubal Cabrera also doubled. Ahmed drove in Christian Walker and off of Cabrera’s double Ahmed and Madison Bumgarner scored.

In the fifth inning San Francisco got up on the board via a Curt Casali home run. The score would remain 3-1 through seven innings.

Aaron Sanchez relieved in the bottom of seventh inning for the Giants. He loaded the bases but was able to get out of the inning without giving up a single run. The score would remain 3-1 going into the eighth inning.

It was a quiet inning for both teams and heading into the ninth inning the Giants were running out time. The Giants had a double in the ninth inning off the batt of Solano but that would be it for San Francisco. The final score was 3-1.

It was a very quiet offensive game for San Francisco in tonights game. They will be looking to pick up their offense tomorrow in Game Three of this series. First pitch is scheduled for 6:40 PM.

DeSclafani goes 8.2 innings in Giants win over D-backs 5-2

San Francisco Giants starter Anthony DeSclafani seen here pitching in the first inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field in Phoenix Sun Jul 4, 2021 (AP News photo)

By Jeremy Kahn

On the same day that Buster Posey discovered that he would have two teammates joining him at the All-Star Game at Coors Field, he was forced to leave the final game of the road trip early.

Posey, who was elected to the start in the annual midsummer classic was hit on his glove hand in the bottom of the sixth inning after he took a bat to the hand, with fellow catcher Daulton Varsho at the plate.

Manager Gabe Kapler and trainer Dave Groeschner immediately ran to the side of Posey, who said that he was okay; however, after Varsho struck out, Posey left the game and was replaced by Curt Casali. X-Rays on Poseys thumb were taken at Chase Field, and they came back negative.

Posey drove the first run of the game, as he singled in Austin Slater in the top of the first inning and the San Francisco Giants defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks 5-2 at Chase Field.

That was not the only run of the inning by the Giants, as Darin Ruf doubled to center field and Posey scored easily from first base.

Anthony DeSclafani pitched a tremendous game, as he went 8.2 innings. DeSclafani allowed two runs, on six hits, walking two and striking out seven and he saw his record improve to 9-3 on the season.

DeSclafani, who was one out away from his third complete game of the season gave up a long single to Christian Walker with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning that scored David Peralta, who singled and then went to second on defensive indifference with two outs.

Tyler Rogers walked Pavin Smith, but then got Josh Reddick to groundout to Donovan Solano at second base, as he picked up his 10th save in 14 chances on the season.

With the victory, the Giants maintained their one-half game lead over the Los Angeles Dodgers, who have nine games in a row since they were no-hit by the Chicago Cubs on June 24 at Dodger Stadium.

After starting the road trip by getting swept against the Dodgers, the Giants came back to finish the road trip at 3-3 and won three out of four in Arizona against the Diamondbacks. The Giants also are now 9-1 on the season against the Diamondbacks.

Slater, who the game-winning two-run home run in the top of the eighth inning on Saturday night was at it again on Sunday, as he hit a solo home run in the top of the third inning for his ninth home run of the season.

Ruf got in the home run act in the top of the sixth inning, as he hit a two-run home run that gave the Giants a 5-0 lead.

Reddick drove in the Diamondbacks first run of the night in the bottom of the seventh inning, as he singled to centerfield that scored Asdrubal Cabrera; however, on the play, Reddick was thrown out at second base by Casali, when he tried to advance after Duggar threw home.

Caleb Smith went six innings, allowing five runs on five hits, while walking one and striking out five and he lost for the fifth time on the season.

NOTES: Brandon Crawford and Kevin Gausman will join C Posey in representing the Giants in this year’s All- Star Game in Colorado. It is the third career All-Star appearance for Crawford, who also to the midsummer classic in 2015 and 2018, and this is the first for Gausman, who grew up in the Denver area.

Crawford ranks among the NL leaders in home runs (17, T-10th), RBI (52, T-7th), SLG (.537, 8th) and OPS (.885, 9th). Gausman sports the second-lowest ERA in the Majors (1.68) behind NYM’s Jacob deGrom and has also thrown 101.2 innings, tied for the ninth-most in MLB while his eight wins are tied for seventh-most in MLB.
The last time that the Giants had at least three representatives in the game was 2016 when Brandon Belt, Madison Bumgarner, Johnny Cueto and Posey all were All-Stars in the game at Petco Park in San Diego.

This was the first time that the Giants have played on July 4 since the 2018 season, as they were off in 2019 and did not play in 2020 due to Covid-19.

With the victory over the Diamondbacks, this was the first time since the 2016 season that the Giants won on July 4 (Colorado Rockies) and now are 24-39-1 on fourth since moving to California in 1958.

UP NEXT: Gausman takes the mound on Monday afternoon, as he looks for his ninth win of the season and the Giants return home to face the St. Louis Cardinals at Oracle Park. The Cardinals will send left-hander Kwang Hyun Kim to the mound, as he looks for his third win of the season.

