What we learned when Soto’s homer dooms Giants in the ninth inning originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
SAN FRANCISCO – The Giants gave a sold-out home crowd a masterclass of disaster at Oracle Park on Sunday with a 7-5 loss in a sweep of the New York Yankees.
Giants closer Camilo Doval imploded in the ninth inning, entering with a two-run lead, but allowed four earned runs to score and recorded only two outs. Doval gave up four hits – a single, double, triple and game-tying homer – and walked two, but the biggest story of the day was who walked down the stairs and straight into the clubhouse in the top of the fifth inning .
Blake Snell was on pace to complete his best start of the season for the Giants before manager Bob Melvin and trainer Dave Groeschner came to check on him in the middle of an at-bat in the top of the fifth inning. It was later announced that Snell left the game with left groin tightness.
The same problem forced Snell to miss 25 games earlier this season.
After totaling twelve hits and going 13-5 in two games against the current best team in baseball, the Giants’ offense was powered by eleven hits from multiple contributors. Jorge Soler enjoyed his second three-hit game as a Giant and only two starters went without a hit. That still wasn’t enough against the might of the Yankees.
San Francisco is now 19-2 this season and has scored five or more points. The Giants’ only other loss came on May 21, when they lost 7–6 to the Pittsburgh Pirates in 10 innings.
Here are three takeaways from one ugly Giants loss ahead of a six-game road trip.
Brutal timing
June was the year Snell really turned things around last season en route to an NL Cy Young campaign for the San Diego Padres. Snell had a 0.87 ERA for the month a year ago, and after one error in the first inning on Sunday, the southpaw appeared to be on his way to his best start in a Giants jersey. Until the injury bug apparently bit him again.
Snell left the game in the top of the fifth inning with the bases loaded, two outs and a 1-1 hit to Alex Verdugo. He missed over a month earlier this season due to a left groin problem and appeared to aggravate the injury during his 99th pitch of the day.
At the time of his early exit, Snell had given up one run in 4 2/3 innings while walking three and striking out seven. But his bullpen replacement, Erik Miller, immediately gave up a two-run double to Verdugo, putting both of Snell’s runners on base. His ERA is now down to 9.50, and Snell has yet to get through five more innings in a Giants jersey.
The kids are fine
The Yankees and star power go hand in hand. Always has been and always will be. On the other hand, it was the youngsters who got the job done for the Giants.
As frustrating as Snell’s apparent injury was, the Giants’ youth movement made their presence felt against the Bronx Bombers.
Casey Schmitt started the game in the second inning by beating Jorge Soler with a single to center field, which narrowly escaped shortstop Anthony Volpe’s diving attempt to tie the game at one run apiece. Heliot Ramos then opened the next inning by giving the Giants a 2-1 lead on a 400-foot shot to center field.
An inning later it was time for the Schmitt Show.
Ramos (2-for-5) and Schmitt (2-for-4) combined to go 4-for-9 and drive in all five of the Giants’ runs. Rookies Luis Matos, Brett Wisely and Tyler Fitzgerald also all had one hit.
Blank check
Shohei Ohtani’s home run over the right-field brick wall that nearly landed in the water three weeks ago was just the beginning. Aaron Judge shot 1,284 feet on home runs during his first 10 innings in San Francisco, pouring salt on a wound that refused to close. Soto added to his injury in the first inning on Sunday.
Soto sent a 400-foot rocket with a 90-mph fastball into territory where Barry Bonds and few others have ever ventured.
The ninth inning was then a Statue of Liberty-sized exclamation point from Soto. Giants closer Camilo Doval threw a 98 mph cutter straight up the middle, two pitches after Volpe smoked a 100 mph cutter into right-center field for a triple. Bad idea. Soto turned on the Doval heat, sending another long ball over the right-field wall, this time 400 feet, to tie the game.
The Giants had one of the busiest offseasons in baseball, with several big-name additions. Their long history of failing superstars is also well known by now. At some point, they’re going to have to hand over silly money to ensure a superstar wears their colors, instead of Dodger blue, Yankees pinstripes, or something else.
Maybe Soto is the answer. The 25-year-old has said he is open to business and will head to free agency after the season. Soto finished the three-game series going 6-for-12 with four RBI. $400 million? $500 million? Farhan Zaidi must be prepared to pounce if he dreams of making Soto a giant.
Download and follow the Giants Talk Podcast
