Giants bullpen gives up sure win in late innings

by Michael Martinez

SAN FRANCISCO – Johnny Cueto (13-3) appeared to have his first win since the All Star break in the bag after he threw a solid six and two thirds innings, allowing just three runs on eight hits with four strikeouts. Cueto also had a nice day at the plate putting together two hits and driving in a run. However, the Giants bullpen fell apart in the late innings and allowed the Orioles to make things competitive.

Hunter Strickland came in to relieve Cueto and got out of a seventh inning jam but gave up two runs in the seventh to let the Orioles back into the ball game, which included a solo shot by Mark Trumbo. The blast was Trumbo’s was number 34 of the season he still leads the AL in that category.

Derek Law replaced Strickland in the eighth and was able to limit the damage as the Giants still held a 7-5 lead heading into the top half of the ninth.

Then Santiago Casilla came into the game and not only let two runners get on base, but threw a hanging curveball right over the heart of the plate to Baltimore second baseman, Johnathan Schoop. Schoop made Casilla pay as he crushed the hanging breaking ball into the left field bleachers to give the Orioles the lead, eight to seven. The homer marked Casilla’s fifth blown save of the year.

“I have confidence in all my pitches,” Casilla said through interpreter Erwin Higueros. “I threw the curveball, and I just made a mistake. The ball didn’t break.”

The Giants then tried to make something happen off Orioles closer Zach Britton in the bottom of the ninth, but unfortunately could not get a run across the plate to push the game into extra innings. Britton added to his league leading save total, 37, as Baltimore sits just a half game behind the Toronto Blue Jays for first place in the AL East.

For San Francisco, its their 18th loss since the Mid Summer Classic and a real bad one after they held a six run lead heading into the top of the seventh.

The orange and black hit their stride at the plate, tallying 14 hits for seven runs and forced Orioles skipper, Buck Showalter,  to remove starter Wade Miley in the fifth inning.

Giants back up catcher Trevor Brown got the scoring started with an RBI single in the second inning. Brown got the start behind the dish after Buster Posey was a last minute scratch due to back tightness. The injury could have been sustained from the flight back and has gradually worsened, according to Posey.

Before Sunday’s ball game, Brown had been hitless in his last seven at bats, with just three hits in his last 19. But Brown made the most out of his start and was a huge spark for SF’s offense. He finished the game three for five with three RBIs.

“He’s been great,” Posey said about Brown’s performance this year. “He gave us a chance to win the game.”

Outfielder Hunter Pence also had a good game and it appears his swing could be coming into form. Pence hit a bomb to center field, 436 feet to be exact, and added a single during the Giants big fifth inning. Pence’s dinger was his first since returning from the disabled list. Prior to today’s game, Pence had not put one into the seats dating all the way back to May 18.

Fortunately, the Dodgers (65-52) lost to Pittsburgh on Sunday, 11-3, keeping the Giants a game ahead in the NL West.

After blowing a huge lead and taking a loss in what looked to be the Giants first back-to-back wins since July 30 and 31 as well as their second consecutive series victory, San Francisco will take on the Pittsburgh Pirates at home tomorrow night at 7:15 p.m. PT as Matt Moore takes the mound.

“I think everyone knows what’s at stake. I don’t think there’s really any motivation needed,” Posey said. “This time of the year, this is when it’s fun. Each game as we get further and further along will have a little more importance on it. I think the group of guys in here generally thrive in these situations.”

Giants still pushing for respectability, win second straight

By Morris Phillips

No World Series champion has finished last in its division the following season since the 1998 Marlins were stuck with the dubious distinction winning just 54 games and finishing last in the NL East.

The 2013 Giants don’t want that jacket—especially since they originally had designs on defending their title unlike those Marlins who sold off all their high-priced pieces after winning it all in 1997.

On Monday, the Giants were officially eliminated from winning the NL West but that didn’t prevent them from earning a hard fought victory over the Rockies when Brandon Belt knocked in the game-winning run in the 10th inning.

Belt knocked in the game-tying run in the eighth prior to winning it in the 10th. Since August 1, Belt’s done the opposite of dialing it in, hitting .354 with 16 runs batted in, while adhering to the hitting adjustments suggested by hitting coach Hensley Muelens.

“I don’t think I’ve looked at the standings in a while. But we still care about ourselves,” Belt said. “We have some goals in mind and want to finish the season strong.”

“That’s what you want to see from your young players: improvement and adjustments,” manager Bruce Bochy said of Belt. “And he’s done that, he’s a different hitter now than he was earlier in the season.”

The Giants evened their season record at home at 37-37 with eight games remaining. The win also gave the team consecutive one-run victories for the first time since May 5, when they completed a three-game run of one-run wins. Overall, the team has captured nine of their last 16 contests.

Tim Lincecum pitched into the eighth inning, but that was only good enough and long enough to get him off the hook for the loss. Still, the Freak pitched well, after allowing six hits and two runs in the first three innings. As the game went along, Lincecum began locating pitches and relying heavily on his changeup which was effective in retiring Rockies’ batters.

“We got a couple runs early, but he shut us down after that,” Colorado manager Walt Weiss said of Lincecum.

Lincecum win-loss record remains an unsightly 9-13 but he won three consecutive starts prior to Monday’s no-decision, his best run of success since April 2010. Is Timmy in the Giants’ plans for 2014 even with his declining velocity and spotty results? It remains to be seen, but it appears Lincecum is still stating his case, which in itself is a good sign.

In terms of statistics, Timmy’s done some good: 178 innings pitched with 175 strikeouts, which ranks him in the top 15 in the National League. But he’s also done some bad: his 70 walks are among the highest totals in the National League and he’s surrendered 19 home runs in 29 starts.

And what of the Giants trying to stay out of the cellar? Monday’s win brought the team within a ½ game of the Rockies and one game of the Padres, who are in third place in the division. Ironically, the Giants’ 36-28 record within the NL West is the best of the bunch, but the team has had 15 other opponents (excluding the Yankees, who they will see for the first time on September 20) whom they haven’t done well against (28-51).

Overall, a mixed bag for the Champs, but a bag they still seem interested in trying to organize, which is admirable.

On Tuesday, the Giants turn to Ryan Vogelsong who will be opposed by Colorado’s Jorge De La Rosa.

Giants pounce on the Padres

By Jeremy Harness

The last time Pablo Sandoval hit three home runs in a game, he was leading the Giants past the Detroit Tigers in Game 1 of last year’s World Series.

Lest to say that we are far removed from those days, even though it was only less than 11 months ago. Nonetheless, every win should be taken as a positive, no matter how meaningless it is now, and Sandoval’s three-bomb outing Wednesday night helped the Giants breeze past the San Diego Padres, 13-5, at PETCO Park.

In hitting the trio of homers, Sandoval drove in a total of six runs, giving the Giants all the runs they would need to pull out the victory.

Well, this game did have some meaning, in the fact the Giants are no longer in the cellar of the National League West. Now they have company, as they dropped the Padres into a tie with them for last place with matching 62-77 records.

Tim Lincecum didn’t pitch great – he gave up five earned runs on seven hits, walking four and striking out five – put he held on long enough to pick up only his ninth victory of the season against 13 defeats.

He was helped out by a bullpen that combined to allow only two hits the rest of the way.

Aside from Sandoval, Hunter Pence had a rather-solid game at the plate for the Giants. He knocked in three runs, including a two-run homer in the fourth inning off Padres starter Eric Stults.