San Francisco Giants & the Week That Was: Opening Week
Pitcher of the Week: Johnny Cueto
The overall numbers don’t look that pretty for the new Giants’ right-hander Johnny Cueto, as he allowed seven runs on 16 hits in 14 innings over his first two starts with his new team. But digging a little deeper proves that Cueto had a really nice debut week with San Francisco.
In the season’s second game, Cueto took the mound against the Milwaukee Brewers, a familiar foe from his days with the Cincinnati Reds. Over seven innings, Cueto held the Brewers to just a run on six hits, leading the Giants to a 2-1 victory in a pitcher’s duel. Cueto’s second start was in San Francisco, his first home start, but got off to a terrible start.
Against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Cueto retired just one of the game’s first eight hitters, giving up five hits, a walk, a hit-by-pitch, and a sac fly that equaled five runs before the Giants even got a chance to take their hacks.
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Cueto quickly got his bearings back, ending the first inning before any further damage could be done and going on to pitch seven innings, giving up just five hits, a run, and a walk while striking out eight over the final six frames. Controlling the damage allowed the Giants’ offense to outscore the Dodgers 9-1 the rest of the way, giving them a series win in the four-game swing.
Cueto is the only Giants pitcher to making it past six innings in a start so far, going seven in both of his first two starts, and was the winner both times out.
Honorable mentions can be given to Madison Bumgarner (two starts, four runs in 11 innings, another home run off Clayton Kershaw), Matt Cain (six stellar innings on Friday night), and Josh Osich (five games, five strikeouts, zero runs, and 3-3 stranding inherited runners).
Next: Play(s) of the Week