SF’s Estrada belts two run walk off homer to defeat Pirates 8-7

San Francisco Giants Thairo Estrada belted a two run home run in the bottom of the ninth to win it celebrates at home plate with his teammates against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Sun Aug 14, 2022 (AP News photo)

Pittsburgh (45-70). 7. 11. 0

San Francisco (57-57). 8. 13. 1

Sunday, August 14, 2022

By Lewis Rubman

SAN FRANCISCO–The Giants came to work this afternoon having won five of the last seven games. Unfortunately, they also had won five of their last 11 and still were a game under .500 and 6-1/2 out in the race for the last wild card spot.

Alex Wood, their starting pitcher for today’s contest, pitched a fine game in his last outing, against the current occupants of that coveted fourth wild card place, the San Diego Padres. The 31 year old southpaw went 6-1/3 frames in a 1-0 win in which allowed three hits and struck out five opponents, throwing 89 pitches.

He wasn’t that impressive in his only appearance against Pittsburgh this year, allowing four earned runs on six hits in a 7-5 Giants win. His season record when he threw the his first offering, at 1:07 this warm, sunny afternoon was 8-9,4, 4.17)

The Pirates sent 28 year old righty Zach Thompson and his 3-9, 5.08 record against the possibly resurgent home team. He has been used as both a starter and reliever in his season and a half in the show this year, all but one of his 20 previous appearances were starts, while last season he started only 14 of the 26 games in which he was on the mound.

The game ended in a 8-7 walkoff win for the Giants. Wood threw 101 pitches, 64 for strikes, over six innings before leaving with a 5-3 lead.The three runs he allowed were earned and came on five hits, a walk, and two hit batters. All he got was a no decision that left him at 8-9, 4.18.

Thompson lasted only four innings, having thrown 90 pitches, 38 of them balls, and surrendering five runs, all earned, on seven hits, one of them yard, two walks, and a hit batsman. He escaped with a no decision and wound up with a record of 3-9, 5.34.

Brandon Belt was back in the San Francisco lineup, playing first and batting cleanup. It was his 1,394 game played as a Giant, tying Robbie Thompson for seventh place in that category since the team moved to San Francisco in 1958.

Kevin Newman wasted no time in attacking Wood and his defense. He lashed a leg double to right on the first pitch of the game. Although Wood put Bryce Reynolds on base by plunking him two pitches later, neither runner advanced.

It was a case of The Curse of the Leadoff Double in spades. Not only did the Pirates fail to score in the first, but Wood struck out four straight Buccos after he hit Reynolds with an 83 mph slider.

That strikeout streak ended when Greg Allen grounded into the second out of the second frame and Wood’s luck turned against him. Tucupita Marcano hit a dinky ground ball to second and got. an infield hit out of it.

Jason Delay was in no hurry and went to a full count before depositing a single to left that put runners on first and second, setting the stage for Newman to load the bases by being hit by another of Wood’s sliders. Reynolds flew out to deep right center, which preserved the scoreless tie.

That situation didn’t survive the Giants’ second inning onslaught. After Thairo Estrada took a called third strike, Brandon Crawford walked and scored on Tommy LaStella’s double to right. Joey Bart dropped a Texas League single that would have been called an error if MLB rules accepted the concept of team errors.

LaStella moved up to third. Both runners trotted home after LaMonte Wade, Jr. whalloped his seventh home run of the year, a. 406 foot no doubter to center that came off an 86 mph change of pace. The home team now had an early 4-0 lead to protect.

They didn’t merely protect it; they stretched it. Joc Pederson got hit by a Thompson fastball with two down in the home fourth and motored all the way home on Flores’s down the line double to left. Pederson left the game a couple of innings later with a contusion on his right hand.Rodolfo Castro’s relay throw to the plate might have nailed him if the Bucs’ third sacker had released the ball a mige quicker.

The Giants’ seemingly comfortable five run margin quickly shrunk to three in the fifth on Delay’s leadoff single to left center, followed by a full count walk to Newman, and a Bryan Reynolds double to left. Reynolds advanced to third on Chavis’s fly out to right and scoreddon Ben Gamel’s ground out to second. The Giants’ advantage now was down to two, 5-3.

The orange and black also had a new pitcher to face when they came to bat in their half of the fifth, the left handed Manny Bañuelos, who held them to Crawford’s single in his inning of work and was replaced in the sixth by Colin Holderman.

