It has been a roller-coaster of a week for the Giants. The offense is getting plenty of pop, but the starting pitching is faltering. One reason is that the schedule hasn't been too kind to them. First facing the New York Mets, who are faltering but still a .500 ball club. Then the Oakland Athletics (70-55) and have the seventh-best record in baseball.
The first game against the Mets was an exciting scoring affair as the Giants won 7-5, and Jake McGee earned his 26th save. Kris Bryant hit two home runs, and Brandon Crawford went four-for-four at the plate. Brandon Belt also got in the mix and hit a homer and was part of the back-to-back jacks with Bryant. Gausman was shaky, allowing five hits and three runs in earning his 12th victory.
According to manager Gabe Kapler:
"This was the best we've seen him in quite some time," Kapler said. "The fastball had a ton of life on it, and the velocity was up. The split was much better. His mechanics were good."
The second game against New York was more of a pitching duel which the Giants won 3-2 as Logan Webb got the victory pitching 7.1 innings and striking out eight. At the same time, Dominic Leone earned his first save. When he launched his second home run of the season, Tommy La Stella put the Giants up 2-0, and Evan Longoria also got his 10th homer in the seventh to put San Francisco up for good.
As for Webb, he continues his dominance over the last three months. He has struck out 65 hitters, including the eight against the Mets. Webb did respond after giving up the two-run homer to Pete Alonso in the eighth inning.
Pete Alonso
"I was just more mad with the pitch I threw. I knew we were going to close that out with the guys in our 'pen," Webb said. "So there was no worrying. I was super excited with how it went, just a little frustrated how it ended."
Gabe Kapler had nothing but good words about Webb.
"I don't think there's any denying that he's been among the league's best starters — not just ours, but the league's best starters — over the last couple months since he came off the IL," Kapler said. "He's gotten better and better and today was his most efficient outing to date. Efficiency is the thing that kind of gives you the hope that he can keep doing this."
Bryant was held out of the lineup due to tightness in his hamstring he felt during batting practice. He would be in the lineup against the Mets in the final game of the series.
The third game against the Mets was a hard pill to swallow. San Francisco took the lead in the third when LaMonte Wade doubled in Alex Dickerson. It was the only run in the game until New York tied in the ninth when Alonso was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning and would later score by J.D. Davis' sacrifice fly to right field.
After both teams scored in the 11th, newly acquired Tyler Chatwood would allow three earned runs in the 12th, and the Giants would lose 6-2. The Giants had to use up nine pitchers as Anthony DeSclafani left after an inning and a third. It would not get better as the Giants traveled to take on the Athletics on August 20 in a three-game series.
In the first game, Athletics pitcher James Kaprielian kept the Giants at bay by allowing a run in five innings pitched. The run came via a homer by Mike Yastrzemski, who snapped a 3-for-26 slump with his 19th home run on the season. Alex Wood earned the loss after being unbeaten in 11 starts. He is now 10-4 after allowing two runs in five innings.
The second game against the two Bay Area clubs looked as though the Giants would earn their third straight defeat. Gausman struggled once again as he allowed two earned runs in 3.2 innings and five total runs. In seven starts since the break, Gausman has made it through six innings once.
San Francisco was down 5-2 going into the seventh inning. Their only runs were a Bryant homer that scored Darin Ruf. The Giants would pull closer in the seventh when both Belt and Ruf hit back-to-back home runs off of Andrew Chafin, pulling the Giants within one run.
It was in the ninth when the sparks began to fly. After Buster Posey struck out, Belt walked. Wade was sent in to bat for Ruf, blasted a homer to right field just by the foul pole, and put San Francisco in the winner seat 6-5. Wade now has 16 homers on the season. Kapler commented on the big moment for Wade.
"One of the reasons I like LaMonte coming up in a big moment like that in a big pinch-hit spot, cold off the bench, is because of the way he leads off a game," Kapler said. "He leads off the game ready from pitch one. We know he's dangerous enough where can put the ball in the seats like he did."
The rubber match against Oakland became a pitching duel between Webb and Frankie Montas. In the Sixth, the A's took the lead by scoring the first run as Mark Canha singled to the right, driving in Tony Kemp, who previously doubled. However, the Giants would take the lead in the eighth. After Wilmer Flores and Ruf both grounded out, Austin Slater walked, bringing up pinch-hitter Donovan Solano. On the first pitch (sinker), Solano jacked a two-run homer to left field.
Kapler commented on the big moment for Solano.
"The power stroke hasn't shown up quite as much this year, but we know it's still in there, so certainly doesn't surprise any of us in the dugout that Donovan was able to jump on that pitch," manager Kapler said.
McGee earned his 28th save. The Giants have won eight consecutive series and haven't lost since their home set against the Pittsburgh Pirates at the end of July.
Transactions:
Per ESPN
August 22, 2021: Placed INF Evan Longoria on the 10-day IL. Returned RHP Reyes Moronta from rehab assignment and optioned to Sacramento (Triple-A East). Recalled LHP Sammy Long and RHP Jay Jackson from Sacramento. Placed RHP Anthony DeSclaflani on the 10-day IL, retroactive to August 19.
August 17, 2021: Selected the contract of RHP Tyler Chatwood from Sacramento (Triple-A West) and agreed to terms on a major league contract. Optioned RHP Jay Jackson to Sacramento. Placed RHP Tyler Beede on the 60-day IL.
