San Francisco Giants Morning Minute: Still Not Clicking

On this edition of the San Francisco Giants Morning Minute, we discuss another game where things just don’t click, and some odds and ends.

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 Wednesday, the Giants fell yet again, losing game two to the Los Angeles Dodgers, 1-0. Rich Hill (1-0) won in his Dodger debut, while Johnny Cueto (14-4) was stuck with the loss. Kenley Jansen finished the ninth for his 37th save.

The Dodgers have put some breathing room between themselves and the Giants, extending their lead in the NL West to three games. The Giants still hold the first wildcard spot, but lead the St. Louis Cardinals by just a half game. The Miami Marlins are third in the wildcard, just two games back of the Giants.

Here’s what went on Tuesday.

1 – Another Misfire

Giants’ pitching was very good on Wednesday. Cueto threw six very strong innings, giving up just a run on four hits while striking out six. The bullpen came in and followed with two shutout innings, as Will Smith and Derek Law combined to give up just a single while each recorded a strikeout.

The problem, they needed to be perfect. One pitch was the difference in this 1-0 game. In the fourth inning, Cueto threw a hanging curveball over the inside of the plate to Justin Turner, and the Giant Killer did not miss. He turned on it and crushed it over the left field wall, and all Cueto could do was throw his head back in frustration. He knew he made a mistake, and he paid for it.

But hey, it’s only one run! The lineup could make that up, right? No, actually they couldn’t. That one run stood for the next five innings, and the Giants went away with their tails tucked between their legs again.

They had their chances. Buster Posey and Hunter Pence came up with two-out singles in the first inning, but nothing came of it. They put a runner on in the second, third, and fourth innings, but nothing came of it. Another runner was aboard in the seventh, but nothing came of it.

With runners on the corners in the eighth, Brandon Crawford gave a Joe Blanton pitch a ride, but again, nothing came of it. Josh Reddick made the catch at the warning track, sticking another dagger in Giants’ fans’ hearts.

That’s been the story of the second-half for MLB’s worst post-All-Star break team. One night after scoring five runs but watching their pitching give up nine, the Giants hold their opponents one run but couldn’t crack the scoreboard.

How long can this go on? It seems we’ll find out.

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

2 – Odds and Ends

Angel Pagan went 0-3 with a walk Wednesday, ending his hitting streak at 19 games. That’s by far the Giants’ longest streak this season, as no other hitter has reached 10 games. Joe Panik (five games, didn’t play Wednesday) and Ehire Adrianza (four games, 1-4 Wednesday) are now the Giants’ longest active streaks.

Gorkys Hernandez made his Giants’ debut on Wednesday, and collected a base hit in two at-bats. A single in the fourth inning was his first hit as a big leaguer since October 3rd, 2012 when he was a member of the Miami Marlins. He hit an RBI single off Jeremy Hefner that day.

Hernandez has enjoyed a very nice season with Triple-A Sacramento. In 116 games, he owned a .302/.382/.421 slash-line, with 22 doubles, three triples, and eight home runs. He’s driven in 51 runs and scored 74 times.

Derek Law pitched 1.1 perfect innings, dropping his ERA on the year to 1.98 and his WHIP to 0.980.

Next: Giants Morning Minute: They Can't Have It All

And that will do it for this edition of the Giants Morning Minute. Up next, the Giants will try to salvage a game against the Dodgers. Matt Moore will look for his first win as a Giant, opposed by Ross Stripling, who flirted with a no-hitter in his first career start against the Giants.