San Francisco Giants Rehash 2017 Memories in Abysmal Sweep

The San Francisco Giants looked like their old selves in losing four games to the Philadelphia Phillies, and that’s really not a good thing.

This is normally where 3 Up, 3 Down for a San Francisco Giants series would go, but even someone with the most sunny of dispositions would be hard-pressed to find three positive things to come from that debacle in Philadelphia.

Reyes Moronta pitched well in two appearances after three really bad ones that ended with an early departure because of a tight back. Alen Hanson continues to show some unlikely power, hitting his third home run in just 12 games with San Francisco.

That’s about where the pluses end. The Giants were thoroughly outplayed by the Phillies in every facet of the game, and really didn’t seem to be actually in any of the three games. Even when they roared out to a 3-0 lead in the first two innings on Thursday, it seemed inevitable that it would blow up in their faces.

Starting pitching was bad in all four games. The four starters combined for 18 innings, and allowed 18 runs and 32 hits and walks. Derek Holland had the best outing of the bunch, and he still gave up three runs (and two home runs) while being the only starter to complete five innings. The bullpen wasn’t much better, either. They gave up six runs each in the first and third games of the series.

The defense continued the trend it started in Atlanta of looking downright amateurish. Six different players committed six errors in the four games, and there were plenty of other plays that weren’t made that weren’t ruled errors. The defense was supposed to be a strong point for this team, but they lead the National League in errors and are 17th in MLB in defensive runs saved (-2).

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In Atlanta, though, the Giants hit enough to overcome the defensive miscues. In Philadelphia, known as a very hitter-friendly park, they barely hit at all. The entire lineup swung and missed like they were swinging at a ping pong ball with a length of rope. They struck out 55 times, shattering the previous franchise record for strikeouts in a four-game series (44 back in 2003).

Overall, Giants’ hitters swung and missed at 88 pitches in four games. Phillies’ pitchers entered the series with 277 punchouts. They exited with 332, increasing their season total by over 16 percent.

Even when the Giants put the ball in play, it didn’t amount to much. They did hit four home runs, but three were solo and they couldn’t put together that big rally that seemed so common in Atlanta. They had one hit in 18 at-bats with runners in scoring position.

The Phillies, on the other hand, made hitting look easy. They had 14 hits with 36 at-bats with runners in scoring position, good for a .389 average. They hit eight home runs, five with at least one runner on base and three with two runners on. Carlos Santana drove in 13 runs by himself, and Odubel Herrera was responsible for eight RBI. The Giants only scored eight times in the entire series.

And we can’t forget about Gregor Blanco’s unforgivable baserunning mistake. In the fifth inning on Tuesday, Blanco lined a single to right field, then appeared to get picked off at first base by pitcher Aaron Nola. The umpires in New York didn’t agree, saying that he got back to the base safely (even though he was probably out). Instead of making the most of this second chance, Blanco was picked off again. New York wouldn’t help him this time.

Every facet of the Giants’ game this series was somewhere between subpar and absolutely atrocious, which most hovering toward the latter. It was a complete change from their series against the Braves, during which they looked like they had truly turned a corner and were ready to compete again. Instead in the ensuing series, they rehashed the absolute worst of the 2017 season.

The Giants used a five-series winning streak to build themselves a cushion, forging a record of four games above .500. That was all undone in four games in Philadelphia, and the Giants now are back at even after 38 games. The quarter point is right around the quarter, but before they reach that mark they have to face the Pittsburgh Pirates for three in the last leg of their three-city roadtrip.

Next: 3 Up, 3 Down: Sweep in Atlanta

The Pirates are 21-16 on the season and had an off-day on Thursday, presenting another obstacle for the Giants. This can be looked at as a huge series. They aren’t getting pitching help any time soon, but need better performances from the hurlers they currently do have. The defense has to improve, and again turn into a positive. And last but not least, they have to start putting the ball in play again. If not, this is going to be another long summer.

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