Kevin Newman beat out a hit to third, and Reynolds went way deep to center field, 442 feet, to be exact, for his 17th home run and 36th, 37th, and 38th RBI of the season, putting Pittsburgh up 6-5.

A single to center by Chavis sent Brebbia to the showers and Jarlín García to the mound. He fanned Gamel and Cruz, with Castro banging out a single to left sandwiched between them. Then he caught Allen looking at a changeup for an inning ending called third strike.

But it was a whole new ball game when Flores came to bat to face Holderman in the home seventh, who led off with a base knock to right that ended Holderman’s mound tenure. Southpaw Eric Strong came on to pitch a move countered by Evan Longoria pinch hitting for Belt.

He flew out to left but Yaz drew a four pitch walk that put Flores in scoring position. Estrad grounded into a short to second force out and just barely beat the relay to first, putting runners on first and third. Crawford then lifted a pop fly to shallow center field.

Allen and Newman collided, and the ball dropped off of the latter’s glove for what originally was scored as a two base error as Flores crossed the plate with the leading run. Upon review, the scorer reversed his decision and Crawford was credited with a double and an RBI, and Stout was charged with an earned run.

Stout didn’t come out for the San Francisco eighth. Wil Crowe relieved him and kept the Giants off the board with the help of a diving grab of Wade’s hard ground behind first for the second out.

Camilo Doval, who had earned his 17th save last night and his 16th the night before, came out of the bullpen, hoping to hold the Giants’ deficit at a single run. Reynolds led off with a clean single to right and took second on Chavis’s productive ground  out to short. Gamel then walked to put the potential leading run on base but also setting up a double play. Castro hit a weak grounder to third. Longoria made a barehanded pick up and threw wildly and late to first. Reynolds reached third on what was ruled Castro’s hit and scored on Longoria’s throwing error.

Gamel also tried to score, but Flores’s throw from first nipped him at home. The Pirates challenged the call, claiming that Bart had illegally blocked the plate. Sam Holberg and Greg Gibson in New York thought otherwise, and the scoreboard had the Buccos ahead 7-6 after Doval fanned Cruz to end the threat.

Longoria made amends for his error by leading off the bottom of the ninth with a single to left. JD Davis came in to run for him and was forced at second by Yastrzemski’s grounder to Newman. It might have been a double play if the Bucs’ second baseman had made a decent throw to the bag. The next pitch was to Estrada. It began as a 95 mph sinker. It ended as a game winning home run, 395 feet deep in center field.

What a game!

Doval didn’t get his save. Instead he got his fourth win against five losses. His ERA dropped to 2.76.

The loss went to Crowe, who now is 4-7. 3,34,

Arizona comes to town tomorrow for a 6:45 game. Alex Cobb (3-6,4.15) will start for the Giants. The Diamondbacks haven’t announced who will pitch for them.

Giants Webb was dealing in 2-0 shutout of Pirates at Oracle Park Saturday night

San Francisco Giants starter Logan Webb pitches in the top of the first inning against the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Sat Aug 13, 2022 (AP News photo)

Pittsburgh (45-69). 0. 5. 1

San Francisco (56-57). 2. 4. 0

Saturday, August 13, 2022

By Lewis Rubman

SAN FRANCISCO–Before tonight’s game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Giants held a reunion and celebration of the team that won the 2012 World Series. The game itself featured another sort of reunion.

The Pirates’ starting pitcher, Tyler Beede, who toiled for the Giants from 2018 through early May of this year, with the exception of 2020, the COVID-shortened season, which he spent recovering from Tommy John surgery.

Beede went 0-0, 4.66 for the Giants this year and was 1-1, 3.28 for the Pirates, and 1-1, 3.57 overall when he first toed the rubber this evening. While playing college ball for Vanderbilt in 2012, his roommate was Mike Yasetrzemski.

Following that, during his tenure with San Francisco, the Bucco’s righty was good friends-indeed, he still is-with the Giants’ starter, Logan Webb, who came to do battle with his friend, bringing a record of 10-5, 3.17 in his duffel bag.

When the dust had settled, Webb had pitched a beautiful game, earning the win in a 2-0 Giants’ victory, in which the loser outhit the winners 5-4.

Beede lasted a scant three innings, during which he yielded a pair of runs, both earned, on three hits, one of them a home run, and three walks. He threw 74 pitches, 39 of which resulted in contact or were strikes. He was charged with the loss, which made his overall record 1-2, 3.72.

