San Francisco Giants podcast with Michael Duca: Posey answers questions about managing partner Johnson political donations; plus more

Former San Francisco Giants catcher and part owner Buster Posey talked about team managing partner Charles Johnson and his donation to some controversial politicians this week. (AP News photo)

On the San Francisco Giants podcast with Michael Duca:

#1 Former San Francisco Giants catcher and current part team owner Buster Posey was thrown into the political forum and was asked by the press about managing partner Charles Johnson whose donations in the past have been questioned when Johnson had donated to such controversial Republican politicians as Herschel Walker, US Rep Lauren Boebert, and Rep Scott Perry to name a few. Buster answered saying that while Johnson is a nice fellow he met him just a couple of times.

#2 With the new position as part owner this puts Posey in a new light and with Johnson who donated to extremists, those who supported the insurrection, and Q Anon supporters. Posey told Andrew Baggerly in a Athletic interview “I have only been around him a couple of times. They’ve been wonderful. That’s all I’m going to say about it. I can only speak to my own interactions.”

#3 Michael, talk about some of the young prospects that you’ve seen. Catcher Joey Bart has had a good spring at the plate and calling pitches and working with the pitchers.

#4 Turning to another subject that the players on the field are trying to solve the baseball clock and Giants starter Alex Cobb was no different he talked about working on his rhythm on either the 15 second clock with the bags empty or a runner on for 20 seconds. Cobb was called for a clock violation after pitching to the San Diego Padres Fernando Tatis Jr when the clock ran out. Cobb is not used to pitching as he puts it a bang bang style of game.

#5 With the new rules in place Michael and just using pitchers in the past who pitched in quick games could a Bob Gibson, Gaylord Perry, Juan Marichal. or Sandy Koufax could have kept up with the today’s pitch clock?

#6 Not ready to see double yet: Pitcher Taylor Rogers pitched in his first spring game on Tuesday and struck out two hitters while twin brother Tyler sat because of a scratched finger that was reported to be minor.

Join Michael for the San Francisco Giants podcasts Thursdays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Posey to retire on Thursday; Three time World Champ hangs it up after 12 seasons

San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey is seen here playing just one of a handful of games during spring training on Feb 24, 2020. Posey did not play in the 2020 regular season and returned in 2021 and is announcing his retirement Thu Nov 4, 2021 at Oracle Park in San Francisco (AP News file photo)

By Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO–Buster Posey, the last player to win all three World Series Championships with the San Francisco Giants in 2010, 2012 and 2014 will be announcing his retirement on Thursday, according to sources.

Posey, who was drafted by the Giants with the fifth overall pick in the 2008 MLB draft, and when he signed with the team on August 16 of that year, he was given a $6.2 million signing bonus, the largest up-front bonus in team history.

After beginning the 2009 season with the San Jose Giants, Posey was promoted to the Fresno Grizzlies, then the Giants Triple-A and after 35 games, he was called up to the big leagues on September 2 of that year and eventually made his debut on September 11 at AT&T Park and struck out in his first career at-bat against Hiroki Kuroda of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Eight days later, Posey picked up his major league hit off of Jeff Weaver of the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium.

Posey began the 2010 season with the Grizzlies, and was called up on May 29, 2010, and went three-for-four at the plate with four runs batted in. On June 9, Posey hit his first MLB home run off of Aaron Harang of the Cincinnati Reds.

Then Giants General Manager Brian Sabean traded Bengie Molina to the Texas Rangers on June 29, 2010 and after the trade, Posey became the Giants starting catcher.

After helping the Giants to their first World Series Championship over the Rangers later that season, Posey would be named the National League Rookie of the Year.

Just one month after the 2011 season began on May 25, Posey sustained a broken fibula, and torn ligaments in his left leg after a home plate collision with Scott Cousins of the Florida Marlins.

Posey returned to the team for the 2012 season and became the first National League catcher since Ernie Lombardi of the Cincinnati Reds in 1942 to win the batting title, and helped the Giants to their second World Series Championship in three years, when the swept the Detroit Tigers.

During the post-season awards circuit, Posey won the NL MVP, the Silver Slugger Award for catchers and the NL Comeback Player of the Year. Posey also won the Willie Mac Award from his teammates.

