What we learned when Giants bullpen distanced itself in walk-off win originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
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SAN FRANCISCO – As encouraging as the last road trip was, it was still easy to wonder if the Giants were really playing much better baseball or if they had just played a series of pretty bad teams. It’s time to stop wondering.
With a walk-off sacrifice fly by Luis Matos in the bottom of the 10th on Tuesday, the Giants earned a 1-0 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies at Oracle Park and clinched a series victory over the team with the National League’s best record. Since a deflating loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers at home two weeks ago, the Giants have won 10 of 12 and four straight series.
Despite how well the Giants have played, this was a pretty big mismatch on paper. Zack Wheeler is a perennial Cy Young Award candidate and pitching like someone who could finally take home the trophy this year, and the Giants countered with a bullpen game led by a pitcher called up Tuesday afternoon.
Naturally, it remained scoreless until extra time.
The Giants had only two hits through eight, although a walk and a wild pitch gave them a nice opportunity in the bottom of the eighth. They fell short and squandered an even better opportunity in the bottom of the ninth. Back-to-back singles from Thairo Estrada and Matt Chapman set the stage, but Patrick Bailey flew to left, Jorge Soler hit a pop-up and Tyler Fitzgerald struck out.
Sean Hjelle stranded the automatic runner in the top of the 10th, eliminating Alec Bohm and JT Realmuto with the go-ahead run at third. In the bottom of the inning, the Giants finally broke through. Fitzgerald was put on second to start the inning and advanced on a pair of medium fly balls, using his speed to bring home the match winner.
The series win is the first against a team with a winning record since the first home series of the year against the San Diego Padres.
Revenge Game, Part I
The Phillies took Spencer Howard with their second-round pick in 2017, and by the time he reached the major leagues in 2020, he was one of the best right-handers in baseball. Howard made six starts during the pandemic-shortened season and seven the following year, but he struggled and was sent to the Texas Rangers at the deadline.
The numbers were even worse — an ERA of 8.37 — over parts of three seasons in Texas, but Howard was sharp in his Giants debut, scattering five hits over four innings and striking out four. His fastball averaged 94 mph and topped out at 96.
Keaton Winn will be eligible to return as soon as Thursday and Mason Black will soon be eligible to be recalled from Triple-A, but Howard could have jumped to the top of the list for this fifth rotation spot, at least for the next turn. Winn struggled before going to the IL and Black has an 8.79 ERA in four appearances.
Revenge Game, Part II
Luis Matos twice hit balls that looked like they might find the seats, but otherwise the Giants never really made Wheeler break a sweat. Their 2009 first-rounder allowed just two hits in six innings and struck out nine while lowering his ERA to 2.32. At least the Giants had some long at-bats, which prevented Wheeler from going even deeper.
Both starting pitchers faced the team that drafted them. Erik Miller was the opener for the Giants and struck out a pair in a scoreless first inning. Miller was a fourth-round pick by Philadelphia in 2019 but struggled with his command in the minor leagues. He was traded to the Giants for right-hander Yunior Marte, who pitched well earlier this season but is currently on the IL.
The newcomer
Trenton Brooks grew up just outside of San Diego and went to college in Reno, so it wasn’t a long journey for his family and friends. He received loud ovations all evening, but he struck out and flew out in two at-bats. With a lefty on the mound in the eighth, Wilmer Flores batted for Brooks.
The 28-year-old made his MLB debut after 638 appearances in the minor leagues, and he should get plenty of opportunities to pick up some firsts. Now LaMonte Wade Jr. is out for at least a month with a hamstring injury, the Giants will lean on Brooks as their left-handed bat at first base. He has a good glove there and did a bit of a Wade impersonation in Triple-A, reaching base at a .426 clip.
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