Webb, on the other hand didn’t throw his 74th pitch until, nursing a 2-0 lead, he faced his second batter of the seventh inning. He held on through the eighth and improved his record to 11-5, 3.00, allowing only four hits and two walks. Both runs scored against him were earned, and he struck out nine Bucs. The threw a total of 99 pitches, 34 of which were balls.

Tommy LaStella started at first base for San Francisco, replacing Brandon Belt, who was nursing a sore thumb.

The Giants overcame the dreaded Curse of the Leadoff Double, getting back to back two baggers from MonteWade, Jr., and Joc Pederson to start their half of the first inning. They did, however, fall victim to a mutated strain of the Curse; Pederson died on third.

The Pirates fell victim to the scourge in the top of the third when Rodolfo Castro’s leadoff shot went right through LaStella into left field for a generously scored two base hit. The frame ended with Castro on third when Webb made an exciting dive for the bag after fielding Newman’s weak grounder between the mound and first, getting the out by an eyelash.

Wade followed that exploit by opening the bottom of the third with a 410 foot blast into McCoy Cove, stretching the Giants’ lead to 2-0. The pitch was a sinker, but. I couldn’t see whether the splash hit floated or sank.

Eric Stout relieved Beede at the start of the Giants fourth. Wilmer Flores pinch hit for La Stella, who was due up first and tempted fate with a … you guessed it … leadoff double. Fate won, and San Francisco didn’t score in the fourth.

Stout walked JD Davis on a full count to open the fifth and then retired Mike Yastrzemski and Crawford before leaving the game in favor of Duane Underwood, Jr. He plunked Estrada, his first batter, with a change of pace before getting Flores out on a sinking liner to right, on which Greg Allen made a lovely diving catch.

Stout pitched a scoreless sixth and was succeeded in the seventh by Chase DeJong, who set the Giants down to conga beat, striking out Davis and Crawford in the process.

Pittsburgh threatened in the top of the eighth, loading the bases with two down. This was the first inning in which that had more than one runner on base. Webb rose to the occasion, striking out DH BenGamel on his 99th pitch of the game.

Camilo Doval, who earned his 16th save last night, fanned Oneil Cruz to open the top of the ninth. He walked Greg Allen, who proceeded to steal second and then advance to third on Bligh Madris’s ground out to second.

Allen’s potential run meant nothing but Rodolfo Castro, who was two for three on the evening, represented the possible tying run. He lined out to left to end a nerve wracking inning and a heartening Giants win.

The series ends tomorrow with a 1:05 contest in which Pittsburgh’s Zach Thompson (3.09, 5.08) will face San Francisco’s Alex Wood (8-9, 4.17).

Rodon pitches Giants to 5-3 win over Pirates at Oracle Park

San Francisco Giants third baseman Wilmer Flores (41) makes the catch for a force out on the Pittsburgh Pirates Josh Van Meter (26) in the top of the sixth inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Fri Aug 12, 2022 (AP News photo)

Pittsburgh (45-68).     3. 10.  0

San Francisco (55-57) 5.   7.  0

Friday, August 12, 2022

By Lewis Rubman

SAN FRANCISCO–If you glanced at the MLB standings and probable pitchers for tonight’s first game of the weekend series between the Giants and the visiting Pirates, you’d think that a San Francisco win was in the bag. The Giants got help from starter Carlos Rodon holding the Pirates to three runs in a 5-3 win.

After all, the Buccos came to town at 45-67, 14 games behind in the race for the National League’s last wild card spot while Kapler’s Crew, at  54-57, was only (only!) 7-1/2 short of a playoff shot. Pittsburgh sent Bryce Wilson, a 24 year old right hander who has bounced back and forth between the Pirates and their triple A affiliate, the Indianapolis Indians, all season, and all he had to show for it was a 2-6, 5.86 big league mark. It should be said in his favor, however, that between July 1 and today, he had gone 2-2, 3.34. 

The Giants, on the other hand, entrusted their fortune to one of  the two aces on their staff, the left handed veteran Rodón, who, at 10-6, 2.55, had been credited with  18.51% of the team’s victories. If he had been the winning pitcher in that percentage of the 107 games San Francisco won last year, Julio Urías would have been the only major league pitcher to have won more games, and that only by a fraction of a game. 

Your sanguine assumption would have been reasonable, but you would have been wrong. The Giants won, all right, but it was a gut wrenching victory that wasn’t decided until the last pitch. The Giants 5-3 win was no walk in the park.