Slater with a big home home run to give the Giants a come-from-behind victory 6-5

The San Francisco Giants Mike Yastrzemski gets congratulations from Thairo Estrada after hitting a third inning home run against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field in Phoenix on Sat Jul 3, 2021 (AP News photo)

By Jeremy Kahn

Austin Slater came up with the biggest hit of the game when the San Francisco Giants so desperately needed it.

Slater launched a two-run home run in the top of the eighth inning, as the Giants came back to defeat the Arizona Diamondbacks 6-5 at Chase Field. The Giants are now 8-1 versus the Diamondbacks this season, as they have scored 70 runs in those eight games, while the Diamondbacks have 38 runs in those games.

The Slater home run was originally measured at 482 feet that would have been the longest home run by a Giants player since STATCAST began back in 2015, breaking the record of Alex Dickerson, who hit a 480-foot home run earlier this season against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field; however, it was eventually measured at 463 feet.

Entering the at-bat that gave the Giants the victory, Slater was mired in a 4-for-41 slump and that all ended with that one swing of the bat.

The Giants jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the top of the third inning, as Mike Yastrzemski hit his 12th home run of the season, then Brandon Crawford tripled in Dickerson that made it 3-0 and then Donovan Solano drove in the final run of the frame that scored Crawford. It that inning, the Giants as a team hit for the cycle.

Unfortunately, the Giants and Sammy Long were unable to hold on to the lead, as the Diamondbacks cut the lead in half, when Asdrubal Cabrera singled to centerfield that scored Jake Faria and then Christian Walker singled to score Nick Ahmed for the second run of the inning.

Ahmed tied up the game in the bottom of the fourth inning, as he hit his second home run of the season that also scored Andrew Young.

The usual Giants defense faltered in the bottom of the fifth inning, as LaMonte Wade, Jr., was unable to field the ball, when the ball hit by Pavin Smith went through his legs that sent Cabrerat to third and Smith up to second.

Following the Wade error, Jose Alvarez replaced Zack Littell, who came on to start the inning in place of Long.

David Peralta greeted Alvarez rudely, as he singled to score Cabrera that gave the Diamondbacks the lead. Alvarez was able to regroup, as he struck out Josh Reddick and then got Daulton Varsho on a great play by Crawford, who threw to Darin Ruf to end the inning.

That would be the score up until Slater hit that two-run home run in the top of the eighth inning that gave the Giants the lead for good.

Long went four innings, allowing four runs on seven hits, walking one and struck out six on the evening.

The quintet of Littell, Alvarez, Dominic Leone, Tyler Rogers and Jake McGee went the final five innings, allowing one unearned run on three hits, walking one and striking out seven. Leone pitched the seventh inning, his only inning of work, as he allowed a hit and struck out one, ended up the getting his second win of the season.

Rogers came on in the top of the eighth inning, where he gave up a hit and struck out that then bridged into closer Jake McGee, who struck out one and picked up his 16th save of the season.

Faria went four innings for the Diamondbacks, allowing four runs on seven hits, walking two and striking out three.

Thairo Estrada, who hit a grand slam in the top of the ninth inning on Friday night made a huge mistake on the bases just prior to the Yastrzemski walk and the Slater home run. Estrada walked with one out; however, he was picked off at first base by pitcher Ryan Buchter that was challenged by Gabe Kapler, but the call was upheld.

Crawford picked up three hits on the evening, including a double that gave him 616 in his career, passing J.T. Snow for ninth-most since the Giants moved to California in 1958.

NOTES: Prior to the game, as the Giants reached the halfway point of the season, the Giants were 51-30 (.630) at the halfway point of the 2021 campaign and the .630 mark is tied for the third-best winning percentage in the SF-era (1958-present) at the halfway point of the season and only the 1993 Giants (53-28, .654) and the 1962 club (52-29, .642) were better.

When Estrada hit his first career grand slam in last night’s win, it was the fifth grand slam by the Giants this season,
which is third-most in the Majors behind the
Braves and Dodgers, who each have seven
apiece entering play today…Estrada became
the sixth Giant since at least 1900 to hit a HR in
his first start with the team…the last to do it was
OF Alex Dickerson, who also did it here in Arizona on June 21, 2019.

Estrada joins Crawford, Brian Dallimore, Alberto Castillo and Bobby Bonds as the only players to hit a grand slam in their first ever game with the Giants.

UP NEXT: Anthony DeSclafani goes for his ninth win of the season on Sunday evening, as the Giants close out the series, while the Diamondbacks will send left-hander Caleb Smith to the hill, as he looks for his third win of the season.

Estrada goes 3-for-5 including a grand slam in Giants win 11-4

The San Francisco Giants Thairo Estrada belts out a ninth inning grand slam against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field in Phoenix on Fri Jul 2, 2021 (AP News photo)

By Jeremy Kahn

If the San Francisco Giants (51-30) wanted to get out of their recent rut, they needed a change in their lineup and they may have found it in Thairo Estrada.

