Thursday, June 08, 2023

Giants Squeeze Out Winning Run


The San Francisco Giants won a baseball game at Coors Field after going 5 1/3 innings without a hit and trailing 4-0. For six excruciating innings nothing seemed to go the Giants way. The strike zone was inconsistent, starting pitcher Logan Webb wasn't quite as crisp as usual, and a few Giants long balls hit well to the wall somehow found the outstretched gloves of Rockies outfielders. 

Coming off a blow-out 10-run, 14-hit win yesterday, Giants hitters were stymied by Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Connor Seabold through six innings.

But these Giants are proving to be a scrappy baseball club.  In the top of the 7th, down 4-0, they got their second hit of the game and chased Seabold from the mound with two men on and nobody out. Rockies reliever Brent Suter came in and gave up three consecutive singles putting the Giants back in the game with three runs.

With the Giants now down only 4-3, Giants' relief pitcher Taylor Rogers faced five Rockies hitters in the bottom of the 7th inning, getting three outs without allowing a run. 

By the top of the 8th inning things were definitely going the Giants way as Rockies reliever Justin Lawrence had trouble with his location. He walked the first batter, struck out the second, and hit the third before giving up a single to Austin Slater to tie the game. Then came the big Giants roll-of-the-dice play.

With men on first and third with one out, the count 2 balls, 1 strike, Giants rookie Patrick Bailey laid down a surprise bunt that rolled and died between the first base line and pitcher's mound. At the same time, Giants runner Mitch Haniger came racing home from third base as Lawrence dove for the dead ball and desperately attempted flipping it barehanded to the Rockies catcher covering home plate. 

"The Flip, The Slide, Safe at Home," was the call. And that's how the San Francisco Giants squeezed their way to a 5-4 lead they would not relinquish.

Yes, the Giants dialed up the old Squeeze Play and executed it to perfection. Planning, Patience, Timing, and Teamwork!


Taylor Roger's twin bro' Tyler would come out and pitch a 1-2-3 8th inning for the Giants and clutch closer Camilo Doval would do the same in the 9th inning to earn his 15th save of the season, tied for third best in the league.

Taylor and Tyler are only the fourth set of twins to ever play on the same MLB team. They're identical twins and many will say the only way to tell them apart is when either is pitching on the mound; Taylor pitches left-handed and Tyler is a righty. The twins grew up in Colorado not far from Denver and spent last night together with visiting family as stated in their interview.

KNBR podcast interview Part I

KNBR podcast interview part II

Giants 5
Rockies 4







note: In the top of the 7th my buddy Rey, desperate for a Giants comeback, turned his SF Giants baseball cap inside out (Rally Cap Style) and the rest is history. I now believe!

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Update: Rinse! Spin! Repeat!

San Francisco Giants Come-From-Behind Victory 2.0!

Less than 24hrs after their winning squeeze play the SF Giants battle back again from an early deficit. This time they began by squeezing out two runs in the sixth inning, shrinking the Rockies lead to 4-3. 

Still trailing in the top of the ninth inning, the visitors put together two walks, a double, a sacrifice fly and a single to take a 6-4 lead heading into the bottom of the inning. And again, Giants clutch closer Camilo Doval delivered, slamming the door shut by retiring the side with a strikeout, pop-out and ground-out. Doval squeezed in hitting a batter (HBP) to put one man on base, but it didn't stop him from earning his 16th save

The San Francisco Giants leave the mile-high city with a three-game sweep of the Colorado Rockies. More important is how they swept the Rockies by clawing back from deficits in two games and showcasing a hit-parade in the other.

This Giants team is definitely reigniting memories of that "Don't Stop Believing" baseball season Journey!


Giants 6
Rockies 4


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