San Francisco –
The Giants just swept the Colorado Rockies only to return home to fall 3-2 to the Chicago Cubs 3-2 to start the homestand. What looked like a great pitcher’s duel ended up being another impressive night for Marcus Stroman whose won his past four starts.
“I think it’s just the continued competitiveness that comes out of Marcus every time he takes the mound,” said manager Gabe Kapler. “It’s pretty impressive. Excellent command, control of a sinker-slider combination that can be really challenging, partly for right handed-hitters.
We had some early solid hitting from Joc [Pederson] and [Mike Yastrzemski] and a 3rd ground ball from [Thairo] Estrada. It was just not enough to really do damage.”
San Francisco scored their first run in the third on Estrada’s RBI double. Stroman gave up a leadoff walk to LaMonte Wade. Pederson hit a single with Wade advancing to third and Estrada’s double drove in Wade but Michael Conforto grounded out leave two stranded.
Stroman went 6.2 innings, allowing 6 hits, two runs, walked four and struck out 5. The Giants had a second chance bottom of the seventh when a call on the field was overturned. Pederson singled on a ground ball that scored in Brandon Crawford. The initial call was that Pederson was out at first.
Crawford had doubled earlier but Estrada struck out leaving Pederson stranded. Pederson matched a career high and went 4-for-4 with one RBI in tonight’s loss. Anthony DeSclafani lost his command at the top of the frame and things unraveled from there. He gave up a single to Seiya Suzuki and a free pass to Ian Happ.
DeSclafani put two on with no outs. Kapler immediately made a pitching change with Ryan Walker. Dansby Swanson flew out to center field, but on the next pitch Walker hit Matt Mervis. Pinch-hitter Nico Hoerner singled and drove in both Suzuki and Happ making it a 2-1 game.
Walker’s wild pitch advanced Mervis to third. Christopher Morel walked and Tucker Barnhart’s RBI single made it a 3-1 game. Kapler’s third pitching change forced Mike Tachman to ground out and end the inning. DeSclafani allowed three hits and walked four. He started off strong with a shutout until he was removed with runners on base.
“I’m just trying to work on some mechanical stuff in between starts and still felt a little out of whack.” DeSclafani said. “The walks are not ideal. It’s tough. I’ve got to stop walking so many guys, but for the most part, I thought I did a fine job.”
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