Both teams announced roster changes earlier today. The Pirates promoted Austin Price, a right handed pitcher, to replace Yerry de los Santos, ditto, who went on the 60 day IL. San Francisco optioned Yunior Marte to Sacramento and recalled southpaw hurler Thomas Szapucki from the River Cats.

Wilson lasted 5-1/3 innings and surrendered four runs, all earned, on six hits and two walks. He fanned one Giant and allowed one home run. Of his 85 pitches, 34 were balls. He took the loss, bringing his record to 2-7, 5.93.

Rodón, who, in spite of having thrown a complete game in June, had averaged a little less than six innings per start this season, lasted exactly six tonight. He gave up two runs, both earned, on six hits, both of which went yard,, and didn’t walk a man. He threw 110 pitches, 72 going for strikes. He improved his won-lost  record to 10-6, although his ERA rose to 2.95.

Mike Yastrzemski, batting cleanup, put the orange and black on the board with a leadoff home run in the second, a 384 foot blast that sailed over the National Car Rental sign in left center. It came off an 89 mph sinker and gave Mike Yastrzemski an even dozen round trippers for the season. The Giants continued attacking after Yastrzemski crossed the plate.

Brandon Crawford singled to left and moved up a notch when Thairo Estrada followed suit. Both advanced on beautiful sacrifice bunt by LaMonte Wade, Jr. Crawford scored on Luis González’ sacrifice fly to left, but Estrada rounded third too widely and got put out in a rundown, Tucupidta Marcano to ONeil Cruz to Kevin Newman to Cruz, left field to short to second to short, to end the frame with San Francisco up 2-0.

The Giants loaded the bases quickly in their half of the third. Ausin Wynns singled to left, and  Wilson hit Joc Pederson with a pitch. After Brandon Belt fouled out to third, Wilmer Flores clogged the basepaths with a sharp single to center. Yaz grounded to second, and it looked like Newman’s throw home might force Wynn out at home. But the ball bounced off the mitt of Pittsburgh catcher Jason Delay, allowing Wynns to score. The play was ruled a fielder’s choice, giving Yastrzemski his second RBl of the evening and 43rd of the season. The Giants now led 3-0.

The team from Steel City got one run back in the top of the fourth, thanks to a full count, two out dinger by third baseman Rodolfo Castro, who parked a 96 mph four seamer 409 feet into the left field bleachers for his second home run of 2022, of which this was his 25th game.

Yastrzemski made it 4-1 in the home half of the fifth. With two down and Belt, who had walked, on first, the Giants’ center fielder sent a towering fly to the warning track in front of the 391 foot sign in dead center.

Bryan Reynolds let the ball fall for an RBI double that gave Yaz three RBIs for three ABs. Crawford then was granted an intentional walk but got picked off at first by Delay, who promptly fired a strike to first sacker Michael Chavis after Estrada had swung at and missed Wilson’s first delivery.

The three run margin didn’t last long. Rodón struck out his first two batters in the Pirates´ sixth, but Ben Gamel sent a 98 mph four seamer over the fence in left center, between the National Car Rental and Bank of America advertisements. The ball traveled 397 feet. Castro, up next for Pittsburgh, also traveled,  270 feet from home to third, on a triple to the left field corner.  Rodón recovered to strike out Cruz, his third K of the inning and seventh of the game.

After Estrada led off for the Giants in the sixth by flying out to left, the Pirates sent Manny Bañuelos to relieve Wilson, a move San Francisco countered by sending Evan Longoria to the plate to hit for the DH Estrada. He went down swinging.

.Newcomer Thomas Szapucki made his Giants debut to start the top of the seventh. (He previously had made one appearance for the Mets). He pitched an ugly third of any inning, allowing a leadoff homer to Allen that made it a 4-3 ball game and a single to Marcano before unleashing a wild pitch on his way to striking out Delay.

John Brebbia replaced the unfortunate Szapucki after he’d faced the reglementary three hitters. He got the Giants out of the inning without any further damage, although he needed a favorable ruling from Sam Holbrook and Greg Gibson in New York on a challenge to the second out, a close play at first on Newman’s grounder to short.

When Austin Slater was announced as pinch hitting for Pederson with one out in the home seventh, the Bucs responded by bringing in the right handed Colin Holderman to replace his left handed predecessor. 

Holderman held the Giants at bay even though he walked Slater and Flores and required a fine catch of Yastrzemski’s hard, falling liner to right to end the frame.