Posey would help lead the Giants to their third World Series Championship in five years in a thrilling seven-game series against the Kansas City Royals in 2014.

Once again, Posey and the even year magic of the Giants would come into play again in 2016, as the Giants defeated the New York Mets in the NL Wild Card game; however, they would lose in the National League Division Series to the eventual World Champion Chicago Cubs.

With the 2020 season being shortened due to the coronavirus, Posey opted out of the season to help his wife Kristen take care of their twins Addison and Lee, and two premature born twins.

Posey returned to the field for the 2021 season, and helped the Giants to their first NL West Division Championship since 2012, as the Giants won a franchise record 107 games.

During the season, Posey batted .304 with 18 home runs and 56 Runs Batted In.

The organization said last month that they would exercise the $22 million club option for the 2022 season.

While playing the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLDS, Posey showed hints of retirement to be at home with his wife and four children.

Eventually, Posey will be a member of the Giants Wall of Fame, probably get a statue at Oracle Park, have his number 28 retired and most definitely head to Cooperstown and into Baseball Hall of Fame.

Familiarity and Execution: The two, foremost themes heading into NLDS Game 5 between the Dodgers and Giants

By Morris Phillips

SAN FRANCISCO–The biggest game in the long history between the Giants and Dodgers is here. Twice, the Giants struck first, and the Dodgers answered emphatically both times. Now in Game 5, only one statement remains to be made. Which team will win this epic series with all of the baseball world focused on Oracle Park Thursday night?

The Dodgers took the first, and biggest gamble of the series on Tuesday, in bringing back Walker Buehler on short rest to start Game 4. And Buehler delivered. That allows Los Angeles to now start Julio Urias on regular rest, opposite the Giants’ Logan Webb in Game 5. Manager Dave Roberts said he eyeballed Buehler, and what he saw made the manager’s decision easy.

“I would feel really weird not pitching a game that we could lose a series,” Buehler said in explaining the vibe he sent to Roberts.

“Sometimes when you might be a little bit more fatigued and not too amped up or too strong, you kind of try not to do too much,” Roberts said of his ace’s Game 4 performance. “And all night long he stayed in his delivery. All the stuff — the velocity, the characteristics of his secondary pitches — was really good.”

Both starters for Thursday have already won a game in the series. Logan Webb was spectacular in Game 1, pitching into the eighth inning and forcing the Dodgers’ hitters into uncharacteristic mistakes. Urias had a shorter stint in Game 2, pitching five innings and allowing three hits and a run. But when Urias departed, the Dodgers were already in control, leading 2-1 in a game they would break open in the sixth, and win 9-2.

For the Giants, the questions are clear: Can Webb summon the magic a second time? And can the San Francisco bullpen support him when he departs? The odds of both happening are good.

Webb remains a problem for any ballclub that steps into Oracle Park. He’s yet to lose a ballgame at home (6-0, 1.96 ERA in 73 1/3 innings in 2021, not including his 7 1/3 scoreless innings in Game 1), and his unwavering demeanor and penchant for dialing up strikeouts will energize the sold out crowd on Thursday. The only issue? Los Angeles’ hitters were undisciplined in Game 1. This time, they will challenge Webb to be at his absolute best this time by only swinging at baseballs in the strike zone.

Overall, the Giants’ pitching staff has done some good things. They’ve kept the Dodgers’ best hitters from leaving the park. Only two Dodgers have homered in the Series: Will Smith has two, and Mookie Betts greeted Giants’ reliever Jarlin Garcia with bad news in the fourth inning on Wednesday night. A host of other Los Angeles sluggers have been left frustrated trying to drive one out, especially in Game 3. For the Giants, that needs to continue.

Also, the Giants’ pitchers that have shown some vulnerability most assuredly won’t throw in the deciding game. Starters Kevin Gausman and Anthony DeSclafani both must turn the page, and get ready for the next round if the Giants advance. Dominic Leone and Garcia have both had a pair of substandard appearances.

So that leaves Camilo Doval, the re-emerging Jake McGee, and Zach Littell as top options for Gabe Kapler if the Giants’ are fortunate to reap high-leverage situations in Game 5 after Webb departs. Littell–awful in Game 2, but lights out in Game 4–is the most intriguing. He’s a trusted arm, and Kapler is likely to forget his Game 2 hiccup, and remember his four strikeouts in an inning plus on Tuesday.

