PHOENIX — Some 400 miles of distance, a unique ballpark and a downgrade in competitors from the first-place Dodgers to last-place D-backs wasn’t sufficient for the Giants to shed their gradual begin to the second half.
Held hitless for greater than half the sport Monday, the Giants dropped the opener of this three-game collection with Arizona, 7-0, leaving them winless in 5 video games because the All-Star break. The five-game shedding streak — their fourth of no less than that lengthy this season — has dropped them again to .500, all however negating their 7-2 stretch to complete the primary half.
“The toughest half is we type of had this earlier than. We’ve finished this as soon as already,” mentioned starter Jakob Junis, who left a scoreless sport after 4⅓ innings in his return to the rotation, referencing the membership’s 4-14 stretch that preceded their sizzling play earlier than the break. “It’s not enjoyable whenever you’re shedding that many video games and issues begin to pile on.”
The Giants couldn’t muster a success — or a base runner — off D-backs starter Merrill Kelly till the sixth, when Luis González led off with a double that simply cleared the first-base bag. That did not spark the bats, although, as two bunt singles amounted to their solely different offense Monday evening.
Brandon Belt’s 403-foot fly out to finish the seventh was the Giants’ hardest- and furthest-hit ball of the evening, and one among solely two to depart the bat at greater than 100 mph. The shutout was the fifth time they have been blanked this season, and their three hits matched their second-fewest in a sport.
They introduced 28 males to the plate, another than the minimal, as a result of González was doubled off second after his double within the sixth and picked off first after bunting for a single within the eighth.
“I tousled,” González mentioned. “That may’t occur on my half.”
It may be too variety to name Kelly the Giants’ Kryptonite, solely as a result of this group doesn’t seem to have any tremendous powers. However it’s robust to discover a starter who has shut down the Giants in addition to the 33-year-old Arizona State product this season. In three begins this season (all since July 6), Kelly has restricted the Giants to 4 runs and 10 hits in 21⅓ innings (a 1.69 ERA).
“He actually commanded glove facet, and it was conserving each our right-handed and left-handed hitters off steadiness and unable to get their greatest swings off,” mentioned supervisor Gabe Kapler, who when filling out his lineup card Monday referenced earlier teams that had success in opposition to Kelly however to no avail. “I feel when pitcher is on his sport – it’s similar to when one among our greatest pitchers is rolling – it’s arduous to type of gradual issues down. One of the best factor we will do is put guys within the batter’s field who really feel snug in opposition to Kelly and belief they’re going to do their greatest work.”
Making his first begin since straining his hamstring on June 10, Junis left the sport earlier than he had allowed a run — or the Giants had gotten their first hit. Kapler got here out with the hook with one out within the fifth (Junis was on a pitch rely and completed with 63), and Jarlín García allowed the runner he inherited from Junis to attain on the primary batter he confronted.
“He was environment friendly and efficient and left the sport with zeros on the board,” Kapler mentioned. “We simply weren’t in a position to shield the tie for him.”
García confronted three batters and didn’t document an out. The Giants’ bullpen troubles continued the next inning, as Sam Lengthy walked the primary batter he confronted and proceeded to surrender a 3 spot, punctuated by Carson Kelly’s two-RBI double and Josh Rojas’ RBI single that formally put the sport out of attain.
Between González’s baserunning blunder and a pair uncharacteristic performs from Austin Slater in middle discipline, Kapler reasoned the membership may be urgent because the seek for its first win because the All-Star break drags in to its sixth sport.
After ranging far towards proper discipline and setting himself as much as make a highlight-reel catch, Austin Slater let a deep David Peralta fly ball look off his glove and go for a double within the fourth. Slater’s throw dwelling on Alek Thomas’ RBI single within the fifth landed halfway up the third-base line, permitting Gerardo Perdomo to attain with no play and Thomas to advance to second. (Perdomo was solely on second as a result of Joc Pederson was so gradual attending to the ball he hit into shallow left discipline.) The subsequent inning, one other errant throw from Slater allowed Rojas to take second base on his RBI single, regardless that Kelly crossed the plate nicely earlier than the throw arrived. And, oh, Joey Bart additionally dropped a foul pop (although the batter was rapidly retired, anyway).
“Typically overthrows relating to cutoff males, it’s only a results of a man attempting to do an excessive amount of,” Kapler mentioned. “Like, ‘I’m gonna be the man that turns issues round; I’m gonna make the large play.’ They attempt to take it on themselves and attempt to do an excessive amount of and also you overthrow a cutoff man, and that’s what occurred there.
“Typically when issues aren’t going the best way you need them to as a membership … what occurs is you press just a little bit too arduous. You get just a little tight when the most effective factor you may presumably do is play free. … You'll be able to’t play this sport tight. You’ve received to play it free. You’ve received to play it with freedom. And proper now, guys are in all probability attempting to perform a little bit an excessive amount of.”
Rookie David Villar, nevertheless, supplied a pair highlights at third base, charging a hopper to throw out Thomas to finish the third, then diving to his proper to nab a line drive from Christian Walker for the second out of the seventh.
After going 17-2 in opposition to Arizona final season, the Giants fell to 3-4 this yr and misplaced for the third time in 4 video games at Chase Area. Of their final go to right here firstly of this month, they have been prone to falling under .500, they usually’re proper there once more, at 48-48.
A loss Tuesday wouldn’t solely be their sixth straight to begin the second half, it might finish the majors’ longest energetic streak with no shedding document, courting again to the beginning of final season.