Josh Van Meter hit for Chavis to lead off the Bucco’s half of the eighth. He and Gamel hit singles to right. Castro tried to bunt them along, but his attempted sacrifice was foiled by Brebbia’s throw to third. It was a close play, but Pittsburgh couldn’t contest it because they lost their challenge in the seventh. That was it for Brebbia, though.

Alex Young entered the game and walked Cruz to load the bases. He fanned Allen but still had to deal with Marcano, whom he retired on a grounder to second. The Giants still clung their 4-3 lead.

Austin Brice set down Crawford and Estrada in the bottom of the eighth but granted a base on balls to Longoria. Then González looped a fly that landed between the two fielders in left center to send Longoria home with San Francisco’ s fifth tally, a much needed insurance run.

Camilo Doval had to hold on to the 5-3 lead the Giants now enjoyed if he were going to gain 16th save in 18 opportunities. Bligh Madris, hitting for Delay, grounded out to second. Newman hit a grounder to third; Flores made a nifty play on it,  and there were two outs.  Doval struck him out, and that was it, a hard fought win for the beleaguered San Francisco Giants.

Tomorrow at 6:05, Pittsburgh will send Tyler Beede (1-1, 3.57) against the Giants’ other ace, Logan Webb (10-5, 3.17).

San Francisco Giants podcast with Daniel Dullum: Giants post season chances are fading fast; Tim Lincecum wife passes away

Former San Francisco Giants pitcher Tim Lincecum and his wife Cristin at the 2012 World Series celebration on Market Street in San Francisco. Cristin passed away on Jun 27, 2022 as announced by the San Francisco Giants on Thu Aug 11, 2022. (sfgate.com file photo)

On the Giant’s podcast with Daniel:

#1 The San Francisco Giants have been struggling losing six of their last ten games dropping their last two games in San Diego and are in third place in the NL West some 23 1/2 games behind first place Los Angeles the Giants chances of a wild card birth fading fast.

#2 Since the All Star break the Giants are 6-14 and have lost by 37 runs this stat shows they really need some help with middle and closing relief.

#3 The Giants opened their last three game series in San Diego last Mon Aug 8th with a 1-0 win thanks to the pitching efforts of Alex Wood who pitch six plus innings and the bullpen came through to uphold the shutout effort. The Giants lost the next two games to the Pads by scores of 7-4 and 13-7.

#4 Daniel, some sad news on Thursday the San Francisco Giants announced the passing of former pitcher Tim Lincecum’s wife Cristin Coleman. It should be noted that Cristin had been battling cancer. Lincecum who is extremely private didn’t even tell the Giants that Cristin and he were married and that she had died June 27th. It was also Cristin’s parents who made a statement regarding their daughter’s bout with cancer. Lincecum has not made a statement of any kind and did not go to the 2012 World Series reunion. He last appeared at a reunion when former Giants manager Bruck Bochy retired in 2019.

#5 Daniel the Giants open a three game series tonight against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Oracle Park a 7:15pm PDT first pitch. Starting pitcher for the Pirates Bryse Wilson (2-6, 5.86) going for the Giants Carlos Rodon (10-6, 2.95).

Join Daniel for the Giants podcasts Thursdays or Fridays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

San Francisco Giants podcast with Michael Duca: Giants look to rebound after losing two out of three to Padres

The San Francisco Giants JD Davis watches the flight of his second inning home run at Petco Park in San Diego against the San Diego Padres on Wed Aug 10, 2022 (AP News photo)

On the Giants podcast with Michael Duca:

#1 Michael during the series against San Diego Padres the Padres got a huge incentive after being shutout 26 straight innings with a home from Juan Soto on Tuesday night and ended up defeating the San Francisco Giants 7-4 and again on Wednesday 13-7.

#2 Soto after Wednesday’s game said that the Padres are on the road to recovery and got their hitting shoes on with a six run win over the Giants 13-7 at Petco Park in San Diego.

#3 The Padres made a recovery after Padres starter Sean Manaea gave up three runs in the top of the third inning and the Padres offense came back scoring seven runs in the bottom of the sixth inning.

#4 This was only the second time the Padres came back and won a game when they were down by four runs and it was first time they came back when they were down twice in a game for this season.