The Dodgers also will be in great shape to unearth a well-pitched game in the decider as well. Urias, the 20-game winner will start, and the best bullpen in baseball will follow. All signs point to a tense, low scoring game.

From a hitting standpoint, the Giants will have all-hands on deck, but they’ll likely depend on the most familiar suspects against Urias. Both Brandon Crawford and Buster Posey had hits off Urias in Game 2, and Austin Slater will likely earn another start in right field against the Dodgers’ left handed starter. Slater, too, doubled off Urias in Game 2.

Darin Ruf (left field) and Wilmer Flores (first base) will likely be in Kapler’s starting lineup, as will Kris Bryant, who has picked up his game after a lackluster end of the regular season, giving his manager tremendous versatility.

“A bat of that caliber and that quality, and knowing that they can play anywhere and they are going to be ready to go gives us the flexibility to do a lot of things,” Kapler said of Bryant. “So I guess it’s not just Kris, but also what that does for the rest of the roster and how we can construct our lineups.”

The defending champion Dodgers are easier to decipher. Betts, Trea Turner, Corey Seager and the youthful, but dangerous Smith can each be the one to individually or collaboratively ruin the evening for San Francisco fans on Thursday. And don’t forget Justin Turner either. He’s done almost nothing in the series thus far–hitting .059–but he undoubtedly will be in the Roberts’ lineup and a serious threat to come up clutch in a big spot.

What Else is New? Giants beat the D’Backs and hit a bunch of homers in the process

By Morris Phillips

SAN FRANCISCO–Quite simply, the Arizona Diamondbacks are the most essential opponent in the world.

For example, without them, there wouldn’t be a best in baseball San Francisco Giants.

After Wednesday night’s harder-than-it-looked 7-2 victory over the D’Backs, the Giants are 32 games above .500 for the first time since 2003, but they’re 12 games above .500 against Arizona alone.

That’s a big chunk of a 110 plus game win-loss record, but that’s how division races are won, and how teams make postseason runs. Pick a divisional opponent, and over the course of 19 meetings, smash that opponent.

The Giants have done that, and it’s not over yet. They’ll get a chance to improve their 14-2 record against Arizona at the end of September, perfect timing for a first place club to get a little pick me up.

On Wednesday, the D’Backs allowed the Giants four home runs–their speciality–and a comfortable landing spot for Kevin Gausman after the birth of his second child allowed him to miss a start last week. Beyond that, Merrill Kelly, a guy who has twice previously beat the Giants at their own game–controlling “time of possession” as they call it–had a rough night, starting with him throwing 31 pitches in the first inning, insuring that he wouldn’t last as long as seven innings as he had done twice previously this season.

Kelly only made through five innings, as he couldn’t locate his cutter and control the inner half of the plate as he had done famously, having allowed just nine runs in 24 innings over four starts against the Giants earlier this season. Twice, Kelly had pitched into the seventh inning, and that’s a feat that has only been accomplished 10 times in 113 games against the Giants coming in. Most nights, the Giants wear down the opposing starter, but Kelly appeared to have the elixir with his cutter riding in on the inner half. On Wednesday, that pitch deserted him.

“This was the fifth or sixth time I think we’ve faced him this year,” Brandon Crawford said. “I think we did a good job of picking good pitches to hit. We put some good swings on the ball, and we were able to score some runs.”

With that Kelly issue solved, the Giants pounced building a 5-2 lead after five innings. And while the D’Backs didn’t disappear late, or blow a sizeable lead, or extend a once-in-a-baseball-life road losing streak, they did have their signature moment. Ketel Marte, an excellent centerfielder, saw Lamonte Wade Jr.’s two-run blast ride off his glove and over the wall in the fifth to extend the Giants’ lead. A highlight not to miss, from the numerous camera angles, saw Marte not have his finest moment and he nearly threw his glove in disgust. But to be fair, catching home run balls isn’t easy business and this one–after he located it and made his move on it–just got on him too fast. Wade’s ball was going out either way, Marte just added to the drama with his near miss.

Before Wade connected, Buster Posey gave the Giants a 3-1 lead in the third. And after, Crawford connected in the seventh, and pinch-hitter Alex Dickerson in the eighth. The big night for big flies increased the Giants’ season total to 174, the best total in baseball. In all, the Giants piled up 14 hits, six of those for extra bases, including Wilmer Flores’ softy that was well placed enough to set the Giants up to break a 1-1 tie in the second inning.

