San Francisco Giants 3 Up, 3 Down: Miami Brings the Heat

3 DOWN

1 – Hold the Lead

The Giants held nine different leads in this four-game set, and found a way to blow each and every one of the first eight. They led three times on Monday, and lost. They scored first on Tuesday, and lost. They again held three separate leads on Wednesday, and again lost. They blew the first two leads on Thursday and came dangerously close to losing the third, but were able to put away the Marlins and sneak out of Miami with a win.

Part of that was a Giants’ bullpen that has been stellar this season, but may be feeling the effects of all the innings they’ve combined to throw. Sam Dyson had been lights out, but allowed three runs in three appearances and took the loss on Monday. Reyes Moronta had been nearly unhittable, but gave up runs in both appearances and was the loser on Wednesday. Hunter Strickland blew a save on Thursday (in large part because of a two-base error) and couldn’t escape a serious inherited jam on Wednesday. Mark Melancon also gave up a run and Will Smith was charged with a blown save after allowing an inherited runner to score.

Tony Watson was really the only reliever who didn’t have a poor performance in this series. He appeared twice, struck out four batters and allowed only a walk. He’s been the most steady presence in the bullpen this season, and maybe the most steady presence on the entire team all year long.

2 – Confidence Boost

San Francisco turned out to be a great confidence boost for the Marlins, and for many of their struggling players. Miami entered the series in last place in the NL East, and in a fistfight with the Cincinnati Reds for last place in the entire National League. They also had the worst run differential in the league at -108. They, of course, took three of four from San Francisco and outscored them by a couple runs.

They also helped get some hitters back on track. J.B. Shuck entered the series hitting .182/.250/.216, but is up to .212/.278/.263 as the Giants leave the city. Lewis Brinson was hitting .163/.210/.302 with a 32.2 percentage strikeout rate, but picked up five hits in 15 at-bats, drove in four runs, and struck out twice. JT Riddle’s slugging percentage jumped 53 points, thanks in large part to a Thursday home run. Bryan Holaday had his first multi-hit game of the season on Thursday, despite a .161/.217/.232 slash-line.

They also flailed helplessly as rookie Trevor Richards shut them down for his first career victory. The right-hander pitched to a 5.02 ERA and 1.500 WHIP in his first six starts, but held the Giants to one run on two hits and three walks in six innings on Tuesday.

3 – Ouch

It wouldn’t be a Giants’ series without another injury. Brandon Belt is getting ready to return, but the Giants still won’t have their full lineup on the field. Evan Longoria was hit on the hand with a pitch on Thursday, and now he will take his turn on the disabled list with a fractured pinky, the same injury that cost Bumgarner two months. Longoria probably won’t miss as long, since he won’t have to build arm strength back like a pitcher typically does, but he will still miss an extended period, and the Giants will miss him.

Next: 3 Up, 3 Down: Winners in Washington

Alen Hanson is a likely candidate to take a lot of his playing time (as is Sandoval once Belt returns), and he has done extremely well this year. Can he keep that up, or will pitchers begin to expose his weaknesses as he gets more playing time?