Giants Blow Lead Again, Waste Lincecum’s Solid Outing
Marcell Ozuna has quickly become the San Francisco Giants’ nemesis. Ozuna’s two-run single in the eighth inning on Thursday night proved to be the game-winning hit. Friday night, Ozuna’s eighth-inning single broke a 3-3 tie, and the Miami Marlins wouldn’t look back, winning 6-3.
The victim of Ozuna’s clutch hit? None other than the rookie, Jake Dunning. Dunning didn’t help himself prior to the big hit, though. Ed Lucas singled and Dunning hit Giancarlo Stanton, which stirred some controversy. Manager Bruce Bochy argued that Dunning’s inside fastball hit Stanton’s bat, but the call stood, and Bochy summoned Javier Lopez to face Logan Morrison, a lefty. Lopez struck Morrison out on a sinking fastball down in the zone. That would be all for Lopez, who hasn’t allowed a hit since May 29.
To record the final out of the eighth, Bochy picked Jean Machi.
Jun 21, 2013; San Francisco, CA, USA; San Francisco Giants first baseman Buster Posey (28) looks on as pitcher Jose Mijares (50) warms up during a pitching change against the Miami Marlins in the eighth inning at AT
Machi did exactly the opposite. Ozuna singled, Greg Dobbs extended Miami’s lead with an RBI single and Adeiny Hechavarria beat out a high-chopping grounder. Ozuna scored from second on the play, as shortstop Joaquin Arias threw low to first base slipped past Buster Posey.
The Marlins’ three-run eighth inning was enough to secure their ninth consecutive win against the Giants at AT&T Park.
San Francisco’s bullpen woes wasted Tim Lincecum’s solid outing, his third in four tries.
Linceucm, in command of his off-speed arsenal, pitched seven innings. He gave up three runs, struck out eight and walked just one. He added a two-out triple in the sixth after Andres Torres was gunned out trying to stretch a double into a triple with no outs. It was Lincecum’s second career triple and first extra-base hit since 2009.
Not only did the Giants waste Lincecum’s outing, but they wasted scoring opportunities, going 1-for-14 with runners in scoring position.
Hunter Pence and Marco Scutaro both collected RBI doubles, and Nick Noonan beat out a potential double play to pick up an RBI with the bases loaded. But that was it. Despite allowing nine hits, Marlins starter Ricky Nolasco held the Giants to three runs over 5.2 innings.
Lincecum had trouble containing Morrison, who homered and tripled off him. Morrison led off the second with a solo blast, swatting Lincecum’s hanging 0-2 change-up into the right field arcade. His two-out RBI triple in the sixth set the table for Ozuna’s first RBI.
Buster Posey came up to the plate in the ninth with two runners on, but Steve Cishek induced a weak ground out to third base.