Gausman had his struggles in winning for the 11th time, and the staff ace needed 89 pitches to labor through five innings. But he limited damage, as he always does, and kicked in a pair of singles to boot, one that gave the Giants that 2-1 lead. Gausman was a life long American Leaguer with just two career hits before this season, but this season he has eight hits, the perfect additive for a hurler needing a pickup.

The Giants’ bullpen was near perfect again, handling the last four innings while allowing just two hits. Dominic Leone is quickly becoming the star of the bunch, making 31 appearances now while keeping his ERA insanely low (1.99).

Logan Webb gets the start on Thursday in a matchup with Colorado’s All-Star starter German Marquez. The Rockies had won five of six, but dropped their last two in a matchup with the first-place Astros.

Posey hurt, Giants embarassed in lopsided 8-0 loss to the Dodgers

By Morris Phillips

SAN FRANCISCO–Wednesday night was a stark reminder that the Giants face a daunting task in attempting to unseat the World Champion Dodgers.

Walker Buehler set the tone, pitching seven scoreless innings, allowing just three hits, as the Dodgers cruised to a 8-0 win over the Giants. The Giants remain two games ahead of their rival atop the NL West, with four remaining meetings between the clubs, all at Oracle Park.

Buehler has faced the Giants five times this season, and gone 3-0 with a 0.79 ERA. He’s been dominant, the clear counterpoint to all the upheaval the Dodgers have experienced with their lineup and starting rotation.

“We all know how good he is in October,” manager Dave Roberts said. “The challenge for him, the next level, was to put it together in the regular season. He’s done that to this point. To throw 100 pitches and go deep into games with the consistency, it’s been a big bonus considering all that we’ve had to go through this year.”

“He doesn’t give in much,” Wilmer Flores said of Buehler. “He hasn’t made many mistakes. I got only one mistake, and it was a fly ball. When you’re facing pitchers like that, you have to be ready for that mistake. If you miss it, it’s going to be a long game.”

Anthony DeSclafani struggled for the Giants, allowing four runs in the first three innings, and saw his personal record against the Dodgers fall to 1-8. DeSclafani was challenged from the early stages, allowing six hits while recording just eight outs before manager Gabe Kapler lifted his starter.

The Dodgers added three runs in the seventh, and struggling slugger Clay Bellinger, hitting just .165, homered in the eighth to complete the scoring.

The Giants had registered three, consecutive wins against the Dodgers, all with the winning push coming in the ninth inning. The stretch troubled the Dodgers, especially Roberts, who was ejected in the ninth inning of the first two losses. Having the season series evened at 7-7 was quite shocking to the Dodgers as well after they won the first four meetings, and six of the first nine. A response was likely, and Buehler and a patient group of hitters at the top of the Los Angeles lineup set the tone for a lopsided result.

Buster Posey was dinged by a foul ball behind the plate in the third inning, and was removed from the game in the fourth with concerns of a concussion, although all indications were the move was precautionary. Posey wasn’t expected to be in the lineup for Thursday’s series finale, but he will be evaluated for his availability on Friday when the Astros come to Oracle Park.

Brandon Crawford is expected to come off the injured list and start at shortstop on Thursday, welcome news for the Giants who are also anticipating the return of Brandon Belt, Evan Longoria and Tommy LaStella to bolster a limited infield.

With the trade deadline on Friday, the Giants are likely to examine their starting rotation closely, especially after DeSclafani’s bad outing and his struggles against the Dodgers. Speculation continues that Washington’s Max Scherzer is among the Giants’ targets and that Scherzer may be willing to waive his no-trade clause to join a contender in San Francisco.

On Thursday, the Giants will turn to Johnny Cueto in a veteran matchup with David Price. The duo have combined to win nearly 300 games in their careers with Price registering 154 wins.

Giant Jump: Posey gets plenty of help in dispatching the Dodgers 7-2 in big series opener

By Morris Phillips

Weren’t expecting Buster Posey to go star power on his first at-bat off the injured list? Probably weren’t expecting the Giants to move into first place in the NL West and stay there for nearly two months either.

