Giants Lose 4-2 Ensuring Wild Card Playoff Game On Road

Tonight’s Giants game started on a bright note with the 35th annual Willie Mac Award, voted upon by the players, coaches, fans, and Willie McCovey himself for the player who best ememplifies the spirit and leadership always shown by Willie McCovey thoughout his career. This year’s winner is Madison Bumgarner, a very deserving recipient.

The Giants came into tonight’s game 1.5 games behind the Pittsburgh Pirates in pursuit of home field advantage in the National League Wild Card playoff game.

Ryan Vogelsong was given the nod for game two of four against the Padres. Vogelsong came into tonight’s game owning a 3-0 record and 2.88 ERA vs. the Padres at AT&T Park in his career.

On the downside, Vogelsong hadn’t recorded a win in his last four starts.

Tonight was going to be his fifth.

The Padres jumped out in front with a 1-0 lead in the top of the first after a one-out hit from Will Venable, who then advanced to second base on a passed ball by Andrew Susac. Yasmani Grandal then singled in Venable.

Ian Kennedy was the starter for the Padres. Last time the Giants faced Kennedy he beat the Giants after going 6.2 innings while striking out five, allowing five hits, two runs, and a homer.

From the Start Kennedy looked in control and pounded the strike zone, and the Giants were not able to answer back with a run in their half the first inning.

Vogelsong had a much sharper second inning retiring the Padres in order on just five pitches.

In the bottom of the second inning Brandon Belt led off with a single to left field, followed by another single to left field from Hunter Pence. Travis Ishikawa flew out to center for the first out, as Bruce Bochy declined to use the bunt with two on and no out. Susac reached on a force attempt as Jedd Gyorko missed the catch at second base and the Giants had bases loaded and one out for Brandon Crawford. Crawford was able to hit a sacrifice fly to center field scoring Belt from third base to make it 1-1.

The first half of tonight’s game appeared to be a pitcher’s duel. Both starters, Ian Kennedy and Ryan Vogelsong, were pitching very well in the early innings.

The bottom half of the order made some noise again in the fourth inning. Belt walked to start the inning, but Pence looked like his slumping self in his second at bat as he swung at a couple of bad pitches and struck out for the first out. Pence has been swinging at a lot of bad pitches since his slump began about three weeks ago.

Ishikawa smacked a single to left field before Susac lined out to left field for the second out of the inning and Crawford ended the Giants scoring threat by grounding out to second base.

After Vogelsong’s shaky first inning he pitched beautifully in the second, third, fourth, and fifth innings, allowing just one a walk and a single in those four innings.

Things changed quickly for Vogelsong in the sixth inning though. After issuing a one-out double to Gyorko and walking Grandal, Seth Smith doubled in one run after hitting one high on the right field brick wall, then the newest “Giant Killer” Rene Rivera blooped a single to left allowing two more runs to score, and just like that the Padres were up 4-1. Vogelsong’s night was then over.

His line for the night: 5.1 innings, six hits, four runs, three earned runs, two walks, and five strikeouts.

The Giants had a chance to score in the bottom half of the sixth inning, but failed to. Belt hit a one-out single and then Pence walked, but Ishikawa and Susac struck out looking in back-to-back at bats to end the threat.

The Giants never had another opportunity in the game to score again, and so they fell to the Padres by a score of 4-2.

More bad news: The Cardinals beat the D-backs in extra innings. This now means the Giants will play on the road either in St. Louis or Pittsburgh in the Wild Card playoff game.

Two positive notes: The Giants bullpen looked great tonight. They combined for 3.2 innings of scoreless ball. Brandon Belt seems to have possibly found his stroke again. Over the last two games, he’s 4-7 with a home run.