#5 The Pittsburgh Pirates are coming to open a three game series against the Giants on Friday night. The Pirates Bryse Wilson (2-6, 5.86) Giants will be going with Carlos Rodon (10-6 ERA 2.95)

Join Michael for the Giants podcasts each Thursday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

San Francisco Giants podcast with Marko Ukalovic: Bucs Suwinski was one man show in 4-3 win over Giants; SF opens 3 game series in Hotlanta tonight

Pittsburgh Pirates Jack Suwinski gets mobbed by teammates after hitting a walk off home run in the bottom of the ninth at PNC Park on Sun Jun 19, 2022

On the Giants podcast with Marko for Morris:

#1 The Pittsburgh Pirates Jack Suwinski teed off on San Francisco Giants pitching on Sunday with three home runs fourth, sixth and ninth innings.

#2 Suwinski hit home runs off Giants pitchers Alex Cobb in the fourth, Sam Long in the sixth, and hit a slider off Tyler Rogers in the bottom of the ninth for the game winner.

#3 Suwinski a Pirate rookie is the first rookie to hit three home runs since former Pirate and former Giant Andrew McCutchen did it on Aug 1, 2009 as a Pirate.

#4 The Giants fell short after Thairo Estrada started off the top of the ninth inning with a home run off Pirates reliever David Bendar.

#5 The Giants are in Atlanta starting tonight in Cobb County. The Giants will go with Logan Webb (6-2, 3.43) for the Braves Max Fried (7-9, ERA 2.90) a 4:20 pm PDT.

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

Three Suwinski Home Runs Beat Giants 4-3

Three Suwinski Home Runs Beat Giants 4-3

The Pittsburgh Pirates Jack Suwinski hits his third home run of the day in the bottom of the ninth a walk off to defeat the San Francisco Giants at PNC Park on Sun Jun 19, 2022 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

Sunday afternoon the San Francisco Giants (37-28) took on the Pittsburg Pirates (26-39) in the final game of their three-game series looking for a sweep. The Giants won a close game Saturday 7-5 turning in ten hits. They were looking for another big offensive day in Sunday’s game but the Pirates got enough pitching and hitting to edge the Giants 4-3 at PNC Park in Pittsburgh.

The Giants got a nice start in the first inning scoring two runs and taking the early 2-0 lead. Joc Pederson hit a single that drove Luis Gonzalez and Mike Yastrzemski home.

The Pirates got up on the board in the third and fourth innings with solo home runs. Hoy Park hit one to right in the third inning and Jack Suwinski had another in the fourth inning to knot the game 2-2.

Pittsburg would break the tie in the sixth inning when Suwinski hit his second solo home run of the game to give the Pirates the lead 3-2.

San Francisco would tie up the game in the ninth inning off a Thairo Estrada solo home run. Going into the bottom of the inning the score was 3-3. It was a monster day for Pittsburg’s Suwinski hitting his third homer of the day and giving the Pirates the walk off 4-3 and avoiding the sweep.

Monday evening the Giants start a four game series with the Atlanta Braves in Cobb County. Logan Webb (6-2, 3.43 ERA) will be on the mound in game one for San Francisco. The Braves will start Max Fried (7-2, 2.90 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 4:20.

Giants win second game in series over Pirates 7-5

San Francisco Giants’ Austin Slater, right, celebrates with Wilmer Flores (41) after hitting a solo home run off Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Jose Quintana during the fifth inning at PNC Park Pittsburgh on Sat Jun 18, 2022 (AP News photo)

Giants Win Second Game In Series Over Pirates 7-5

By Barbara Mason

Saturday afternoon the San Francisco Giants (37-27) took on the Pittsburg Pirates (25-39) in game two of their series. Friday the Giants got the win 2-0 to open the three game series. The Giants continued winning 7-5 on Saturday at PNC Park in Pittsburgh.

Wilmer Flores got the Giants going in the first inning with a home run to left for the early lead 1-0. The Pirates would answer with a Diego Castillo sacrifice that would drive Ke’Bryan Hayes home to tie up the game 1-1.

In the third inning Darin Ruf singled driving in Curt Casali for a short-lived lead 2-1. The Pirates scored four runs off a Diego Castillo home run driving in Hayes and Michael Chavis taking back the lead 4-2.

The Giants scored in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings. Austin Slater hit a solo home run in the fifth inning narrowing the Pirate lead to 4-3. Brandon Crawford singled in the sixth inning driving in Thairo Estrada tying up the game 4-4. San Francisco was not finished. Joc Pederson scored when Mike Yastrzemski hit a sacrifice fly giving San Francisco back the lead 5-4.