The Giants got the jump on the Dodgers in this critical, four-game series on Monday with a 7-2 win, and they did it as only they can: with contributions from a bunch of guys, some of them virtually nameless.

Posey was the biggest name, homering in the first inning to put the Giants up 2-0. In a series involving baseball’s two best teams, his blast made a statement.

“To see him come out, step up to the plate and hit a big home run for us was incredibly impressive,” manager Gabe Kapler said. “I thought he had great at-bats throughout the night.”

The disappointment of not making the statement Posey did stung the Dodgers. Manager Dave Roberts sure expressed that, after his club couldn’t push across any runs for the game’s final eight innings.

“Obviously we’ve got these guys three more times” this week, Roberts said. “I know my focus is to win a baseball game tomorrow. That’s all we can control.”

The Dodgers blew anoher opportunity to catch the Giants atop the division, they’ll get more opportunities, but so far none have been cashed in. Meanwhile, the Giants continue their unlikely season with their postseason and division win probability numbers increasing substantially. The Giants moved into first place May 31, and despite some hiccups, they’ve remained there ever since.

The first inning had all the fireworks with both teams coming up with back-to-back homers. Posey and Wilmer Flores gave the Giants a 3-0 lead, then Max Muncy and Justin Turner answered against Kevin Gausman, who had a rough return from emergency leave due to complications with his wife’s childbirth.

Not much offensively happened after the first, but both pitchers were doomed. The Dodgers’ Tony Gonsolin lasted just four innings, Gausman three.

“I’m not locating well with the heater,” Gonsolin said. “Slider is hit or miss. Splitter is about hit or miss. Curveball’s actually decent right now.”

Gonsolin’s only gone past the fourth inning once in seven starts. That’s an issue for the Dodgers now that Trevor Bauer’s availability is at the height of uncertainty. The Giants exploiting the issue of Los Angeles’ thinning starting rotation only exacerbated what was already a problem. The Dodgers don’t have an announced starter for Tuesday–they’ll throw Julio Urias and Walker Buehler in the series final, two games–and they don’t have the injured Clayton Kershaw either. The Giants won’t see him, but David Price is also being given an opportunity to start some games, and heralded rookie Josiah Gray could make his debut on Tuesday.

The Giants have Alex Wood taking the mound on Tuesday. Wood had a rough stretch, but four of his last five starts have resulted in Giants’ wins. Having a former Dodger facing his ex-teammates in this spot provides tremendous motivation. For the Giants, Tuesday’s matchup against the Dodgers’ unknown is a win.

Five Giants relievers followed Gausman Monday, and they completely shut everything down. Only closer Jake McGee allowed a hit, and the Giants cruised in a game that could have been filled with continuous stress.

Jason Vosler, Thairo Estrada and Austin Slater provided RBI hits in a four-run seventh inning. Estrada, the former Yankee who hit just four homers in 61 games with the Bombers the last two seasons, now has a prominent spot with the Giants replacing Brandon Crawford at shortstop. On Monday, he delivered.

The Giants also produced an impressive hit total of 12 against a pitching staff that’s been difficult for them. The Dodgers managed just four hits, and their crowd of 50,000 plus was near silent for most of the game.

San Francisco Giants day off report: Cueto and Yastrzemski expected to return this weekend

San Francisco Giants pitcher Johnny Cueto throws against the Cincinnati Reds line up on Apr 14, 2021 is expected to return to the Giants pitching rotation by this weekend against the San Diego Padres (AP News photo)

By Jessica Kwong

The San Francisco Giants had Thursday off before they start a three-game series against the San Diego Padres on Friday.

After falling to the Colorado Rockies on Wednesday and losing the series, the Giants could use some good news, and they got it.

Manager Gabe Kapler said Johnny Cueto, who has not pitched since April 14 due to a minor lat injury, will be back in the rotation this weekend. Cueto will start on Sunday against the Padres, which will be his fourth start of the season.

In the three games he’s pitched so far this year, Cueto has a 1.80 ERA, a 1.91 FIP and 18 strikeouts to four walks in only 20 innings on the mound. Cueto will replace Logan Webb, who struck out five and walked three in just 3 2/3 innings in Wednesday’s 6-5 loss to the Rockies at Coors Field.

Additionally, who has been out since April 25, is expected to return this weekend.

