San Francisco Giants Morning Minute: Still Holding On Entering Final Weekend
On this edition of the San Francisco Giants Morning Minute, we discuss a big series win keeping the Giants in a good spot entering the final weekend.
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Good morning, San Francisco Giants’ fans, and welcome to another edition of the Giants Morning Minute. On Thursday, the Giants beat the Colorado Rockies, 7-2, to clinch a season series win. Johnny Cueto (18-5) was the winner, while Jon Gray (10-10) was on the other end.
The wildcard race is still as tight as can be. The New York Mets were off on Thursday, but lost a half-game by virtue of the Giants’ win. They are one game clear of the Giants for the first wildcard spot. The St. Louis Cardinals also won, keeping their deficit to one game behind the Giants. Three games will decide which two of these teams have a chance at postseason glory.
Here’s what went on Thursday.
1 – Offense Wakes Back Up
With the Cardinals pulling out a (controversial) walk-off win just as the Giants got their contest underway, the pressure shifted to San Francisco. If they wanted to enter the final weekend of the regular season with a wildcard spot by themselves, they needed to beat the Rockies. That didn’t look like it would be as easily done as said over the first three innings.
The Rockies got two quick runs in the first off a seemingly rusty Cueto, who was making his first start since injuring his groin. The Giants were stifled through three innings by Rockies’ rookie Gray. A leadoff walk was wasted in the first. A two-out triple was squandered in the second. A leadoff single wasn’t cashed in during the third.
The fourth saw the floodgates open a bit. Buster Posey walked and Hunter Pence followed with a double into the right field corner. Brandon Crawford‘s groundout brought Posey home for the first run, and Joe Panik‘s bloop fell in left field to tie the game.
The tie stood through the fifth, but the dam burst in the sixth and the Giants took advantage of a couple of Rockies’ mistakes. Brandon Crawford and Pagan started the inning with singles. Panik grounded to first baseman Gerardo Parra, but Crawford baited him into throwing to third, and slid around a tag to load the bases.
Conor Gillaspie broke the tie with a sacrifice fly. Cueto, hitting for himself, bunted to the left side, but Gray let it get past him and Nolan Arenado tried to make the spectacular play. His throw went into right field, allowing two more to score.
Some insurance came in the eighth inning, with the Giants scoring twice despite collecting only one hit. A walk, a hit-by-pitch, a single, another walk, and a sacrifice fly took their lead to five.
2 – Cueto Wades Through Troubled Water
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It was a rough first inning for Giants’ starter Cueto, as he allowed three extra-base hits that led to a pair of runs. It didn’t get much easier for Cueto, but he walked the high-wire and made the lead stand once his lineup gave him one.
Cueto stranded one in the second, two in the third, and one more in the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings. He became stronger as the night went on, ramping up his velocity to the mid-90’s when the occasion called for it. His final inning was his best, as he worked through the seventh cleanly, his only one-two-three inning of the evening.
The Giants’ starter matched his season-high by striking out 11. He also matched the strikeout totals from the two previous day’s starters. Matt Moore struck out 11 on Tuesday, and Jeff Samardzija followed suit on Wednesday. It was the first time three Giants’ starters reached 10 or more strikeouts in consecutive games since 1975.
In a game, and series, the Giants needed to win, they came up with a very nice, complete team win. There was still that concerning shutout against Tyler Chatwood, who posted the lowest road ERA in Rockies’ team history, but a winning series at this point in the year is always welcome. One series remains, and the Giants still control their own fate. It’s coming down to the wire, but isn’t that how the Giants like it?
Next: Giants Morning Minute: Great Start to Final Week
And that will do it for this edition of the Giants Morning Minute. Up next, the Giants and Dodgers meet at AT&T Park for the final series of the year. In game one, Madison Bumgarner and Rich Hill will take the mound.