San Francisco Giants Morning Minute: Early Deficit No Problem, Minors Update
On this edition of the San Francisco Giants Morning Minute, we discuss the offense overcoming an early deficit, a strong bullpen showing, and a great Triple-A debut.
More from Golden Gate Sports
- Raiders: Rookie stock report following Week 3 performance
- 49ers sign new long snapper amidst a flurry of roster moves
- Oakland Athletics win Game 2 of Wild Card round with late-inning drama
- 49ers: George Kittle and Deebo Samuel cleared to return to practice
- 49ers expected to place DE Dee Ford on injured reserve
Good morning, San Francisco Giants’ fans, and welcome to another edition of the Giants Morning Minute. On Saturday, the Giants won their seventh straight game, and clinched their third straight series win, with a 6-4 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays. Hunter Strickland earned his third win of the season, while Alex Colome took his second loss. Cory Gearrin sealed his second save of the year.
The Los Angeles Dodgers also won again Saturday, keeping the Giants’ lead to 6.5 games in the National League West. The Colorado Rockies lost their second straight to fall 10 games back, their largest deficit of the season.
Here’s what went on Saturday.
1 – “Pesky” Giants Erase Early Deficits
The Giants found themselves facing early deficits on more than one occasion Saturday, but had no problems battling back. After the first inning, they were down 1-0 following an Evan Longoria home run, but Matt Duffy‘s solo shot tied it up. Two Rays’ solo home runs later, the Giants entered the fifth inning trailing 3-1.
They gained a run back in the fifth, when Joe Panik was hit on the helmet by a Matt Moore fastball with the bases loaded. They couldn’t tie the score in the fifth, or in the seventh after Trevor Brown‘s leadoff double, but kept battling into the eighth inning. In that frame, Buster Posey hit an opposite field, seeing-eye single, took second base on a sacrifice, and scored on Brandon Crawford‘s clutch game-tying hit.
The ninth was where things took a complete turn. Trevor Brown singled with one out, his third hit of the game, and moved to third on a Gregor Blanco single. Denard Span couldn’t cash him in, but Panik would deliver, crushing a three-run home run that would put the Giants ahead to stay.
San Francisco hadn’t found themselves facing many deficits in recent days. In fact, the first inning was the first time the Giants trailed their opponent in 54 innings, dating back to Monday, when they trailed the Dodgers in the 10th inning (the Giants won that game anyway). They’re proving they can win games a lot of different ways. They can score early and cruise, or fight back from an early hole to claim victory that way.
But the Giants may not have had a chance, if not for a great effort from their beleaguered bullpen.
2 – Bullpen Holds Strong
More from San Francisco Giants
- Thank you SF Giants for a fun, wild, surprising 2020 season
- SF Giants lose in heartbreaking fashion and miss 2020 MLB playoffs
- SF Giants: Mike Yastrzemski named 2020 Willie Mac Award recipient
- SF Giants: Chadwick Tromp placed on IL with shoulder strain
- SF Giants: Tuesday’s game against the Seattle Mariners postponed
For the first time, there were some cracks in the armor for Albert Suarez. He was missing his locations and leaving the ball up, allowing three home runs in 4.2 innings after not giving up any long balls in his first nine appearances (27 innings). With Suarez not making it through the fifth, the bullpen was given a heavy load to carry.
It started with Steven Okert, a rookie who was just recalled after Santiago Casilla was placed on the paternity list. For his sixth career ballgame, he was tasked with leaving the bases loaded to keep the deficit at two. One pitch and one Logan Morrison pop-up later, the job was done.
George Kontos followed with 1.2 innings, giving up a hit while striking out two. Josh Osich came in with a runner on, and got Brad Miller to fly out for his lone out. Hunter Strickland also had to work through trouble after allowing a leadoff double to Longoria, but retired the side with no damage. Then the Giants took the lead, giving Strickland the victory.
Cory Gearrin took the ninth with Casilla not with the team, and though he gave up a two-out home run to Logan Forsythe, ended the ballgame to seal the victory.
This looked more like the bullpen the Giants were hoping for. Young pitchers came through in big spots while veterans did their jobs just as well. More of these games would go a long way towards the stretch run.
3 – A Sterling River Cats Debut
Giants’ prospect Adalberto Mejia was promoted from the Double-A Richmond Flying Squirrels to the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats earlier this week, and made his debut with Sacramento on Saturday. He was spectacular, throwing seven shutout innings, allowing just four hits and striking out eight, all while walking no one. He even helped his own cause with an RBI single.
Mejia’s control was fantastic, as he commanded both sides of the plate with his fastball and was able to put his slider basically wherever he wanted. He threw 92 pitches, 65 of which were strikes.
Between both levels, the 23-year-old lefty (happy birthday!) owns a 1.75 ERA and 0.944 WHIP in 72 innings. He’s struck out 66 batters (8.3 per nine innings) and walked just 16 (two per nine innings), good for a 4.2 strikeouts per walk rate. He’s already on the 40-man roster, could we see him in September when rosters expand? Maybe before?
Next: Giants Morning Minute: Shark Swimming in Clearer Waters
And that will do it for the Giants Morning Minute. Up next, the Giants and Rays finish their series before the Giants head to Pittsburgh for four games. Jake Peavy and Jake Odorizzi will do battle.