Kapler hopes that Buster Posey, who left the game on Wednesday with a sore hamstring, benefited from the day off and will be back in action this weekend.

After the game on Wednesday, the Giants optioned catcher Joey Bart back out to Triple-A Sacramento, where he will start the River Cats season.

Perhaps the biggest news on the Giants’ day off was celebrating the 90th birthday of legendary center fielder Willie Mays. The Say Hey Kid spent nearly all of his 22 seasons in Major League Baseball with the Giants. The Giants filled their Twitter account with birthday messages and retweets honoring the Hall of Famer,

In addition, the Giants Community Fund introduced the Willie Mays Scholars, a program dedicated to addressing racial and educational inequities by providing black youth in San Francisco with scholarships of up to $20,000 and academic support.

Hard-hitting Giants strike early and take care of the Rockies, 12-0

By Morris Phillips

SAN FRANCISCO–The Giants love to get their most violent, damaging swings in when they see a pitch they can drive. In MLB circles, that’s common knowledge about the club in 2021.

So Rockies starter Austin Gomber knew it, but couldn’t stop it in the Giants’ 12-0 win on Monday.

Before he was lifted in the second inning, Gomber gave up seven, solidly struck hits, walked four, and was charged with nine runs despite recording just five outs. The shortest starting assignment of his career included his most hits (7) and runs allowed (9) as well.

What’s worse for Gomber? He probably didn’t even sense that trouble was brewing. The key piece moving from St. Louis to Denver in the Nolan Arenado trade has been pitching well and cruised into the seventh inning on April 9, allowing three hits and a run, in his only other start at Oracle Park.

“A lot of the hits were just middle of the plate,” Gomber said afterwards. “I think it was more about execution and putting myself in bad counts. They had a good game plan.”

Manager Bud Black intimated that there may have been more to Gomber’s uncharacteristic performance in that the pitcher may have tipped his pitches. But both pitcher and manager agreed they couldn’t say more in that regard without consulting the videotape.

“I think that there were some pitches in the middle of the plate that they squared up,” Black said. “But we’re going to look at some video to see if there was something more to it.”

With the socially-distanced crowd of 4,129 thinned even more by uncomfortable wind and cold, the voices, pitches and bats were audible throughout the park. The Giants’ loud contact off Gomber made an impression. Their breakout performance included three doubles and a two-run homer from Buster Posey off Jhoulys Chacin in the sixth.

Posey knocked in a run in the four-run first inning, and Evan Longoria, in his return to the lineup following a weekend of inactivity due to a hamstring injury, knocked in runs in the first and second innings.

Gomber was lifted trailing 6-0, but two pitches later Mauricio Dubon’s bases-loaded double off Chacin made it 9-0.

“There’s not much to complain about tonight. What’s there to pick apart?” manager Gabe Kapler said. “The guys did a great job.”

Anthony DeSclafani pitched a complete game shutout for the Giants, allowing three hits, one walk while striking out nine. DeSclafani has allowed five earned runs over five starts and 30 innings pitched. His 1.50 ERA is dramatically lower than the 3.28 he posted in 2016 for the Reds, in his previous best season at the major league level.

“I kinda peaked at my pitch count and saw that it was low and I knew I had a chance to finish the game as long as I beared down and didn’t get too lax and tried to continue making pitches,” DeSclafani said.

The Giants have won 13 of 18 after a 2-3 start to match the record of the first-place Dodgers at 15-8. The two clubs don’t meet for the first time until May 21, with the Giants having 21 scheduled games against lesser competition prior to that date.

Headline Sports podcast with Barbara Mason: Cal on roll have won three of last four; Cardinal on four game win streak; plus more

The Cal Bears Matt Bradley (20) takes a fade away shot against the Colorado Buffaloes D’Shawn Schwartz (5) last Thursday night at Haas Pavilion

Headline Sports podcast with Barbara Mason:

#1 The one game that stands out for the Cal Bears is the loss they took against the Washington Huskies getting walloped 87-52. That got Cal head coach Mark Fox to regroup and the Bears came out and won their next two games against some tough schools Utah and Colorado.

#2 The Stanford Cardinal got a huge win over the Colorado Buffaloes 72-64. The Cardinal are No.21 and got help from leading scorer Bryce Wills who played with a sore ankle and led with a key lay up and 19 points in the win on Sunday.

