Sometimes one swing is the difference in a baseball game. One pitch, in a match with 294 pitches, is what determines the outcome.
On Monday, the swing and pitch came thanks to Brandon Belt and Chase Anderson, respectively.
I especially enjoy the caption the San Francisco Giants’ social team came up with for that video: “Belt Let’s Get Started.”
It was like watching the 100 meter sprint and the commentator saying ‘they’re gone!’ and by the time the sentence is over, it’s done. Belt’s dinger made it 2-0. The final score was 2-0.
It was the pitch, and it was the swing.
Of course, it’s not really that simple.
If you (or in this case I) are going to make the case that the match was decided on one of the 294 stands, then it just follows that there was no decision on 293 of the 294 stands, which in its own way means that the match was decided at 293 of the 294 places.
And that’s really appropriate, because it felt like Kevin Gausman won the game by throwing 293 lots of connecting fires.
Gausman hit six overs, and as you can probably convince with the final score, he did not allow a run. But here is the situation he allowed in each of the six innings:
First turn: Runners on first and second, two out
Second turn: Nothing
Third turn: Runners at the corners, two out
Fourth turn: Runners-up in second and third place, no results
Fifth inning: Runners on first and second, one out
Sixth turn: Runners on first and second, two out
It was the fourth innings that was most impressive, as Gausman stared at two runners in the standings, with no power play and no outings, and continued to hit, knock out, defend to end the innings. Not only was it a masterful task to secure the lead, but because the first two hits failed to run, the Philadelphia Phillies decided to use a pinch for the final victim and with their bull for to roll the last five innings. . It can bear fruit over the next two days.
Gausman was far from his sharpest, as evident from the situations he was in all day. He allowed 6 shots and 4 runs in 6 overs, while hitting just 5 of 28 batsmen. But just as we often say that the point of a good team is the ability to win, even if you are not playing well, the point of a good pitcher is often the ability to limit an opponent, even if you dirtiest things left in the hotel. room. That sentence came out wrong. Well, too late to edit that one. Let’s go on.
The rights took enough rabbits out of a hat to keep the Phillies off the board, and that enabled the Giants to win in a game where they struggle to score. If it was a performance of a mediocre or bad pitcher, you would say they were happy and wait for the other shoe to drop in five days.
But it happened with a good player, meaning the Giants simply stole a win on one of the few days this year where Gausman would not get it.
And this is a much nicer narrative.
The bullpen did its job, even missing a few key arms. Matt Wisler had a strong seventh position and a day after making his MLB debut in a high leverage situation, Camilo Doval was again trusted with a small lead in a late innings (this time the eighth) . He passed by once more. It’s officially time to get completely excited.
Wandy Peralta closed the door for his second save of the season, and the Giants secured their second straight exclusion.
The Giants did not have a single exclusion in 2020.
You have to go back to the end of the 2018 season to find a time when the Giants have recorded exclusions in consecutive games.
The Giants are supposed to win by hitting, but if their pitching wants to do so while waiting for the offense – and even better, hold it in when the offense arrives – they will be in pretty good shape.
A few notes:
- Austin Slater – who apparently took over the role of a right – handed midfielder playing against Mauricio Dubón’s right – had an excellent match. He had two hits – including a perfect bunt single – a stolen base and a highlight defensive play. He is having a wonderful season.
- Jean Segura had a doubles for the Phillies, stopping the game so he could collect the ball and bat, and receive a tribute on the scoreboard for … doubling his 200th career. I want to try everything to smile and celebrate, but that’s a reason to smile and celebrate that I’ve never heard before.
- The Giants have ten wins, and it cost them 16 games to do so. It took them 26 games in 2020, 24 games in 2019, 22 games in 2018 and 27 games in 2017. This season looks better. I like better.