All the youngster did was go three-for-five, including a 431-foot grand slam in the top of the ninth inning and the Giants put an end to a season-high four-game losing streak with a 11-4 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks (23-61) at Chase Field. This was the seventh win in eight games for the Giants over the Diamondbacks this season.

The Estrada grand slam broke open a close game, helping Alex Wood to his eighth win of the season for the Giants, who maintained their half-game over the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League West, after the Dodgers defeated the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park by the final score of 10-5.

Estradas grand slam came with two outs after Buster Posey walked, then Austin Slater grounded into a double play and then the Giants way to break the game wide open began. Brandon Crawford drew a walk, then Wilmer Flores reached on a throwing error by Nick Ahmed that allowed Crawford advance to third base, after a walk to Steven Duggar that loaded the bases, Estrada launched a J.B. Bukauskas pitch deep into the left field seats.

Wood went the required five innings, as he allowed two runs on four hits, walking three and striking out eight before giving way to the bullpen.

It was a tough night for the Diamondbacks pitching staff, as their starter Zach Gallen was forced to leave the game in the top of the third inning with a strained hamstring and then manager Torrey Lovullo was forced to use his bullpen for the rest of the game.

Prior to leaving, Gallen went two innings, allowing three runs on five hits, walking three and struck out three, as he saw his record fall to 1-4 on the season and the Diamondbacks lost for the 25th time in their last 28 games.

Crawford, like Estrada also picked up a three-hit game in four at-bats and scored twice in the big win for the Giants, who continue to have the best record in the National League.

Lamonte Wade, Jr., who was surprisingly sent down to Sacramento a few weeks back continues his hot hitting, as he went 2-for-3 with a run scored and three runs batted in that included his seventh home run of the season.

Wade drove in the first run of the game, as he hit a sacrifice fly that scored Flores and then Mike Yastrzemski drove in the second run of the inning with a single that scored Duggar.

Alex Dickerson then added to the Giants lead, as he hit a solo home run deep into the Phoenix night, as it landed 415 feet away from home plate.

After the Diamondbacks began to cut into the Giants lead, Wade hit a two-run home run to give the Giants a 7-2 lead and they needed those runs, as the Diamondbacks began to comeback.

Edwin Escobar and Pavin Smith each hit solo home runs in the bottom of the eighth inning off of Jimmy Sherfy that saw Jake McGee get up at the end of the inning, as he was getting ready to come on to close the game; however, that all changed when Estrada hit the grand slam the put the game away for the Giants.

NOTES: Buster Posey was officially selected to his seventh All-Star Game. Posey won the fan vote at catcher and has been selected to start the game by the fans for the fifth time in his career (first time since 2017). With five fan elections, he joins Barry Bonds (12 fan selections) as the only players in Giants history to be voted in by the fans at least five times and Posey joins Hall of Famers Johnny Bench (10), Gary Carter (8) and Mike Piazza (11) as the only NL backstops with at least five fan elections.

The Estrada grand slam was the fifth of the season, for the Giants, joining Brandon Belt, Duggar, Mike Tauchman and Yastrzemski.

Since the 2019 season, the Giants are 12-5 in their 17 games at Chase Field against the Diamondbacks and have hit 17 home runs during this time and have also outscored the Diamondbacks 100-71 in those 17 games.

UP NEXT: Sammy Long will go for his second win of the season, as he takes the mound on Saturday night, while the Diamondbacks will start Jake Faria, who is 0-0 on the season.

San Francisco Giants podcast with Michael Duca: Giants hope to add more ground in NL West in Arizona

San Francisco Giants pitcher Alex Wood seen here throwing against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Mon Jun 14, 2021 at Oracle Park in San Francisco will start against the Diamondback on Fri Jul 2, 2021 at Chase Field in Phoenix (AP file photo)

On the Giants podcast with Michael:

#1 The San Francisco Giants (50-29) who opened a four game series on Thursday night at Chase Field in Phoenix against the Arizona Diamondbacks (22-60) are hoping that they can put more games between them and the Los Angeles Dodgers (49-31) can they do it?

#2 After the Dodgers series in LA Dodgers manager Dave Roberts seems to have a lot of confidence that the Dodgers can catch the Giants not only after sweeping them but they have the horses and experience to win the west is that a fair assessment by Roberts.

#3 After the loss on Tuesday in the brief two game series Giants manager Gabe Kapler said “No real explanation other than we’re going to have to do a better job against the best teams in baseball, including the Dodgers, in those big spots,”

#4 Giants outfielder Mike Tauchman suffered a mile contusion after making an outstanding catch on Tuesday night he ironically was filling in for Mike Yastrzemski who was also out with a contusion. Tauchman had an MRI on Wednesday and talk about Yastrzemski’s progress.

#5 Taking a look at tonight’s starting pitchers for the Giants Alex Wood (6-3 ERA 3.91) and for the Diamondbacks Zac Gallen (1-3 ERA 3.69) Michael tell us how you see this match in game 2 of this series for tonight.

Michael Duca does the Giants podcasts each Friday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com