#3 San Francisco Giant catcher Buster Posey feels like he’s back into the swing of things and a good example of that is when he went yard after hitting a two run home run in the third inning of a spring training game on Sunday against San Diego. He’ll be crucial for the Giants line up.

#4 While sitting on the bench and waiting to get the okay to return to action Golden State Warriors Stephen Curry is hoping to get back in the line up for Golden State from his broken bone in his left hand.

#5 It was almost like a one on one contest when the New Orleans Pelicans Zion Williamson who finished with 35 points against the Los Angeles Lakers LeBron James with 34 in the Lakers win over the Pelicans 122-114 on Sunday.

Join Barbara Mason for Headline Sports each Tuesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

Posey drives in lone run in Giants’ 1-0 win

Photo credit: nbcsports.com

By Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO — Tyler Beede pitched one of his best games as a major leaguer, and he got the only run he needed from his battery mate.

Beede went 6.1 innings, allowing zero runs on just three hits, walking one and striking out five and the San Francisco Giants defeated the Miami Marlins 1-0 before a crowd of 33,418 at Oracle Park.

With the victory, Giants manager Bruce Bochy picked up career win number 1,997, leaving him three away from becoming just the 11th manager in major-league to reach the 2,000-win plateau. The previous 10 managers are all members of the Hall of Fame.

Buster Posey drove in the only run that Beede would need in the bottom of the sixth inning, as his bouncer leaped over the head of Starlin Castro that scored Stephen Vogt with the only run of the game.

Vogt led off the inning with a double to the right-center field alley, he then went to third on a Kevin Pillar ground out and then scored on the Posey base hit.

Posey also came up huge behind the plate, as he threw out Magneruis Sierra at second base for the first out of the seventh inning.

Sierra was originally called by second base umpire D.J. Reyburn; however, after a short review, the call was reversed, as Mauricio Dubon tagged Sierra prior to him reaching the base.

The Giants had a chance to get on the board in the bottom of the second inning, Vogt led off the with a single; however, Pillar and Posey were unable to advance. Brandon Crawford singled him to second, but Beede grounded out to Miguel Rojas to end the inning.

Brandon Belt went 3-for-4 on the night, and his second hit of the game in the bottom of the fifth inning nearly gave the Giants; however, his double bounced into the stands for a ground rule double and Mike Yastrzemski was forced to return to third base. Yastrzemski singled with one out, but the two were stranded, when Evan Longoria struck out to end the inning.

Sandy Alcantara was the hard luck losing pitcher, as he went seven innings, allowing just one run on nine hits, not walking a batter and striking out six. With the loss, Alcantara falls to 5-13 on the season.

Despite allowing a hit in the top of the ninth inning, that was eventually retired by a double play, Shawn Anderson picked up his second save of his major-league career.

Garrett Cooper was forced to leave the game in the bottom of the first inning with a left knee contusion that occurred when he made a diving catch of a Yastrzemski liner. He is considered day-to-day.

NOTES: Belt extended his on-base streak against the Marlins up to 24 games that dates back to July 19, 2014. His streak against the Marlins is the second longest in the majors versus the Marlins, as only former teammate Joe Paniks streak is at 25 games.

The Giants are now 5-8 in September, and are 10-29 in the month since September 1, 2018 that included an 11-game losing streak during the 2018 season.

Abiatal Avelino hit a two-run single in the top of the eighth inning, as the Giants Triple-A team, the Sacramento Rivercats defeated the Round Rock Express 7-5 at Dell Field in Round Rock, Texas.

With the victory, the Rivercats swept the three-game Championship Series and will move on to face the Columbus Clippers (Cleveland Indians affiliate) on Tuesday in Memphis, TN.

This is the first time that the Giants won the Pacific Coast League since they won the 1977 title as the Phoenix Firebirds.

Tonight, was the fifth time this season that the Giants won a game by a 1-0 score, and it is most 1-0 wins in a season since 2008.

The only time that the Giants won more than five 1-0 games in a season since at least 1908 was the 1968 Giants and the 1933 Giants, as each team won six 1-0 games in a season.

UP NEXT: Madison Bumgarner goes for his 10th win on Saturday night, while the Marlins will Robert Dugger to the mound, as he looks for his first win of the season. Game time set for 6:05 p.m.