The Giants would get an insurance run in the seventh inning. Luis Gonzalez doubled driving in Joc Pederson for a 6-4 lead.

A solo home run in the eighth inning from Daniel Vogelbach cut the Giants lead to 6-5. The Pirates had a great opportunity in the inning when they loaded the bases with two outs but were unable to cash in and it was on to the ninth inning.

The Giants would put another insurance run up on the board that would solidify the win and with their second win guaranteed taking this series.

San Francisco will finish this series tomorrow with a 10:35 start. Alex Cobb will start for the Giants and Mitch Keller will take the mound for the Pirates.

Rodón shines in Giants 2-0 shutout win over Pirates

San Francisco Giants starter Carlos Rodon throws against the Pittsburgh Pirates line up in the bottom of the fourth inning at PNC Park in Pittsburgh on Fri Jun 17, 2022 to open the three game series (AP News photo)

by Marko Ukalovic

PITTSBURGH — Carlos Rodón pitched a two-hitter over eight innings in a brilliant performance as the San Francisco Giants shut out the Pittsburgh Pirates 2-0 on Friday evening at PNC Park.

San Francisco has won six out of its last seven games and gained a game in the NL West standings as both the San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers suffered lost on Friday.

Rodón had eight strike outs and just two walks on just 98 pitches in his dominating eight inning mastery over an anemic Pirates lineup that was never had a runner get past second base. He lowered his ERA to 2.84.

For Rodón, he has now won back-to-back starts after being winless in his previous five starts (including three losses) and improved to 6-4 on the season. Keeping the Pirates lineup off balanced for most of the night, Rodón no hit Pittsburgh for the first four and two-thirds innings before giving up a single to Jack Suwinski with two outs in the fifth inning.

“I’ve been building off that inning,” Rodón said. “Week to week I’m still working on stuff, just refining and getting a little more crisp with my fastball-slider. … Just a couple things that (pitching coaches J.P. Martinez and Andrew Bailey) looked into. It’s got me in the right spot.”

The Giants offense wasn’t that much better as they scored both runs off of solo homers. Luis Gonzales opened the game with a leadoff home run, his third of the season, that went over the bleachers in right field off of Pirates starting pitcher Zach Thompson.

Joc Pederson hit a bomb that traveled 413 feet into the right fielder bleachers for his team leading 14th home run of the season off of Thompson in the fourth inning to conclude the scoring on the night.

“As crazy as it sounds,” Giants manager Gabe Kapler said, “When he’s striking everybody out but running really deep counts and (getting) a ton of foul balls, it’s gonna be more difficult for him to get through eight innings like he did today.”

Thompson finished the evening going four and one-third innings with two earned runs on four hits, striking out two while walking five Giants hitters and is now 3-5 on the season.

Camilo Doval pitched a perfect ninth to earn his 10th save of the season.

GAME NOTES: San Francisco left five men on the base paths. Pittsburgh left three on.

UP NEXT: San Francisco and Pittsburgh continue its three-games series on Saturday 6/18 at 1:05pm at PNC Park.

San Francisco Giants podcast with Daniel Dullum: Belt’s back in full form; Hits HR on Wed against Royals

The San Francisco Giants Brandon Belt rounds third base and heads home after hitting a bottom of the fourth inning home run at Oracle Park in San Francisco against the Kansas City Royals on Wed Jun 15, 2022 (AP News photo)

On the Giants podcast with Daniel:

#1 One of the key figures in the San Francisco Giants line up is back since Tuesday night Brandon Belt who was a pinch hitter and on Wednesday was a designated hitter. Belt had been on the IL since May 18th.

#2 In the fourth inning on Wednesday Belt worked the an eight pitch count to 3-2 before hitting a rocket in the center field Kansas City Royals bullpen. It looks like Belt hasn’t missed a step.

#3 Fans have a waited over a month for Belt’s return and got their monies worth saluting the team captain as he rounded the bases after hitting the massive home run.

#4 The Giants did lose a tough one 3-2 Wednesday in a close game Giants starting pitcher Sammy Long pitched the first three innings giving up two runs and three hits but didn’t take the loss.

#5 The Giants open a three game series in Pittsburgh Friday night at 4:05 pm PDT. Starting pitchers for the Giants Carlos Rodon (5-4, 3.18) and for the Pirates Zach Thompson (3-4, ERA 4.50).

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